Exploring the Tangible: Sacred Objects and the Art of Healing in Malawi
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Abstract
This study explores how Christian believers in Mzuzu, Malawi, utilize religious objects (e.g., holy water, anointing oil, and sacred cloths) as tangible tools for healing within a context of medical pluralism. Drawing on a qualitative, phenomenological research design, data were collected through in-depth interviews with 8 Christian believers from diverse denominations and participant observation in Mzuzu between May and June 2025. Thematic analysis of the data, which included interviews and participant observation, reveals that these objects serve as more than mere symbols. They function as tangible theology, making divine intervention perceptible in moments of desperation; as social glue, binding communities together through shared rituals; and as strategic negotiators, helping believers navigate a complex marketplace of healing options. The findings reveal that participants perceive these objects as deriving their efficacy not from intrinsic properties but from their connection to divine power, a perspective shaped by denominational differences. The research demonstrates how believers artfully combine faith-based practices with biomedicine, challenging Western binaries between spiritual and scientific healing. Ultimately, this study contends that religious objects are active agents in the healing process, serving as crucial nodes in broader networks of spiritual care and communal support within an African urban context.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Rev Agnes Nyondo (Author)
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