The role of the church in fighting moral decay in Eswatini communities
Bheki S. Mdluli & Phumuzani Mpofu
Abstract
In the recent past, the church played a central role in society, with pastors being widely respected and consulted by schools, governments, and communities during times of crisis. However, there has been a noticeable decline in the church’s influence and societal trust today. This study explores the continuing potential of the church in fostering moral regeneration within communities. Its objectives include examining the extent of moral decay, identifying factors contributing to family disintegration, and assessing which societal and church values that once upheld strong family structures have been lost. A qualitative approach was adopted to provide in-depth insights into participants’ experiences and interactions. The research focused on how the church can address moral decline, targeting church leaders, congregants, and community members. Data were collected through focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews involving 24 participants, including two focus groups (youth and ordinary Christians) and eight individual interviews. Thematic analysis was used to interpret the data. Findings indicate that moral decay has significant consequences, leading to social disengagement and the justification of unethical behavior. Despite this, the study concludes that the church still holds the potential to counteract moral decline. By implementing a comprehensive and multifaceted strategy, including education, community engagement, and the promotion of personal responsibility, the church can play a pivotal role in restoring moral standards and strengthening societal values.
Keywords
moral decay, decadence, moral fibre, moral values, disorientation
Author information & Contribution
Bheki S. Mdluli. Eswatini College of Theology.
Phumuzani Mpofu. Corresponding author. Department of Psychology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. Email: mpofup89@gmail.com
"All authors equally contributed to the conception, design, preparation, data gathering and analysis, and writing of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript."
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Funding
This work was not supported by any funding.
Institutional Review Board Statement
This study was conducted in accordance with the ethical guidelines set by Eswatini College of Theology. The conduct of this study has been approved and given relative clearances by Eswatini College of Theology.
AI Declaration
The authors declare the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in writing this paper. In particular, the authors used ChatGPT for language editing and paraphrasing of ideas. The authors take full responsibility in ensuring proper review and editing of contents generated using AI.
Notes
Acknowledgement
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Cite this article:
Mdluli, B.S. & Mpofu, P. (2025). The role of the church in fighting moral decay in Eswatini communities. International Review of Social Sciences Research, 5(4), 22-42. https://doi.org/10.53378/irssr.353271
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