The first article by Alfred Kapepe and Austin Cheyeka explores the logic behind naming children after deceased members of the lineage in Zambian cultures from a Pentecostal perspective. The findings show that Pentecostals in Lusaka who participated in the study oppose the naming of their children after the deceased members of the lineage. The authors recommend that Pentecostal churches should find a midway of incorporating Zambian naming culture. That way, their cultural heritage will be upheld. In the second article, Alfred Kapepe, Armstrong Chanda, Audrey Muyuni Phiri and Ireen Moonga explore women’s leadership characteristics in moments of crisis. The researchers argue, based on their findings in Lusaka and Kafue districts, that women exhibit resilient leadership and dependence on biblical knowledge to guide them as leaders, especially in times of crisis. The third article by Armstrong Chanda and Austin Cheyeka reports mystical powers that the Bemba speaking people of Mpika believe in and how those powers manifest themselves. Since the appearance of Fr. Felix Phiri’s book entitled, Muslim Associations and the Resurgence of Islam in Zamba in 2008, a number of scholars and students of religion in the country have done some research on Islam in different areas of Zambia. Kelvin Phiri and Joseph Hachintu in the fourth article identify the variety of Islam in Isoka and the nature of community engagement that Muslims there are undertaking. Judith Lubasi Ilubala Ziwa, Joseph Hachintu, Nicholas M. Haambokoma and Maligelita J. Njovu in the fifth article argue that the church in Kabwe District remains predominantly patriarchal as far as distribution of leadership roles on the basis of gender was concerned – an equitable application of gender equality within the church was yet to be realised. The last article by Julius Zulu and Kenny Changwe explores the academic factors behind the low mean pass percentage of Candidates from 2011 to 2022 that Zambia as a country has continuously recorded in RE senior secondary final examination with a view to helping teachers of RE and Candidates make the best progress possible in RE. The authors have established the following problems – negative attitude towards RE by teachers and learners, poor instructional materials for RE, poor teaching approaches by RE teachers and curriculum design mismatch with material content and assessments. Chief Editor, Prof. Austin Mumba Cheyeka (PhD)

This particular issue of ZJRCI has six articles; a book review inclusive. The first article by Conard Habamba and Austin Cheyeka is an attempt to find out through a qualitative inquiry why occasions of the rite of passage for girls called Nkolola in Munyumbwe Chiefdom in Southern province have been dwindling. From the participants in the study, the authors have established reasons to account for the waning of Nkolola. In addition the authors have established that the local people have ideas about how they could prevent Nkolola from becoming extinct and these are reported in the article. In the second article by Lewis Chilufya, William Sinkala, and Simeo Kabwe, the role that Christian churches played in the attempt to stop violent crimes perpetrated by a gang calling itself Totoka Boys is examined and the authors have established that the churches’ role was limited. In their recommendations, the authors have urged churches to foster values such as family life, spirit of community, responsibility and respect for life. Kenny Changwe and Tomaida Milingo, in the third article, explore the stakeholders’ perceptions of the National Heritage Conservation Commission (NHCC)’s regulatory framework in the cultural heritage management of the Mwela Rock Art Site in Kasama in Northern Province. To stop the desecration of Mwela Rock Art Site, the authors recommends, based on their findings,the following: To incorporate indigenous or local people’s administrative structures and beliefs about the Mwela Rock Art Site into the formal preservation policies of the NHCC. The role of Africans in the establishment and growth of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, popularly known as SDA at Loshi in Mansa district is reported in a historical narrative by George Mwansa and Melvin Simuchimba in the fourth article. The authors argue that contrary to the long-held view that White missionaries from Chimpempe in Kawambwa brought Adventism to Loshi, it was the local people of Loshi who had sojourned to Congo who brought and established Adventism at Loshi. In the fifth article, Melvin Simuchimba, Nicholas Haambokoma, and Maligelita Njobvu have explained the nature of Zambian Secondary School Religious Education (RE). They have recommended reform of RE in Zambia. This issue of ZJRCI ends with Gilbert Kamanga’s review of a book on Fr. Dominic Nchete, the first Tonga Catholic Diocesan priest written by Fr. Hector Mwale.

Contrary to the widely held view in religion and media that non-Pentecostal mainline churches had not embraced media technologies in their mission(s), Nelly Mwale, Melvin Simuchimba and Austin Cheyeka in the first article of the journal, argue that, mainline church-related universities in Zambia reflect a trend towards the use of the media in order to sell their educational activities. The second article by Kenny Changwe, Tomaida C. Milingo and Esther Hara Zulu is based on a study that sought to investigate the role indigenous environmental beliefs play in heritage preservation at Mwela rock art site in Kasama District of Zambia. The authors established that the coming of National Heritage Conservation Commission to manage the heritage site had discouraged indigenous environmental beliefs from being recognised and incorporated in preservation practices. The authors recommend that indigenous environmental beliefs be adopted and incorporated in the formal heritage management of Mwela rock art site. In the third article titled ‘Towards a National Policy on Religious Education in Zambia’, Simuchimba proposes adoption and introduction of a national policy on Religious Education (RE) to govern the teaching and learning of the subject so as to develop the subject beyond its current neo-confessional and semi- educational nature. In arguing for a policy, the author puts forward a framework and principles which should underpin both the policy on RE and the nature of RE to be offered in the country. While Simuchimba argues for a policy on RE, John Yanko Mudalitsa S.J., calls for a Zambian Commission on RE to conduct a large-scale research into the quality of Religious Education and prepare a new national plan for the subject. In addition, Mudalitsa appeals to tertiary institutions to start teaching Religious Education. Prof. Austin M. Cheyeka, PhD Chief Editor

This inaugural issues has eight articles covering a wide range of religious issues. We are certain that our readers will enjoy reading these articles.