Institutionalizing religion in state politics: A comparative study of King Solomon and Edgar Chagwa Lungu

Lawrence Mpeta ORCID iD 

Issue: Vol. 12 No.8 2026 Issue Article 3 pp. 363 – 375
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/erats.20261283 Published online 28th September 2026.
© 2026 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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This paper explores how Lungu’s institutionalization of Christianity reflects the religious and political dynamics of King Solomon in shaping state-church relations in Zambia. Guided by a comparative study approach, the study used desk research for data collection and triangulated thematic and comparative analyses to interpret the findings. The findings revealed that, though situated in distinct religio-political contexts, both Solomon’s and Lungu’s institutionalization of religion in state politics reinforced national identity, thereby contributing to their political legitimacy. Solomon’s adherence to the Mosaic Law and his temple project served as mechanisms for statecraft and for legitimizing authority. Similarly, by actualizing the 1991 declaration of Zambia as a Christian nation, Lungu strengthened Zambia’s religio-political identity and gained political mileage. Unfortunately, the findings also demonstrate that Lungu instrumentalized Christianity for political expediency, which consequently sabotaged the church’s prophetic role in political affairs. The study, therefore, challenges the church to always examine theoretical and practical implications before espousing religio-political policies to avert co-optation and partisan politics. It also underscores that Christianity must serve as the power for societal transformation as it refines spiritual, ethical, and political dynamics and must not be leveraged as an apparatus for legitimacy. Consequently, this research contributes to ongoing discourses on the intersection of religion and politics by providing an analytical model that compares biblical narratives with contemporary political leadership in Africa and beyond.

Keywords: Politics and Religion, Solomon, Edgar Lungu, Political Legitimacy, Zambia

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Lawrence Mpeta is a theologian and a quality assurance specialist, currently serving as the Director of Quality Assurance at Ambassador International University in Zambia. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theology, a Postgraduate Diploma in Quality Assurance in Higher Education, and professional certifications in Lean Six Sigma and Kaizen quality improvement methodologies. His research interests include political theology, religion and society, and quality assurance in higher education.

Mpeta, Lawrence. “Institutionalizing religion in State Politics: A comparative study of King Solomon and Edgar Chagwa Lungu.” E-Journal of Religious and Theological Studies 12, no.8 (2026): 363 – 375. https://doi.org/10.38159/erats.20261283

© 2026 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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