Prophet Uebert Angel

In recent decades it appears that the number of so-called miracles occurring in Africa has increased dramatically, especially among followers of African Christian churches. Prophet-led religious groups have proliferated throughout Africa, and tales of faith healing and other miracles abound. Christians, and in particular African Christians, seem to be particularly susceptible to a belief in miracles, which usually involve some form of unexplained connection between the material and spiritual planes.

There are a number of charismatic individuals leading new religious movements throughout Africa, claiming to be able to perform miracles and make predictions and prophecies through direct communication with God.

One particularly influential preacher is Prophet Uebert Angel, founder of Spirit Embassy Ministry, which operates from bases in both Zimbabwe and the UK. Uebert Angel regularly attracts crowds in their thousands eager to experience at first hand events such as ‘miracle money’ and ‘miracle weight loss’, where the Prophet seemingly creates wealth from nothing for members of the congregation, or causes believers to instantly lose weight.

Zimbabwe in particular seems rife with miracles. Zimbabwean Prophet Kwanele Dube has reportedly performed feats such as healing terminally ill patients, restoring fertility to infertile women and, in one famous case, using his prophetic powers to recover a stolen motor vehicle [3].

Healing revivals are being held and televised throughout Africa, such as Revival LIVE, hosted by Rory Alec from South Africa and broadcast by GOD TV in 2013. Evangelist Todd Bentley, who participated in the event, is said to have cured a man who was previously blind in one eye, and to have restored the power of hearing and speech to a deaf/mute girl.

While these miracles may still inspire scepticism from many, the fact remains that hundreds of thousands of African Christians believe in their authenticity and power. Throughout Zimbabwe, the majority of Pentecostal churches are also evangelical in nature, combining strict belief in the Gospel, and the acceptance of Jesus Christ as the only route to salvation, with more traditional African spiritual practices which include faith healing. The number of African Initiated Churches (AICs) is growing fast, differentiating from the missionary-based churches and often emphasising cultu