Church of Central Africa Presbyterian – Harare Synod

Last updated
Harare Synod
Classification Protestant
Polity Presbyterian
Associations Part of Church of Central Africa Presbyterian
Region Zimbabwe
Origin 1965
Congregations 25
Members 10,000
Official website www.ccaphresynod.com

The Church of Central Africa Presbyterian – Harare Synod was founded in 1965 by immigrant workers from Malawi in search of employment in mining and farming areas in Zimbabwe. Ministers came from Malawi and South Africa. Worships are in English, Shona, Chewa and Ndebele. The Harare Synod is part of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian. It also has cordial relationship with other Reformed churches. [1]

Malawi country in Africa

Malawi, officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. Malawi is over 118,000 km2 (45,560 sq mi) with an estimated population of 18,091,575. Lake Malawi takes up about a third of Malawi's area. Its capital is Lilongwe, which is also Malawi's largest city; the second largest is Blantyre, the third is Mzuzu and the fourth largest is its old capital Zomba. The name Malawi comes from the Maravi, an old name of the Nyanja people that inhabit the area. The country is also nicknamed "The Warm Heart of Africa" because of the friendliness of the people.

Zimbabwe republic in southern Africa

Zimbabwe, officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in southern Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Mozambique. The capital and largest city is Harare. A country of roughly 16 million people, Zimbabwe has 16 official languages, with English, Shona, and Ndebele the most commonly used.

South Africa Republic in the southernmost part of Africa

South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by 2,798 kilometres (1,739 mi) of coastline of Southern Africa stretching along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countries of Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe; and to the east and northeast by Mozambique and Eswatini (Swaziland); and it surrounds the enclaved country of Lesotho. South Africa is the largest country in Southern Africa and the 25th-largest country in the world by land area and, with over 57 million people, is the world's 24th-most populous nation. It is the southernmost country on the mainland of the Old World or the Eastern Hemisphere. About 80 percent of South Africans are of Sub-Saharan African ancestry, divided among a variety of ethnic groups speaking different African languages, nine of which have official status. The remaining population consists of Africa's largest communities of European (White), Asian (Indian), and multiracial (Coloured) ancestry.

It has 25 parishes with approximately 10,000 members in four presbyteries. [2] The churches met every two years as a Synod.

Doctrine

Athanasian Creed creed named for Athanasius but not written by him, defines the Christian Trinity

The Athanasian Creed, also known as Pseudo-Athanasian Creed or Quicunque Vult, is a Christian statement of belief focused on Trinitarian doctrine and Christology. The Latin name of the creed, Quicunque vult, is taken from the opening words, "Whosoever wishes". The creed has been used by Christian churches since the sixth century. It is the first creed in which the equality of the three persons of the Trinity is explicitly stated. It differs from the Nicene-Constantinopolitan and Apostles' Creeds in the inclusion of anathemas, or condemnations of those who disagree with the creed.

Nicene Creed Statement of belief adopted at the First Ecumenical Council in 325

The Nicene Creed is a statement of belief widely used in Christian liturgy. It is called Nicene because it was originally adopted in the city of Nicaea by the First Council of Nicaea in 325. In 381, it was amended at the First Council of Constantinople, and the amended form is referred to as the Nicene or the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed.

Canons of Dort judgment of the National Synod held in Dordrecht (Dort) in 1618–19 against Arminianism

The Canons of Dort, or Canons of Dordrecht, formally titled The Decision of the Synod of Dort on the Five Main Points of Doctrine in Dispute in the Netherlands, is the judgment of the National Synod held in the Dutch city of Dordrecht in 1618–19. At the time, Dordrecht was often referred to in English as Dort or Dordt.

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Presbyterianism Branch of Protestant Christianity in which the church is governed by presbyters (elders)

Presbyterianism is a part of the reformed tradition within Protestantism, which traces its origins to Britain, particularly Scotland.

The World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) was a fellowship of more than 200 churches with roots in the 16th-century Reformation, and particularly in the theology of John Calvin. Its headquarters was in Geneva, Switzerland. They are now merged into the World Communion of Reformed Churches.

Igreja Presbiteriana de Moçambique is one of the largest Protestant denominations of Mozambique.

Reformed Evangelical Anglican Church of South Africa

The Reformed Evangelical Anglican Church of South Africa is Christian denomination in South Africa. It was constituted in 1938 as a federation of churches. It appointed its first bishop in 1955. It is an Anglican church and it relates closely to the Sydney Diocese of the Anglican Church of Australia, to which it is similar in that it sees itself as a bastion of the Reformation and particularly of reformed doctrine.

The Sudanese Reformed Presbyterian Churches (SRPC) are a unified body of Protestant Churches in Sudan.

World Communion of Reformed Churches Christian organization

The World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) is the largest association of Reformed churches in the world. It has 233 member denominations in 110 countries, together claiming 100 million people, thus being the third largest Christian communion in the world after the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church. This ecumenical Christian body was formed in June 2010 by the union of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) and the Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC).

Church of Central Africa Presbyterian – Nkhoma Synod

The Church of Central Africa Presbyterian – Nkhoma Synod was founded in 1889 and is one of the major Protestant churches in Malawi. The Church consists of 124 congregations and 1,298 prayer houses and serves 800,000 members. The churches meet every two years in a synod. They have adopted the Belgic Confession, Heidelberg Catechism and Canons of Dort as their doctrinal standards. Along with the General Synod of the CCAP, the Nkhoma Synod is a member of the World Communion of Reformed Churches.

Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa (NHK)

The Dutch Reformed Church in Africa is a Reformed Christian denomination based in South Africa. It also has congregations in Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Along with the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa (NGK) and the Reformed Churches in South Africa, the NHK is one of the three Dutch Reformed sister churches of South Africa.

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Reformed Churches in South Africa

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Church of Central Africa Presbyterian

The Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) is a Presbyterian denomination. It consists of five synods: one in Zambia, one in Zimbabwe and three in Malawi – Livingstonia Synod in the north of the country, Nkhoma Synod in the centre, and Blantyre Synod in the south.

Christianity is one of the major religions practiced in Zimbabwe. The arrival of Christianity dates back to the 14th century by missionaries such as Robert Moffat of the London Missionary Society (LMS). Christianity is embraced by the majority of the population. It is estimated 85 percent of Zimbabweans claim to be Christians, with approximately 62 percent regularly attending church services. Christian faith plays a very important role in the organization of our society; the bible is regarded as the only source of hope and truth. It is highly esteemed and its writings considered sacred.

Presbyterian Church of Angola

The Presbyterian Church in Angola is a federation of theologically orthodox Reformed churches, that was founded in the mid-1980s, adopting the Westminster Confession of Faith as the official Standards.

The Presbyterian Church of Africa was founded in 1898 by Rev. James Mzimba, who broke from the Church of Scotland. He was born in Ngquakai, and his father was a deacon in the Presbyterian Church. Mzimba become a pastor, and was ordained in 1875. He was sent to Scotland to the anniversary of the Free Church of Scotland, but later severed its ties with the denomination. In 1899 he founded his own independent Presbyterian church. He died in 1911. The first Synod was constituted in Alice, Cape Colony. Mzambi had a dispute with the Free Church of Scotland over land and over the use of money. The Presbyterian Church of Africa is a predominantly black church. It was a small group of churches with 2 presbyteries. The church grew steadily. It is one of the oldest independent churches in Africa.

The Reformed Presbyterian Church of Malawi was initiated by mission work of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, and was founded in 1985. There are more than 200 congregations and 7.000 to 10.000 members mainly in rural areas of central and southern Malawi. Since 2006 the Hersteld Hervormde Kerk of the Netherlands Restored Reformed Church supports this denomination.

Church of Central Africa Presbyterian – Synod of Livingstonia

The Synod of Livingstonia is a synod of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian. It was founded by missionaries of the Free Church of Scotland in 1875.

The Synod Central Africa is a regional governing body in the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa in Zimbabwe. In 1895 3 congregations were established in what was then known as Rhodesia. The number of congregations increased rapidly, theses was part of the Cape Synod, later the Free State Synod and the Transvaal Synod. Finally the Dutch Reformed Church - Synod Central Africa become autonomous in 1957. It has 16 congregations, 41 house fellowships and 2,600 members. Official languages are English and Afrikaans. The Apostles Creed, Athanasian Creed, Canons of Dort, Heidelberg Catechism, Belgic Confession is generally accepted standards.

Church of Central Africa Presbyterian – Blantyre Synod

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References

  1. ↑ http://relzim.org/major-religions-zimbabwe/reformed/
  2. ↑ "CCAP Harare Synod" . Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  3. ↑ "Church of Central Africa Presbyterian - Synod of Harare" . Retrieved 25 August 2015.
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