| Evangelical Presbyterian Church in South Africa | |
|---|---|
| Classification | Protestant |
| Theology | Calvinism |
| Distinct fellowships | Seven (as of 2004) |
| Associations | World Communion of Reformed Churches |
| Headquarters | South Africa |
| Congregations | 37 (as of 2004) |
| Members | 30,000 (as of 2004) |
| Official website | epcsa.org.za |
The Evangelical Presbyterian Church in South Africa is a Protestant denomination in the Reformed tradition.
It had[ when? ] a relationship with the Reformed Churches in Switzerland.[ clarification needed ] The organisation's structure is threefold: the parish, the presbytery and the synod. [1] The church has seven presbyteries. [2]
It is a member of the World Communion of Reformed Churches. [3] Sister denominations are the Presbyterian Church in Mozambique and the Lesotho Evangelical Church.
The organisation subscribes to the Apostles Creed and Nicene Creed. [4]
In 2004, it had 30,000 members, 37 congregations and 7 house fellowships. The organisation's official language is Tsonga. [5]
Presbyterianism is a Reformed (Calvinist) Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders. Though there are other Reformed churches that are structurally similar, the word Presbyterian is applied to churches that trace their roots to the Church of Scotland or to English Dissenter groups that formed during the English Civil War.
Presbyterianpolity is a method of church governance typified by the rule of assemblies of presbyters, or elders. Each local church is governed by a body of elected elders usually called the session or consistory, though other terms, such as church board, may apply. Groups of local churches are governed by a higher assembly of elders known as the presbytery or classis; presbyteries can be grouped into a synod, and presbyteries and synods nationwide often join together in a general assembly. Responsibility for conduct of church services is reserved to an ordained minister or pastor known as a teaching elder, or a minister of the word and sacrament.
The Christian Reformed Church in North America is a Protestant Calvinist Christian denomination in the United States and Canada. Having roots in the Dutch Reformed Church of the Netherlands, the Christian Reformed Church was founded by Dutch immigrants in 1857 and is theologically Calvinist.
The Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) is an American church body holding to presbyterian governance and Reformed theology. It is a conservative Calvinist denomination. It is most distinctive for its approach to the way it balances certain liberties across congregations on "non-essential" doctrines, such as egalitarianism in marriage or the ordination of women, alongside an affirmation of core "essential" doctrinal standards.
The Presbyterian Church of Australia (PCA), founded in 1901, is the largest Presbyterian denomination in Australia. The larger Uniting Church in Australia incorporated about 70% of the PCA in 1977.
Protestants in Myanmar make up 5% of that nation's population in 2023. Most Christians are from the minority ethnic groups such as Karen, Lisu, Kachin, Chin, and Lahu. An estimated 0.1% of the Bamar population is Christian.
Igreja Presbiteriana de Moçambique is one of the largest Protestant denominations of Mozambique.
The Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus is a Lutheran denomination in Ethiopia. It is the largest member church of the Lutheran World Federation. It is a Lutheran denomination with some Pentecostal influence and one Presbyterian-leaning synod, with a large Pietistic following.
The Presbyterian Church of Brazil is an Evangelical Protestant Christian denomination in Brazil. It is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the country, having an estimate 702,949 members, 4,915 ordained ministers and 5,420 churches and parishes. It is also the only Presbyterian denomination in Brazil present in all 26 States and the Federal District.
ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians is an evangelical Presbyterian denomination in the United States. As a Presbyterian church, ECO adheres to Reformed theology and Presbyterian polity. It was established in 2012 by former congregations and members of the Presbyterian Church (USA), abbreviated PC(USA). Denominational disputes over theology—particularly ordination of practicing homosexuals as pastors and gay marriage—and bureaucracy led to the founding of ECO. In 2018, ECO has over 383 congregations, 103,425 covenant partners and over 500 pastors. ECO churches are egalitarian in beliefs and ordain women as pastors and elders.
The Reformed Presbyterian Church of India is a historic confessional Presbyterian denomination in India, established in the 19th century by Scottish and Irish missionaries.
The Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Myanmar was founded by Reverend Robert Thawm Luai in 1983. Members of this Church were once affiliated with different Christian denominations and churches, eventually seceding due to liberalism, ecumenism and charismatism.
The Presbyterian Church in Cameroon (PCC) is a Reformed and Presbyterian denomination in Cameroon. It is the largest English-speaking church in the country and the largest Reformed one, a member of the World Communion of Reformed Churches, as well as the World Council of Churches. In addition to its religious activities, the PCC contributes to provision of health and education services in the country. The church was established by the Basel Mission, which started to operate in the country in 1886, taking over from English Baptists, after that Cameroon had come under the protection of Germany. The PCC became autonomous in 1957.
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. Mzimba 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 Lesotho Evangelical Church in Southern Africa is one of the oldest Protestant churches in Africa, established in 1833 by the Paris Evangelical Missionary Society. They received the support of the local king, and under its protection the church developed. The first mission station was in Morija. In 1868 Lesotho became a British protectorate. In 1898 a Synod was opened, while in 1964 the church gained independence.
The Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Portugal is a result of evangelistic effort in Madeira between 1838 and 1846 by Robert Kalley, a Scottish minister, the mission continued in the continent in 1966. The first Presbyterian church was founded by Rev. Antonio de Matos, who arrived in Portugal in 1870. Matos was converted by Kalley, and studied in Scotland. Throughout the 19th and 20th century churches were planted in Madeira, Azores, Portugal. In 1926 a Presbytery was formed. In 1944 the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Portugal was formed. In 1946 a Theological Seminary was formed in Carcavelos, but moved to Lisbon in 1970. The denomination is the oldest non-Catholic church in Portugal. It is a member of the World Communion of Reformed Churches, the Conference of European Churches and the World Council of Churches.
The Federation of Reformed Churches (FORC) is a Reformed denomination, founded in 1990, in United States.
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