Sudanese Reformed Presbyterian Churches

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The Sudanese Reformed Presbyterian Churches (SRPC) are a unified body of Protestant Churches in Sudan. [1]

Sudan Country in East Africa

Sudan or the Sudan, officially the Republic of the Sudan, is a country in Northeast Africa. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea to the east, Ethiopia to the southeast, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the southwest, Chad to the west, and Libya to the northwest. It has a population of 43 million people and occupies a total area of 1,886,068 square kilometres, making it the third-largest country in Africa. Sudan's predominant religion is Islam, and its official languages are Arabic and English. The capital is Khartoum, located at the confluence of the Blue and White Nile. Since 2011, Sudan is the scene of ongoing military conflict in its regions South Kordofan and the Blue Nile.

Contents

History

The Sudanese Reformed Churches was started in Khartum in 1992. On 31 October 2005 the Sudanese Reformed Churches were officially organised, in Khartum leaders met to discuss the need for a unified body that would govern these congregations and ensure that matters of doctrine and life, and growth (in the faith as well as numerically) would be soundly grounded on Reformed faith as taught by the Reformers (Luther and Calvin). A Committee was formed to provide leadership until such time as the first SRPC Synod would be held. The committee is now working out a Church Order and governing structure for SRPC, taking guidance from work done in these areas throughout history by Reformed Churches who have struggled to structure their church federations on the solid foundation of Scriptural principles. The first General Assembly was held in Khartum in 2009, the Second GA was held in Juba in 2011, and the recent GA was in May, 2013 in Malakal. [2]

Martin Luther Saxon priest, monk and theologian, seminal figure in Protestant Reformation

Martin Luther,, was a German professor of theology, composer, priest, monk, and a seminal figure in the Protestant Reformation.

John Calvin French Protestant reformer

John Calvin was a French theologian, pastor and reformer in Geneva during the Protestant Reformation. He was a principal figure in the development of the system of Christian theology later called Calvinism, aspects of which include the doctrines of predestination and of the absolute sovereignty of God in salvation of the human soul from death and eternal damnation, in which doctrines Calvin was influenced by and elaborated upon the Augustinian and other Christian traditions. Various Congregational, Reformed and Presbyterian churches, which look to Calvin as the chief expositor of their beliefs, have spread throughout the world.

Bible Collection of religious texts in Judaism and Christianity

The Bible is a collection of sacred texts or scriptures. Varying parts of the Bible are considered to be a product of divine inspiration and a record of the relationship between God and humans by Christians, Jews, Samaritans, and Rastafarians.

Beliefs

The Sudanese Reformed Presbyterian Churches believe and confess that the Holy Scripture both (Old Testament and New Testament) are the complete, inspired, and normative Word of God and are the only infallible basis of faith and practice for Christian believers(2 Tim 3:16). SRPC adheres to the Ecumenical creeds of the Christian Church: the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed and the Athanasian Creed, the Heidelberg Catechism, Belgic Confession and the Canons of Dort. [3]

Old Testament First part of Christian Bibles based on the Hebrew Bible

The Old Testament is the first part of Christian Bibles, based primarily upon the Hebrew Bible, a collection of ancient religious writings by the Israelites believed by most Christians and religious Jews to be the sacred Word of God. The second part of the Christian Bible is the New Testament.

New Testament Second division of the Christian biblical canon

The New Testament is the second part of the Christian biblical canon, the first being the Old Testament. The New Testament discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Christianity. Christians regard both the Old and New Testaments together as sacred scripture.

The Apostles' Creed, sometimes titled the Apostolic Creed or the Symbol of the Apostles, is an early statement of Christian belief—a creed or "symbol". It is widely used by a number of Christian denominations for both liturgical and catechetical purposes, most visibly by liturgical Churches of Western tradition, including the Catholic Church, Lutheranism and Anglicanism. It is also used by Presbyterians, Moravians, Methodists and Congregationalists.

Structure

SRPC has ten (16) congregations in the following areas of Sudan, 12 ordained pastors and 17 evangelists, and total about 2,034 members. 80% of the churches located in South Sudan, and 20% are in Sudan. In 2005 there were only 500 members. The Sudanese Reformed denomination is a cross-cultural church. [4] Among the churches there are four congregations in Khartoum (Dar el Salam Sudanese Reformed Presbyterian Church, Abuja Sudanese Reformed Presbyterian Church, Soba Sudanese Reformed Presbyterian Church, Khartoum Sudanese Reformed Presbyterian Church), four congregation in Juba, Southern Sudan (Kator Sudanese Reformed Presbyterian church, Munuki Sudanese Reformed Presbyterian Church, Lologu Sudanese Reformed Presbyterian Church, Hai Malakal Sudanese Reformed Presbyterian Church), as well as Churches in Renk and Malakal, Southern Sudan. Until such time as the SRPC holds its 1st Synod, the SRPC is governed by a Committee composed of five (5) members. SRPC is exploring and hoping to adopt a Reformed Church order based on principles of church government as outlined in the historic Church Orders of the Reformed Churches (e.g. The Church Order of Dordt 1618-1619) with amendments to any articles that are not applicable to the situation as it exists in Sudan.

South Sudan Country in Africa

South Sudan, officially known as the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country in East-Central Africa. It gained independence from the Republic of the Sudan in 2011, making it the most recent sovereign state with widespread recognition. Its capital and largest city is Juba.

Khartoum City in Sudan

Khartoum or Khartum is the capital and largest city of Sudan. The city is also the capital of the state of Khartoum. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile, flowing north from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile, flowing west from Ethiopia. The location where the two Niles meet is known as al-Mogran or al-Muqran. The main Nile continues to flow north towards Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea.

Synod of Dort National Synod held in Dordrecht

The Synod of Dort was an international Synod held in Dordrecht in 1618–1619, by the Dutch Reformed Church, to settle a divisive controversy initiated by the rise of Arminianism. The first meeting was on 13 November 1618 and the final meeting, the 180th, was on 29 May 1619. Voting representatives from eight foreign Reformed churches were also invited. Dort was a contemporary English term for the town of Dordrecht.

Future plans

The SRPC is also planning for development of Christian schools (elementary and high schools) in Malakal, has begun to develop a taxi-cab fund generating project to work toward overcoming poverty and dependence. Gospel outreach (church planting) is planned in the following areas in the Southern Sudan: Wau, Aweil, Bor, Bentui, and Rumbek.

Malakal Place in Upper Nile State, South Sudan

Malakal is a city in South Sudan and second largest city after the national capital Juba.

Rumbek Place in Western Lakes State, South Sudan

Rumbek is the capital of Lakes State, central South Sudan, and the former capital of the country.

Interchurch organisations

Member of the World Reformed Fellowship. [5] Sister church relations with the Reformed Churches in South Africa was established. [6]

Reformed Churches in South Africa

The Reformed Churches in South Africa is a Christian denomination in South Africa that was formed in 1859 in Rustenburg. Members of the church are sometimes referred to as Doppers.

It is also a member of the World Communion of Reformed Churches. [8]

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References

  1. ↑ "Presbyterian Church of South Sudan and Sudan — World Council of Churches". Oikoumene.org. Retrieved 2016-03-31.
  2. ↑ "Sudanese Reformed Churches : 3rd General Synod : Malakal, South Sudan" (PDF). Wrfnet.org. Retrieved 2016-03-31.
  3. ↑ "Download | World Reformed Fellowship" (PDF). Wrfnet.org. Retrieved 2016-03-20.
  4. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved May 27, 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. ↑ "Denominational Members | World Reformed Fellowship". Wrfnet.org. 2016-02-15. Retrieved 2016-03-20.
  6. ↑ November 27, 2012 (2012-11-27). "The Sudanese Reformed Churches and the Reformed Churches of South Africa Form Ecumenical Relationship | World Reformed Fellowship". Wrfnet.org. Retrieved 2016-03-20.
  7. ↑ "Sudanese Reformed Churches : 3rd General Synod : Malakal, South Sudan" (PDF). Wrfnet.org. Retrieved 2016-03-31.
  8. ↑ "World Communion of Reformed Churches : Africa". Archived from the original on December 21, 2013. Retrieved May 19, 2015.
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