A handbook of councils and churches profiles of ecumenical relationships

Church Family: United and Uniting

Africa

In 1966 the DRMC decided in favour of structural unity between the churches of the DRC family. The DRCA put a similar emphasis on unification in 1975. It took another 19 years for that ideal to be partially fulfilled. The DRC did not join the union of the DRMC and the DRCA. The name of the URCSA (in the contin­uous tense) and its logo (an incomplete circle) reflect the church’s emphasis on and hope for the re-unification of the DRC family and the wider family of God.

In the process of unification, the Confession of Belhar with its strong empha­sis on unity, reconciliation and justice was adopted in 1986 by the DRMC. This is very much the motivating power by which the URCSA lives. In addition, URCSA’s confessional bases are the Apostles’, Nicene and Athanasian Creeds, with the Canons of Dordt, the Confession Belgica and the Heidelberg Catechism. As a community of believers who are called together by the word of God and by his Holy Spirit, those who form the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa are part of the church of Jesus Christ. Their mission is to effect the renewal of cre­ation through the proclamation and witness of the kingdom of God as co-workers and followers of Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.

The URCSA is divided into seven regional synods, including Namibia and Lesotho. Congregations are grouped together in presbyteries. The general synod determines the church’s policy, and the regional synods reflect these policies in their various activities. URCSA’s witness to humankind and the world is primar­ily expressed through its congregations. The congregation serves God, by wit­nessing and fighting against all forms of injustice; by calling upon the government and the authorities to serve all the inhabitants of the country, by allowing justice to prevail. URCSA’s vision is “Dynamic in Unity, Reconciliation and Justice”.

Population: 35,039,802 Surface area: 2,5 million sq.km Capital: Khartoum GNI per capita: 530 US$ Classification: Least developed country Languages: Arabic, English, Dinka, other Religions: Muslim 70%; Christian 17%; African traditional 10% Christianity: Catholics 3,579,937; Anglicans 2,050,000; Protestants 1,254,800;

Orthodox 89,000; Indepedent 58,200

Sudan consists of two distinct regions, the north with a majority of Arabs, and the south where the population is African. The majority of the Christians live in the south. The north of Sudan was once home to the Nubia kingdom, and was islamized in the 14th century. The entire territory was a British colony from 1898 to 1956, but Britain neglected the south. Before independence, Southern Sudan launched a civil war. The WCC and the AACC played an important role in ending this conflict, in 1972, but efforts to find a political solution failed. The war resumed in 1983, between the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in the south and the Muslim Arab government in the north. Introduction of Sharia’h law, and the control of oil production exacerbated the conflict. More than two million people died, more than four million were displaced or fled to neighbouring countries, and the infrastructure of the south was largely destroyed. In 2005, peace became effec­tive after long negotiations mediated by Kenya, and a coalition government was formed. In 2003, another conflict erupted in the Darfur region (West Sudan), claiming thousands of lives and uprooting hundreds of thousands of people. The violence continued through 2005. The Catholic, Anglican, Protestant and Ortho­dox churches in the Sudan have been deeply involved in promoting peace and rec­onciliation, and caring for the victims of the violence. They are together in two councils, the Sudan Council of Churches which is based in Khartoum, and the New Sudan Council of Churches which operates in the south, and has its offices in Nairobi. The evangelical body is the Sudan Evangelical Christian Association, which is affiliated with the WEA.

Founded in 1965.

Mission statement: The Sudan Council of Churches exists to engage churches and people of good will in advocacy for peace, justice, equality, and human rights in the Sudan, and to enable member churches to acquire relevant skills and resources for ministering in word and service to the Sudanese people in general, and the poor in particular, in multi-faith, multi-ethnic and conflict situations.

Member churches:

Catholic Church

Greek Catholic Church

Sudan Evangelical Presbyterian Church

Africa

Sudan Interior Church

Founded in 1989.

Basis: The New Sudan Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches which pro­fess Jesus Christ as Lord God and Saviour. The Council aims at providing visible expression of the unity of Christians in the task of proclaiming the gospel of sal­vation and at encouraging Christians to witness and serve their neighbours indi­vidually and collectively. As its basis, the Council has chosen the gospel accord­ing to Matthew 28:19: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”.

Member churches:

Catholic Church

Church Family: Free Church

Membership: 123,000

Congregations: 180

Pastors: 340

Member of: WCC (2001) – SCC – NSCC

Periodical: News Bulletin (in English)

The Africa Inland Mission was first founded in Machakos, Kenya in 1885 and later moved to what is now the DRC in 1912. From there the AIM started work­ing in the southern Sudan in 1949. According to the Sudan Missionary Regula­tions of 1905, different missions should work in separate and clearly defined areas, with the exception of the eastern districts which were declared an “open space” where any mission could work. In good understanding with the Anglican Church in southern Sudan the AIM agreed to take up responsibility for the whole of Eastern Equatoria, releasing the CMS to concentrate on their rapidly growing churches on the west bank of the Nile. The new mission was staffed by American as well as Congolese missionaries. Medical work played a significant role. A clinic which began as a small health centre has now been developed into a big hospital. In 1955 all foreign missionaries had to leave Southern Sudan and the development of national leadership became an urgent priority, even though the mission was still young. The first Sudanese AIM pastor was ordained in 1956. In 1972 the church became fully autonomous, with a membership of about 1,000. Under its indigenous Sudanese leaders the church began to grow steadily as of 1973.

The African Inland Church Sudan is Trinitarian, confesses the divinity of Christ and accepts the scriptures of the Old and New Testament as the absolute and final authority in all matters of faith and conduct. The highest governing body of the AIC Sudan is the general assembly, under which exist regional, district and local church councils. A central church council, elected by the general assembly, is responsible for implementing the decisions of the assembly and for the overall administration of the church. Gospel campaign actions including church planting, discipleship training, seminars and conferences are core activities. The pastors of the church are trained at various evangelical institutions in Sudan and abroad.

Currently the church is running service programmes focusing on basic educa­tion and primary health care. Other programmes include skill training for dis­placed persons, especially women, and sanitation and housing development in camps around Khartoum. The church is also involved in relief work in the Darfur area. In the new peace era the churches in Sudan are required to give priority to counselling and reconciliation programmes for persons returning after the war as well as for those who remained at home throughout the war.

Church Family: Anglican

ACC – CAPA

The Church Missionary Society began work in 1899 in Omdurman. Christian­ity developed among the Africans living in the southern part of the country. Until 1974 the diocese of Sudan was under the Jerusalem archbishopric. It reverted to the jurisdiction of the archbishop of Canterbury until the new province, consist­ing of four new dioceses, was established in 1976. The archbishop resides in Juba, Southern Sudan, where the provincial head office is located.

The Sudan has suffered from two civil wars, from 1955-72, and from 1983 up to the peace agreement in 2005. Apart from the effect of the wars on the church, in terms of large-scale displacement of people and destruction of many lives and property, the EPS went through an internal schism from 1987 to 1992. It was resolved through the creation of more dioceses. Thus the number of dioceses in 1992 doubled to 24. Most of these (16) are in the areas controlled by the SPLM (Southern Peoples Liberation Movement), eight are under the Sudan government. In spite of the problems caused by the armed conflict the archbishop has been able to travel freely in the country as a whole, with support from the two liaison offices in Khartoum and Kampala. The EPS has 15 theological colleges and Bible schools for the training of its clergy.

*The ECS is in the process of collecting statistical information after the years of civil war.

Presbyterian Church of the Sudan

Church Family: Reformed

WARC – ARCA

Africa

The Presbyterian Church of the Sudan (PCOS) was established in the late 1890s by American missionaries who came to the Sudan from Egypt. They estab­lished a church in Khartoum and went down to the A south in 1902, leaving the church in the north mainly under Egyptian Coptic Evangelicals (now known as the Presbyterian Evangelical Church of the Sudan). In the south the first station was established near Malakal, then the capital of Upper Nile Province. In 1962 all missionaries had to leave Sudan by decision of the government. The church remained under the leadership of a few Sudanese pastors and began to expand to other parts of the country. Today the PCOS is the third largest church in Sudan, after the Roman Catholic and the Episcopal churches.

The PCOS is in partnership with the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Church of the Brethren (USA), the Church of Scotland, the Presbyterian Church of Ire­land, the Reformed Church of America, Mission 21 (Basel), the Reformed Mis­sion League of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands, and has a close rela­tionship with the Presbyterian Church of East Africa.

Founded in 1976.

Mission statement: To further the unity of God’s church as a body of Christ by developing strategies that will enable us as Christians to be advocates of justice and peace in all circumstances and dealings.

Member churches: African Apostolic Faith Mission

Evangelical Lutheran Church

Independent Methodist Church

Kukhan’yokusha Zion Church

Mennonites Central Committee

Methodist Church in Southern Africa

Roman Catholic Church

Population: 36,600,000

Surface area: 945,100 sq.km

Capital: Dodoma

GNI per capita: 330 US$

Classification: Least developed country

Languages: Swahili, English, other

Religions: Christian 54%; Muslim 30%; African traditional 15%; Hindu 1%

Christianity: Catholics 10,750,000; Protestants 7,152,770;

Anglicans 2,950,000; Orthodox 13,000; Independent 716,840

Tanzania’s over one hundred ethnic groups are mostly of Bantu origin. Others are the Nilotic, Cushitic, and Khoisan groups. Arab trade posts were established along the coast and in the island of Zanzibar as early as the 10th century. Ger­many declared Tanganyika its colony at the Berlin Conference in 1884. Britian took over Zanzibar, and in 1919 also Tanganyika as a trust territory, until inde­pendence in 1961 and 1963. In 1964, Zanzibar and Tanganyika merged to form the nation of Tanzania. Its first president was Julius Nyerere, one of the great lead­ers of Africa’s independence, and the artisan of ujamaa, an African expression of ‘familyhood’, emphasizing equality and justice (loosely translated as African socialism). Tanzania was deeply involved in the struggle in Southern Africa, host­ing liberation movements such as the ANC and Frelimo (Mozambique), and caring for thousands of refugees. Since 1995, Tanzania has a democratic multi­party system. Economically it is a poor country, depending almost entirely on agri­culture for subsistence and export of coffee, cotton, etc. Manufacturing industry and gold mining are beginning to develop. The Catholic Church is the oldest and largest church, representing about half of all the Christians. Other large churches are the Anglican, Lutheran, Baptist, Africa Inland, and Moravian churches, which together with several others, form the Christian Council. The Orthodox in Tanzania belong to the Patriarchate of Alexandria. Pentecostals number close to 20 percent of the Protestants and Independents. Other large groups are the Seventh-day Adventists, and the New Apostolic Church.

*Christian Council of Tanzania

Founded in 1964 (forerunner: the Tanganyika Missionary Council, founded in 1934).

Mission statement: To facilitate and coordinate the united witness of member churches and church-related organizations by building their capacity in evange­lism, networking, advocacy and socio-economic development for the benefit of the community.

Member churches:

African Brotherhood Church

Africa Inland Church Tanzania

Baptist Church in Tanzania

Christian Brethren Assembly

Church of God

Kanisa la Biblia

Mbalizi Evangelistic Church

Mennonite Church of Tanzania

Africa

Salvation Army

Tanzania Yearly Meeting

Associate members:

African Evangelistic Enterprises

Emmanuel International

Habitat for Humanity

Life Ministry of Tanzania

Mission Aviation Fellowship

Scripture Union

SIL International

Tanganyika Christian Refugee Service

Tanzania Bible Society

Young Men’s Christian Association

Young Women’s Christian Association

Anglican Church of Tanzania

Church Family: Anglican

Membership: 2,000,000

Dioceses: 19

Parishes: 1,800

Bishops: 25

Priests: 1,300

Member of : WCC (1948/1971) – AACC – CCT – ACC – CAPA

Website: www.anglican.or.tz

Formerly the Church of the Province of Tanzania, the Anglican Church of Tan­zania was established as an independent province in 1970, when the former province of East Africa was divided into the province of Kenya and the province of Tanzania. The latter covers the geographical area of the United Republic of Tanzania with 18 dioceses in the mainland and one in the Islands of Zanzibar and Pemba. The Anglican Church of Tanzania has two distinct church traditions – Anglo-Catholic and Evangelical. This is due to the fact that, dating back to the mid-19th century, two British mission societies worked in Tanzania, the Univer­sities’ Mission to Central Africa, UMCA (now United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, USPG), and the Church Missionary Society (CMS, now Church Mission Society).

The highest decision-making body in the ACT is the synod (general assembly). It meets every three years. The standing committee (general council) is the exec­utive body in between synod meetings. There are also the house (council) of bish­ops, the officers, and board and committees. The ACT has three semi-indepen-dent associations: the Mothers Union (MU), the Tanzania Anglican Youth Organization (TAYO) and the Anglican Evangelistic Association (AEA). Some of the prominent institutions include the theological colleges (St Phillip’s located at Kongwa, and St Mark’s in Dar es Salaam); Mtumba Rural Women Training Centre, Vocational Training Centre, Central Tanganyika Press and the Literature Organization (also known as the Dar es Salaam Bookshop). Programmes on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, and community development are among the ongoing activities of the church. Two major future projects are to establish a uni­versity by the end of 2006, and a nation-wide telecommunications and database network (2005-2007).

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania(ELCT)

Church Family: Lutheran

Membership: 3,000,000

Dioceses: 20

Congregations: 1,104

Pastors: 1,500

Member of: WCC (1967) – AACC – CCT – LWF

Periodical: Uhuru na Amani (in Swahili)

Website: www.elct.or.tz

Lutheran mission work in today’s Tanzania began in the 19th century, from Europe and the USA. By 1938 there were seven Lutheran churches in Tan­ganyika, which united and founded that year the Federation of Lutheran Churches. In 1963 these seven churches, under the umbrella of the federation merged to become the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania, with a total membership of approximately 500,000 Christians. Lutherans are the largest Christian denomination in the country after Roman Catholics. The main language used in the church is Kiswahili, though local dialects are also used.

The church proclaims the word of God, both within the country and across bor­ders, through mission work. Mission work within Tanzania is done by the dioce­ses. The ELCT had mission work in Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which have now become autonomous churches. Currently, it is a member of joint mission boards with the Evangelical Lutheran churches in Malawi, Mozambique, DRC and Zambia, which help to undertake evangelization in these churches. The church is also involved in communicating the gospel through the radio studio in Moshi and the church magazine. Plans are underway to launch a newspaper – Tega Sikio. The church is also involved in Christian-Muslim dia­logue for peaceful coexistence. Other activities include the work of diakonia, sup­porting widows, the disabled and disadvantaged in society. The church also undertakes several HIV/AIDS programmes, which aim at breaking the silence, education, care for victims, and administering ARVs. Major programmes of the church are in the area of training pastors, evangelists, deacons and parish work­ers for evangelism.

From the beginning the church has provided services through schools, hospi­tals and medical training to the society in general. Currently, provision of educa­tion ranges from primary school to education for the deaf, higher education from secondary school level to the university. The Tumaini University of the ELCT runs four constituent colleges, namely Makumira (Arusha), Kilimanjaro Christ­ian Medical College (Moshi), Dar-es-Salaam College and Iringa University Col­lege. The main objective is to offer tertiary education in an environment imbued with Christian faith, traditions and moral values. Two management programmes, on health care and on education, develop policies with the objective to create sus­tainable, affordable and quality health care and education services. The church is also involved in various development projects, including sustainable agriculture, dairy, fish farming, water, renewable energy, reafforestation and other projects.

The ELCT owns Lutheran Investment Company Ltd. (LUICO Ltd). The first business enterprise to be managed by LUICO is the New Safari Hotel (1967) Ltd, which is operational since July 2004.

Africa

Church Family: Free Church

Membership: 500,000

Congregations: 404

Pastors: 494

Member of: WCC (1982) – AACC – CCT – MUB

Periodical: MOTHECO

The first missionaries of the Moravian Church came to Tanzania in the late 19th century soon after Germany assumed control of the territory. The first Mora­vian mission station was established at Rungwe in Southern Tanzania in 1891. Another station in Western Tanzania was handed over to the Moravian Board in Herrnhut, Germany, by the London Missionary Society in 1897. As a result of active evangelism work, these two sister stations grew and became big churches extending over large areas in the southern and western parts of Tanzania. Each one constituted a province of its own. The need to establish cooperation between them was felt right from the beginning of their establishment. The founding mis­sionaries had established communication through correspondence as early as 1899. Later they started meeting and exchanging experiences and the two provinces established cooperation on various matters. In 1965 it was agreed to establish formally a joint board to discuss and agree on matters common to both provinces. In 1968 the two provinces decided to establish a Moravian theological college as a joint venture for the training of ministers. In 1976 the southern province was divided into two, and the same was done with the western province in 1986. Since then the Moravian Church in Tanzania has four provinces.

With the creation of the new provinces the need to establish the Moravian Church in Tanzania as a national body to coordinate and unify the work became greater. The MCT as a church would run and oversee joint ventures and pro­grammes and represent the provinces inside and outside the country. On August 4, 1986 delegates from the four Moravian provinces met at Sikonge and resolved to formally establish the MCT as a church to unite all Moravians in Tanzania. On November 23, 1986 the MCT was officially inaugurated and in April, 1987 it was registered by the government. The MCT was formally recognized by the Unity Synod of the Unitas Fratrum at its meeting in Antigua, West Indies in 1988.

The MCT coordinates and oversees the development and growth of the theo­logical college, which has become, since 2004, Bishop Kisanji University. It is responsible for the publication of hymn books, liturgy and text books and other church literature produced by the Moravian Theological Commission. It repre­sents the provinces before the government, other churches, agencies and ecu­menical organizations. Above all, its major responsibility is, through the provinces, to preach the holy gospel of salvation within and outside the church. The church in Tanzania is growing and membership is increasing rapidly. Each province has a specific area for evangelization. Each province is also engaged in outreach work beyond the borders of the country, in the DRC, Malawi and Zambia.