Kimbanguism
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Kimbanguism | |
---|---|
Democratic Republic of Congo | |
Founder | Simon Kimbangu |
Origin | April 1921 |
Members | 6 million[citation needed] |
Other name(s) | Jesus Christ's Church on earth by his special Envoy Simon Kimbangu |
Official website | https://www.jccesk.com/jccesk_home1.html |
Kimbanguism (
History
In April 1921, Kimbangu, a
Some smaller, more loosely organised groups in Central Africa regard Kimbangu as God's prophet.
Life and works of Kimbangu
According to the church,[citation needed] Kimbangu is said to have come down to Earth from Mount Zion as a Congolese infant. His father had been a traditional religious leader, but both parents died and Kimbangu was orphaned and put in the care of his maternal aunt. She took him to Baptist missionary school where he studied for many years, Until when he grew up became a preacher.[citation needed]
Beliefs and practices
The church eschews politics and embraces
The three key dates in the Kimbanguist calendar are 6 April (marking the date of the start of the ministry of healing), 25 May (marking Christmas,[4] falling on the birthday of Father Dialungana), and 12 October (Kimbangu's death anniversary). The church is largely non-sacramental, with large services that are well-organised.
The church also believes that Nkamba is the New Jerusalem mentioned in the Bible.
The church also believes that Kimbangu is the Holy Spirit,[citation needed] in accordance with John 14:15–17. Like many Christian groups, the Kimbanguists begin and end prayers with the Trinitarian formula.
Alongside Kimbangu, the Trinity are Father Kisolokele (first son of Kimbangu) as God the Father, Father Salomon Diangani Dialungana (the reincarnated Jesus and second son of Kimbangu), Father Diangienda Kuntima (last son, reincarnation of Kimbangu and second human form of the Holy Spirit), and Father Simon Kimbangu Kiangani (grandson of Kimbangu, third human form of the Holy Spirit, and current spiritual leader of the church since 2001).[citation needed]
The doctrinal status given by this church to Kimbangu has led to international controversy as contrary to the doctrine of the Trinity and therefore heretical. In 2021 the church’s membership in the World Council of Churches (WCC) was discontinued by the Central Committee of the WCC on theological grounds.[5]
Hierarchy
- The spiritual head (Diangienda)
- Adjunct spiritual heads (Dialungana and Kisolokele – the other sons of Simon Kimbangu)
- Bansadisi (healers)
- Legal representatives of churches in the various countries
- Regional representatives and their staffs
- Subregional representatives and their staffs
- Main parish ministers, evangelists and helpers
- Parish-section ministers, evangelists and helpers
- Congregants
See also
References
- ^ "Church of Jesus Christ on Earth by His Special Envoy Simon Kimbangu". oikomene.org. World Council of Churches. 2006. Retrieved 7 May 2021.[dead link]
- – via Springer Link.
- OCLC 46822313.
- ^ James, John (25 May 2007). "Christmas comes late to DR Congo". BBC. BBC. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
- ^ "WCC shares overview of June central committee meeting". World Council of Churches.
Further reading
- Kimbangu: An African Prophet and His Church Marie-Louise Martin (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1976) ISBN 0802834833
- Nginamau Ngudiankama, Adrien, ed. (2023). Kimbanguism 100 years on: interdisciplinary essays on a socio-cultural movement. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-3-031-37030-4.