Zionist churches
Zionist churches are a group of Christian denominations that derive from the
History
The Zionist Churches proliferated throughout
The Old Cornerstone Apostolic Church in Zion of South Africa, under Archbishop Mawethu Anthwell, had its beliefs grow out of late-nineteenth and early-twentieth religious missions in Southern Africa. In particular the churches owe their origins to the
The arrival of Dowie's emissary, Daniel Bryant, in 1904 led to the formation of a formal Zionist church. Prior to this, two concentrations of sympathizers, energized by Dowie's publication, Leaves of Healing, had existed on the
Several key African-led secessions from the AFM led to the explosion of Zionist sects in the 1910s and 1920s. The first was led by Daniel Nkonyane, who was Le Roux's deputy in Wakkerstroom. In 1908 Le Roux became an important AFM official and spent most of his time in the Johannesburg headquarters thereafter. In his absence Nkonyane took effective control and insisted on several key changes to doctrine. Perhaps most importantly, he stressed the need for his followers to propitiate their ancestors—a practice abhorred by the AFM and most Christian denominations. Nkonyane maintained that “Whoever forsakes his ancestors is also forsaken by his ancestors and he becomes an easy prey for disease.”[3] Secondly, he insisted that the form of ornate religious dress worn by Dowie, including robes, staffs, and other paraphernalia, should be used in his congregation.[4] In 1910 Nkonyane's defiance versus the AFM and local authorities led to his expulsion from Wakkerstroom. Eventually, he and about two-thirds of the Wakkerstroom congregation pooled their resources and obtained freehold property in Charlestown, Natal, where they built the first South African "Zion". Many dozens of offshoots from Nkonyane's church formed small Zionist churches, especially in Swaziland (today Eswatini) and Natal.[5]
The next significant secession from the AFM was by a little-known member, Isaiah Shembe. Shembe was a member of the AFM for only a year in the Orange Free State, when the Ethiopian church that he preached for joined the AFM en masse.[6] In 1911 Shembe left the Free State and moved to Natal, where he used the AFM's faith healing techniques to build up a following across the province. Harnessing the meager resources of his followers, he formed the Narazeth Baptist Church and purchased freehold land at Ekuphakameni, the second South African "Zion". Shembe's Nazarite church was to become the largest Zionist congregation until eclipsed by the Zion Christian Church in the 1950s. Shembe's church was distinct from most other Zionist sects in that he insisted that he was a prophet sent directly from God to the Zulu nation. Most other Zionists were distinctly non-ethnic in outlook.[7]
Edward Lion's Zion Apostolic Faith Mission (ZAFM) was also a critical early Zionist sect. Lion, an early Zionist convert, was appointed AFM leader in Basotholand in 1912. Prior to this Lion had received extensive training as a faith healer by
Succession disputes
Schisms and succession disputes during the twentieth century led to the foundation of thousands of different congregations, of which the largest is the Zion Christian Church, with around 3 million followers, led by His Grace The Right Reverend Dr Barnabas Edward Lekganyane.
Characteristics of Zionist churches
Zionist churches are characterised by the following features:
- Use of faith-healing and revelation through dreams
- Baptism in rivers
- Ritual garments, often mostly white, and prophetic staffs.
- Food taboos, such as not eating pork.
- Some smaller denominations worship in the open air, and practise "wheel" dances—dancing in circles, sometimes to the beat of drums.
- Some denominations accept polygamy.
- Some denominations show syncretic mixing of Christian and traditional African religious beliefs
- Some denominations hold isiguqo prayer circles
See also
- African Initiated Church
References
- ^ Oosthuizen, G C (1987). The Birth of Christian Zionism in South Africa. Kwa-Dlangezwa: University of Zululand.
- ISBN 9780869817865.
- ^ Speaking for ourselves: members of African Independent Churches report on their pilot study of the history and theology of their churches. Institute for Contextual Theology. 1985. p. 17.
- ^ Sundkler, Bengt (1976). Zulu Zion and Some Zwazi Zionists. London: Oxford University. pp. 49–50.
- ^ Sundkler, Zulu Zion, passim.
- ^ B. Morton, "Shembe and the Early Zionists: A Reappraisal," New Contree 69 (2014): 79-86. https://www.academia.edu/7946640/Shembe_and_the_Early_Zionists_A_Reappraisal
- ISBN 9780947009083.
- ^ "Who Was Engenas Lekganyane?". Dean Ministries. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
- ISBN 9780810867956.
- JSTOR 1581529.