These two churches shared the same origin dating back to the 19th century when Britain took over the Cape Colony. Their distinctive characters were that the Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa was constituted among soldiers and settlers who arrived in the Cape in 1820, spreading North into Zimbabwe and Zambia. The Reformed Presbyterian Church on the other hand was a product of Scottish missions intended for the indigenous Africans, which started at Lovedale Mission in Alice. It became autonomous in 1923.
In 1896 the first Presbyterian congregation was founded in Rhodesia at Bulawayo, and later in 1903 in Salisbury (now Harare). Now there is one presbytery of Zimbabwe, used to be 2 Presbyteries in Matabeland and Mashonaland. Currently there are more than 40 congregations and 100,000-300,000 members.[2]
The motto Nec tamen consumebatur is adapted from the Latin translation of Exodus 3:2 "...The Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet it was not consumed"
The UPCSA ordains both men and women as ministers and elders, a position inherited from the predecessor body, the Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa.[3] The church defines marriage as exclusively heterosexual, between one man and one woman, and "instructs" ministers to not perform same-sex marriages.[4] However, a church court ruled in 2015 that the church did not prohibit its ministers from blessing same-sex unions.[5]
In 2019 the UPCSA celebrated its twentieth anniversary after having spent much of that time in forging structures of union.
Presbyteriesedit
The Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa has over 500 congregations and more than 900,000 members[1] and is divided into the following Presbyteries (regional districts):
The Basis of Union is a contract that was signed in September 1999 entered into between the Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa (PCSA) and the Reformed Presbyterian Church in South Africa (RPCSA). Under this contract, the two churches would join and become one: the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa (UPCSA). Article 13 of the basis of union states that, as a condition of the union, both churches are to bring 4 associations each and the 8 associations would unite to form only 4 associations (one women's association, one men's association, one girl's association and one youth association).
The GCA (Girls' Christian Association) of RPCSA and JB (after Janet Burnside the wife of Rev. Tiyo Soga) of PCSA united to form IYZA (Inhlangano Yezintombi ZamaRhabe Amanyanayo) now Fellowship of Young Women
The two women's associations united to form UPWF (Uniting Presbyterian Women's Fellowship) now Fellowship of Women
The PMA (Presbyterian Men's Association) of PCSA and the YMG (Young Men's Guild) of RPCSA united to form MCG (Men's Christian Guild) now Fellowship of Men
The two youth associations united to form UPCSA YF (Youth Fellowship).
^Duncan, Graham A. (2019-02-12). "South African Presbyterian women in leadership in ministry (1973–2018)". HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies. 75 (1): 10. doi:10.4102/hts.v75i1.5180. ISSN 2072-8050.
^"Statement on Marriage". Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. September 8, 2013.
^"Church gives blessing to pastors over gay marriages". BusinessLIVE. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
External linksedit
Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa
November 18, 2023
uniting, presbyterian, church, southern, africa, upcsa, formed, constituted, 1999, outcome, union, between, reformed, presbyterian, church, southern, africa, rpcsa, presbyterian, church, southern, africa, pcsa, tamen, consumebaturclassificationprotestanttheolo. The Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa UPCSA was formed and constituted in 1999 as the outcome of the union between the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa RPCSA and the Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa PCSA Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern AfricaNEC TAMEN CONSUMEBATURClassificationProtestantTheologyReformedPolityPresbyterianAssociationsAll Africa Conference of Churches World Communion of Reformed Churches World Council of Churches South African Council of ChurchesRegionSouth Africa Zimbabwe and ZambiaOrigin26 September 1999 Port ElizabethMerger ofReformed Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa amp Presbyterian Church of Southern AfricaCongregations473Members80 000 1 These two churches shared the same origin dating back to the 19th century when Britain took over the Cape Colony Their distinctive characters were that the Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa was constituted among soldiers and settlers who arrived in the Cape in 1820 spreading North into Zimbabwe and Zambia The Reformed Presbyterian Church on the other hand was a product of Scottish missions intended for the indigenous Africans which started at Lovedale Mission in Alice It became autonomous in 1923 In 1896 the first Presbyterian congregation was founded in Rhodesia at Bulawayo and later in 1903 in Salisbury now Harare Now there is one presbytery of Zimbabwe used to be 2 Presbyteries in Matabeland and Mashonaland Currently there are more than 40 congregations and 100 000 300 000 members 2 The motto Nec tamen consumebatur is adapted from the Latin translation of Exodus 3 2 The Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush and he looked and behold the bush was burning with fire yet it was not consumed Contents 1 Recent History 2 Presbyteries 2 1 South Africa 2 2 Zambia 2 3 Zimbabwe 2 4 Democratic Republic of Congo 3 Associations Ministry Groups 4 See also 5 Confession of Faith 6 Further reading 7 References 8 External linksRecent History editThe UPCSA ordains both men and women as ministers and elders a position inherited from the predecessor body the Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa 3 The church defines marriage as exclusively heterosexual between one man and one woman and instructs ministers to not perform same sex marriages 4 However a church court ruled in 2015 that the church did not prohibit its ministers from blessing same sex unions 5 In 2019 the UPCSA celebrated its twentieth anniversary after having spent much of that time in forging structures of union Presbyteries editThe Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa has over 500 congregations and more than 900 000 members 1 and is divided into the following Presbyteries regional districts South Africa edit Amathole Central Cape Drakensberg eGoli eThekwini Trans Xhariep Highveld Lekoa Limpopo Thukela East Griqualand Mthatha Tiyo Soga Memorial Tshwane Western CapeZambia edit Copperbelt Munali M chingaZimbabwe edit ZimbabweDemocratic Republic of Congo edit Democratic Republic of CongoAssociations Ministry Groups editThe Basis of Union is a contract that was signed in September 1999 entered into between the Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa PCSA and the Reformed Presbyterian Church in South Africa RPCSA Under this contract the two churches would join and become one the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa UPCSA Article 13 of the basis of union states that as a condition of the union both churches are to bring 4 associations each and the 8 associations would unite to form only 4 associations one women s association one men s association one girl s association and one youth association The GCA Girls Christian Association of RPCSA and JB after Janet Burnside the wife of Rev Tiyo Soga of PCSA united to form IYZA Inhlangano Yezintombi ZamaRhabe Amanyanayo now Fellowship of Young Women The two women s associations united to form UPWF Uniting Presbyterian Women s Fellowship now Fellowship of Women The PMA Presbyterian Men s Association of PCSA and the YMG Young Men s Guild of RPCSA united to form MCG Men s Christian Guild now Fellowship of Men The two youth associations united to form UPCSA YF Youth Fellowship Fellowship of Church CHoirs and MusiciansSee also editSee also Christianity Presbyterianism Reformed churches Presbyterian polity World Communion of Reformed Churches and World Alliance of Reformed ChurchesConfession of Faith editNicene Creed Apostles Creed Faith of the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa 2013 Declaration of faith for the Church in Southern Africa 1986Further reading editDe Gruchy John W 2005 The Church Struggle in South Africa Fortress Press ISBN 978 0 8006 3755 2 Fahlbusch Erwin 2008 The Encyclopedia of Christianity Vol 5 Wm B Eerdmans Publishing ISBN 978 0 8028 2417 2 References edit a b South African Christian Archived from the original on 2014 06 20 Retrieved 2013 04 12 Reformed Churches Religion in Zimbabwe Duncan Graham A 2019 02 12 South African Presbyterian women in leadership in ministry 1973 2018 HTS Teologiese Studies Theological Studies 75 1 10 doi 10 4102 hts v75i1 5180 ISSN 2072 8050 Statement on Marriage Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa September 8 2013 Church gives blessing to pastors over gay marriages BusinessLIVE Retrieved 2021 06 11 External links editUniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa amp oldid 1180111188, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
