The Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) is a church founded in Africa by
Samuel Oshoffa
Samuel Bilewu Joseph Oshoffa (October 11, 1909 – September 10, 1985) was the founder of the Celestial Church of Christ after reportedly resurrecting people from the dead. He founded the church in 1947 after being lost for three months near Porto ...
on 29 September 1947 in
Porto-Novo
Porto-Novo (Portuguese: "New Port", , ; yo, Àjàṣẹ́, ), also known as Hogbonu and Ajashe, is the capital of Benin. The commune covers an area of and as of 2002 had a population of 223,552 people.
Situated on an inlet of the Gulf of Gu ...
,
Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north ...
.
It is located in most countries worldwide including the United States and various countries in Africa.
History
Oshoffa was a former
carpenter
Carpentry is a skilled trade and a craft in which the primary work performed is the cutting, shaping and installation of building materials during the construction of buildings, Shipbuilding, ships, timber bridges, concrete formwork, etc. ...
born in
Dahomey
The Kingdom of Dahomey () was a West African kingdom located within present-day Benin that existed from approximately 1600 until 1904. Dahomey developed on the Abomey Plateau amongst the Fon people in the early 17th century and became a region ...
(now Benin) in 1909.
Raised as a
Methodist
Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...
, he had a divine revelation while lost in a forest on 23 May 1947 during a
solar eclipse
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby obscuring the view of the Sun from a small part of the Earth, totally or partially. Such an alignment occurs during an eclipse season, approximately every six month ...
. (The nearest recorded solar eclipse visible in
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
occurred on May 20, not May 23, of that year.) He felt called to pray, to heal the sick, and to raise the dead. He founded his church in September 1947. Having appointed himself Prophet, Reverend, Pastor, and Founder, he occupied the highest office of his movement. The hegemony he exercised on doctrine and discipline issues made succession difficult when he died in 1985 in Lagos, Nigeria.
The CCC was recognized and authorized by the Republic of Dahomey in 1965. From 1976, the church launched an evangelistic campaign in that country, a former colony of
French West Africa
French West Africa (french: Afrique-Occidentale française, ) was a federation of eight French colonial territories in West Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan (now Mali), French Guinea (now Guinea), Ivory Coast, Upper Volta (now Burki ...
, which had become independent in 1960. From the late 1990s, the CCC church has utitlized the internet as a means of evangelization, thus allowing the many existing branches of the church within the
African diaspora
The African diaspora is the worldwide collection of communities descended from native Africans or people from Africa, predominantly in the Americas. The term most commonly refers to the descendants of the West and Central Africans who were e ...
in such nations as the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
,
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
and the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, to maintain contact with each other and with
Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
, the nation in which the CCC is currently most popular.
The movement has continued to grow since Oshoffa's death, but has also suffered setbacks, the most immediate being severe difficulties related to the matter of succession. Oshoffa was succeeded by
Alexander Abiodun Adebayo Bada Alexander Abiodun Adebayo Bada (4 December 1930 - 8 September 2000) was the second Pastor of the Celestial Church of Christ (CCC), succeeding the founder Samuel Biléhou Joseph Oschoffa in December 1985.
Early life
Bada was born on 4 December 1930 ...
, who was head of the church until his death on 8 September 2000.
Bada was briefly followed as leader by
Philip Hunsu Ajose Philip Hunsu Ajose (10 August 1932 - 2 March 2001) was the third Pastor of the Celestial Church of Christ (CCC), succeeding Alexander Abiodun Adebayo Bada on 2 October 2000 and being formally declared leader on 24 December 2000.
Shortly after being ...
, who died in March 2001. A dispute followed over the succession to Ajose. Some declared
Gilbert Oluwatosin Jesse Gilbert Oluwatosin Jesse (17 May 1937 – 7 October 2003) was a factional Pastor and Spiritual Head of the Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) from 30 December 2002 until his death.
He succeeded Philip Hunsu Ajose, who had died on 2 March 2001.
There ...
as the new leader, while the majority recognised the Reverend
Emmanuel Oshoffa
Emmanuel Mobiyina Oshoffa (full name Emmanuel Mobiyina Friday Adebowale Abiodun vihan Oshoffa, born 25 December 1948) is the pastor and spiritual head of the Celestial Church of Christ (CCC). Although Emmanuel Oshoffa controls the overwhelming frac ...
, son of Samuel Oshoffa.
Following Jesse's death, his faction declared that Superior Evangelist
Paul Suru Maforikan Paul Suru Maforikan was appointed Pastor and spiritual leader of the Celestial Church of Christ following the death of Gilbert Oluwatosin Jesse in October 2003.
Early years
Maforikan was born on 19 September 1930 in Ajase, Benin, where his father ...
was the new spiritual leader of the church. Contrary to the procedure of succession in Nigeria, Porto-Novo, the supreme headquarters, successfully chose Benoit Agbaossi (1931–2010) to be the head of the church, who in his turn appointed Benoit Adeogun as the next Rev. Pastor shortly before his death in 2010.
Beliefs
The CCC is a prophetic one with a Christian background. The faithful are called Celestians, and the church is sometimes informally called “Cele”. The formal name of the church is inspired by a vision by which Jesus would have said that Church members adore him as do the angels in
heaven
Heaven or the heavens, is a common religious cosmological or transcendent supernatural place where beings such as deities, angels, souls, saints, or venerated ancestors are said to originate, be enthroned, or reside. According to the belie ...
.
The name of the church comes from
Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy ( grc, Δευτερονόμιον, Deuteronómion, second law) is the fifth and last book of the Torah (in Judaism), where it is called (Hebrew: hbo, , Dəḇārīm, hewords Moses.html"_;"title="f_Moses">f_Moseslabel=none)_and_th ...
26:15: "Look down from thy Holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Israel and the land which thou hast given us, as thou didst swear to our father, a land flowing with milk and honey". The name signifies that they deem themselves as celestial or a representative of the heavenly on Earth. The church claims inspiration from God through the manifestation of the
Holy Spirit
In Judaism, the Holy Spirit is the divine force, quality, and influence of God over the Universe or over his creatures. In Nicene Christianity, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is the third person of the Trinity. In Islam, the Holy Spirit acts as ...
among the faithful. Its doctrinal teachings are based on the Bible, and any superstition or animist belief from traditional African religions is excluded,
as in other churches in the
Aladura
The term "Aladura" means "praying person" in Yoruba. Aladura is a classification of indigenous churches in south-western Nigeria that started in the early 20th century. These churches believe in the efficacy of prayers and practical guidance by ...
movement.
The church is governed by twelve major recommendations, consisting of several probitions, including food, common to a number of other monotheistic religions.
Tobacco
Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...
,
alcohol
Alcohol most commonly refers to:
* Alcohol (chemistry), an organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom
* Alcohol (drug), an intoxicant found in alcoholic drinks
Alcohol may also refer to:
Chemicals
* Ethanol, one of sev ...
and the eating of
pork
Pork is the culinary name for the meat of the domestic pig (''Sus domesticus''). It is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BCE.
Pork is eaten both freshly cooked and preserved; ...
are forbidden. The faithful must not wear their shoes whilst wearing their garments and within the main church. Men and women are separated at the church.
Menstruating
The menstrual cycle is a series of natural changes in hormone production and the structures of the uterus and ovaries of the female reproductive system that make pregnancy possible. The ovarian cycle controls the production and release of eggs a ...
women and those who have recently given birth are unclean and cannot enter the church building or wear the garment for seven days in the first case after which they would be "sanctified". Members of CCC are forbidden to engage or participate in any form of idolatory, fetish ceremony or cults, black magic and charms. Only men who are "anointed" are allowed access to the altar.
The church uses
English language
English is a West Germanic language of the Indo-European language family, with its earliest forms spoken by the inhabitants of early medieval England. It is named after the Angles, one of the ancient Germanic peoples that migrated to the is ...
Bibles and the Yoruba translated versions. The church supposedly takes elements from Gungbe and
Yoruba
The Yoruba people (, , ) are a West African ethnic group that mainly inhabit parts of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. The areas of these countries primarily inhabited by Yoruba are often collectively referred to as Yorubaland. The Yoruba constitute ...
thought. It also has strong similarities to the "purification movements" against paganism that are relatively common in
African Christianity
Christianity in Africa first arrived in Egypt in approximately 50 AD, reached the region around Carthage by the end of the second century. In the 4th century, the Aksumite empire in modern-day Ethiopia and Eritrea became one of the first regions ...
. Oshoffa believed he had a mission to combat "
atan
Atan may refer to:
Places
* Atan, Armenia
* Atan, Iran
People
* Atan Shansonga (born 1955), Zambian diplomat
* Çağdaş Atan, Turkish footballer
* Cem Atan, Turkish footballer
Other
* Attan, a Pashtun and Afghan traditional dance
* arctang ...
'fetish priests' and other 'powers of darkness'."(
Marburg colloquy
The Marburg Colloquy was a meeting at Marburg Castle, Marburg, Hesse, Germany, which attempted to solve a disputation between Martin Luther and Ulrich Zwingli over the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. It took place between 1 October and 4 ...
)
Imeko Convocation
Every
December
December is the twelfth and final month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars and is also the last of seven months to have a length of 31 days.
December got its name from the Latin word ''decem'' (meaning ten) because it was or ...
(usually, between the 21st and 24th) the church hosts an international event called the Imeko Convocation. It is mandated that every member of CCC attends as a pilgrim. The CCC believes the event attendance is a mandate made by Oshoffa following his declaration that God had chosen Imeko as the New Jerusalem for the fold.
Architecture
The temples of worship always face east. An altar stand has seven candle holders that represent the seven spirits of Jehovah as represented in Revelation 4:5. The church auditorium also has different rows for male and female seats. On days that services are observed during the week, such as the Wednesday and the Friday services, another altar is made which has three, rather than seven, candles.
Demographics and reception
In 2001, it was the second largest church in Benin by the number of its practitioners with nearly half a million followers.
In France, the church is suspected by two anti-cults associations,
ADFI and
CCMM, of "cultic deviances" and of having committed acts of violence involving the death of a fifteen-year-old minor.
Bibliography
* Pierre Ndjom, ''Lumière sur l'Eglise du Christianisme Céleste'', Paris (France), 2016, 283 p.
* Apollinaire Adetonah, ''Lumière sur le Christianisme Céleste'', 1972, 85 p.
* Christine Henry, Pierre-Joseph Laurent and André Mary, « Du vin nouveau dans de vieilles outres : parcours d'un dissident du Christianisme Céleste (Bénin) », in ''Social Compass'', 2001, vol. 48, no 3, pp. 353–68
* Christine Henry, ''La force des anges : rites, hiérarchie et divination dans le Christianisme Céleste'', Bénin, Brepols, Turnhout (Belgique), 2008, 280 p. ()
* Codjo Hébert Johnson, ''Le syncrétisme religieux dans le golfe du Bénin : le cas du 'Christianisme céleste' '', Université Panthéon-Sorbonne, Paris, 1974, 139 p.
* Joël Noret, « La place des morts dans le christianisme céleste », in ''Social compass'', 2003, vol. 50, no 4, pp. 493–510
* Laurent Omonto Ayo Gérémy Ogouby, « L'Église du christianisme céleste », in ''Les religions dans l'espace public au Bénin: vodoun, christianisme, islam'', L'Harmattan, Paris, 2008, pp. 46–48 ()
* R. Saint-Germain, « Les chrétiens célestes, description d'une Église indépendante africaine: Questions d'éthique en sciences des religions », in ''Religiologiques'' (Montréal), 1996, vol. 13, pp. 169–94
* Codjo Sodokin, ''Les 'syncrétismes' religieux contemporains et la société béninoise: Le cas du christianisme céleste'', Université Lumière, Lyon, 1984, 306 p.
* Albert de Surgy, ''L'Église du Christianisme Céleste: Un exemple d'Église prophétique au Bénin'', Karthala editions, 2001, 332 p. ()
* Claude Wauthier, « L'Église du christianisme céleste », in ''Sectes et prophètes d'Afrique noire'', Seuil, Paris, 2007, chapter XV, p. 227 and f. ()
* Afeosemime U. Adogame, ''Celestial Church of Christ: the politics of cultural identity in a West African prophetic-charismatic movement'', P. Lang, Francfort-sur-le-Main, New York, P. Lang, 1999, 251 p.
*(in English) Edith Oshoffa, ''The Enigmatic spiritual leader of our time S.B.J. Oshoffa: Celestial Church of Christ Beulah Parish,'' 1st Edition April 2014, Edith Oshoffa, ()
Filmography
* ''Regard sur le christianisme céleste'', documentary film produced by Albert de Surgy, CNRS Audiovisuel, Meudon, 1995, 40' (VHS)
References
External links
Celestial hymns, artists and reference documentswebsite of Celestial Church of Christ, CCC LondonHomepage of Celestial Church USAWebsite of the Official headquarters in NigeriaConstitution CCCThe Spiritual Structural Foundation of CCCScriptural Foundations of the Celestial Church Mode of WorshipAmazing Facts About Some of Most Inspirational Spiritual Hymns in CCCMarburg Journal of Religion articleBrief mention
{{DEFAULTSORT:Celestial Church Of Christ
1947 establishments in French Dahomey
African initiated churches
Christian denominations established in the 20th century
Christian organizations established in 1947
Christian denominations in Benin
Christian new religious movements