The Volkskerk van Afrika or the People's Church of Africa is a
Reformed denomination in
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...
, it is member of the
World Communion of Reformed Churches
The World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) is the largest association of Calvinist churches in the world. It has 230 member denominations in 108 countries, together claiming an estimated 80 million people, thus being the fourth-largest Chris ...
.
Origin
In the early 1900s, feeling of discomfort arose in the Western Cape with the way the white missionaries ran the affairs of the black dominated congregations under their jurisdiction. Because of this two groups were formed, originally they didn't know each other's existence. Later these groups met to discuss the situation, and the influence and the role of the missionaries in the church. One such group was in
, the leader was Paul M. Phode, the other group was in
Cape Town
Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...
, the leader was J. J. H. Forbes. The first group formed the United National Church, the Peoples Church in Africa (Vereinigd Nasionale Kerk van Afrika, Onze Volkskerk) on August 14, 1921. In 1922 Rev. Forbes group joined the Volkskerk. The reason of founding a new denomination was not religious, the social and political reasons dominated. Peoples Church members are predominantly colored black African people.
In 2004, the church had 21 216 members in 220 congregations and 45 house fellowships.
Congregations are in
Eastern Cape,
Western Cape
The Western Cape is a province of South Africa, situated on the south-western coast of the country. It is the fourth largest of the nine provinces with an area of , and the third most populous, with an estimated 7 million inhabitants in 2020 ...
and
Northern Cape.
Doctrine
The Peoples Church describes itself as evangelical, catholic, reformed, fundamental, charismatic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist and Pentecostal.
It is a member of the
World Communion of Reformed Churches
The World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) is the largest association of Calvinist churches in the world. It has 230 member denominations in 108 countries, together claiming an estimated 80 million people, thus being the fourth-largest Chris ...
.
Volkskerk Locations in the Cape Peninsula
* Bellville
* Belgravia
* Kengsington
* Elsies River
* Retreat
* Ravensmead
References
External links
Volkskerk van Afrika
{{Religion in South Africa
Reformed denominations in Africa
Members of the World Communion of Reformed Churches
Fundamentalist denominations
1921 establishments in South Africa