The Presbyterian Church in Sudan or also the Presbyterian Church in South Sudan is a major Reformed denomination in South Sudan, when it become independent from Sudan.
It has approximately 1,000,000 members and 500 congregations in Southern Sudan. The denomination was established by American missionaries, namely Rev. Kelly Giffen and H.T. McLaughlin who came from Egypt in the 1890s. They started churches in the southern part of the country, in Dolleib Hill and the first pastor is Rev/ Laa Amoleker from Dolleib Hill,in 1902 leaving the northern congregations to Egyiptian evangelicals.[1] The northern churches become known as the Sudan Evangelical Presbyterian Church. Schools and hospitals were built. By 1945 schools and mission work were organised in Malakal, Wauglel, Obel, Bor and elsewhere. The first mission station was established in Malakal.[2]
In 1962 the missionaries left, but the church spread rapidly.[3] It is the third largest denomination in Sudan after the Episcopal and the Roman Catholic Church.[4][5]
Partner churches are the Church of Scotland, the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, the Presbyterian Church of Australia,[6] the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Reformed Church in America.[7]
The church subscribes to the Apostles Creed, Nicene Creed, Heidelberg Catechism and the Westminster Confession of Faith.[8]
It is a member of the World Communion of Reformed Churches.[9]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "South Sudan — Presbyterians at work around the world — Mission and Ministry — Presbyterian Mission Agency". presbyterianmission.org. Retrieved 2015-06-25.
- ^ Benedetto, R.; McKim, D.K. (2009). Historical Dictionary of the Reformed Churches. Scarecrow Press. p. 517. ISBN 9780810870239. Retrieved 2015-06-25.
- ^ www.oikoumene.org/member-churches/regions/africa/south-sudan/presbyterian-church-of sudan.html[permanent dead link]
- ^ "APWM: Australian Presbyterian World Mission". apwm.org.au. Retrieved 2015-06-25.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-10-02. Retrieved 2013-08-14.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "APWM: Australian Presbyterian World Mission". apwm.org.au. Retrieved 2015-06-25.
- ^ "The Reformed Church in America". rca.org. Retrieved 2015-06-25.
- ^ Christoph Fasse. "Address data base of Reformed churches and institutions". reformiert-online.net. Retrieved 2015-06-25.
- ^ "Member churches | Bringing together 80 million Reformed Christians worldwide". Archived from the original on 2010-11-11. Retrieved 2015-06-25.