Abstract:
From 1940, ecumenical developments in the Presbyterian/Congregational corpus in Southern
Africa became more tortuous and complex, with an expansion of the number of
denominations involved in union negotiations to include the Bantu Presbyterian Church
of South Africa (BPCSA, from 1979 the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa,
RPCSA), the Congregational Union of South Africa, later the United Congregational Church
of South Africa, the Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa and the Tsonga Presbyterian
Church (TPC, later the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of South Africa, EPCSA). The
problem statement centres around the complex situation that despite substantial similarities
in doctrine, liturgy and polity, as well as involvement in the Church Unity Commission and
the South African Council of Churches, the union proved to be elusive. The aim of this
article is to investigate the dynamics of the developing relationships and hindrances to
closer relationships in the wider South African context. This study is conducted from the
perspective of the BPCSA and RPCSA, and the methodology is based predominantly on
archival research.
Description:
This research is part of the
research project, ‘History of
Theological Education in
Africa’ directed by Prof.
Dr Graham Duncan of the
Department of Church
History and Church Polity
at the Faculty of Theology,
University of Pretoria.
