Baptist Churches of the Central African Republic
Encyclopedia
The Baptist Churches of the Central African Republic or Églises Baptistes de la RCA is an organization serving the Baptist
churches in the Central African Republic
in Equatorial Africa.
The General Council of Cooperating Baptists of North America, Inc. was organized on October 15, 1920 in Elyria, Ohio
, under the leadership of Reverend William C. Haas. This independent mission agency sent six missionaries to French Equatorial Africa
in the fall of 1920. Rev. Haas, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Rosenau, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Young, and Mrs. Rowena Becker reached Africa
in January 1921 and journeyed inland to French Equatorial Africa. The first stations were established at Sibut, Crampel, and Bangassou, in what is now the Central African Republic. Although Hass died in 1924, the mission continued to expand and by the 1960s had grown to over 100 churches. The Scriptures were translated into the native Sango language
, and a hospital, six dispensaries, two Bible schools, and a seminary were established by 1961. In 1960, both Chad
and the Republic of Central Africa became independent states. Baptist Mid-Missions (the name adopted by the General Council of Cooperating Baptists of North America in 1953) separated the two fields of labor, and the current association of Baptist churches was formed in 1963 with 191 churches.
Internal problems caused the dissolution of the association for a period of time in the 1970s. The Eglises Baptistes de la RCA has also suffered two schisms
, resulting in the Fraternal Union of Baptist Churches (or Union Fraternelle des Églises Baptistes, org. 1977) and the Association of Central African Baptist Churches (or Association des Églises Baptistes Centrafricaines). Another Baptist group, the Baptist Churches of Western RCA, began from mission work of the Swedish Örebro Society in 1923. Protestantism
(25%), Catholicism
(16%), Islam
(14%), and Animism
(24%) provide a pluralistic religious makeup of the country.
In 1995 the Eglises Baptistes de la RCA had 375 churches with about 60,000 members. Baptist Mid-Missions still has a number of missionaries in the Republic of Central Africa.
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
churches in the Central African Republic
Central African Republic
The Central African Republic , is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It borders Chad in the north, Sudan in the north east, South Sudan in the east, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo in the south, and Cameroon in the west. The CAR covers a land area of about ,...
in Equatorial Africa.
The General Council of Cooperating Baptists of North America, Inc. was organized on October 15, 1920 in Elyria, Ohio
Elyria, Ohio
-Community:Elyria has an extensive, although financially burdened, community food pantry and "Hot Meals" program administered through the Second Harvest Food Bank and several churches Elyria is served by Elyria Memorial Hospital.-Recreation and parks:...
, under the leadership of Reverend William C. Haas. This independent mission agency sent six missionaries to French Equatorial Africa
French Equatorial Africa
French Equatorial Africa or the AEF was the federation of French colonial possessions in Middle Africa, extending northwards from the Congo River to the Sahara Desert.-History:...
in the fall of 1920. Rev. Haas, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Rosenau, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Young, and Mrs. Rowena Becker reached Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
in January 1921 and journeyed inland to French Equatorial Africa. The first stations were established at Sibut, Crampel, and Bangassou, in what is now the Central African Republic. Although Hass died in 1924, the mission continued to expand and by the 1960s had grown to over 100 churches. The Scriptures were translated into the native Sango language
Sango language
Sango is the primary language spoken in the Central African Republic: it has approximately 1,600,000 second-language speakers, but only about 404,000 native speakers, mainly in the towns.- Classification :...
, and a hospital, six dispensaries, two Bible schools, and a seminary were established by 1961. In 1960, both Chad
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
and the Republic of Central Africa became independent states. Baptist Mid-Missions (the name adopted by the General Council of Cooperating Baptists of North America in 1953) separated the two fields of labor, and the current association of Baptist churches was formed in 1963 with 191 churches.
Internal problems caused the dissolution of the association for a period of time in the 1970s. The Eglises Baptistes de la RCA has also suffered two schisms
Schism (religion)
A schism , from Greek σχίσμα, skhísma , is a division between people, usually belonging to an organization or movement religious denomination. The word is most frequently applied to a break of communion between two sections of Christianity that were previously a single body, or to a division within...
, resulting in the Fraternal Union of Baptist Churches (or Union Fraternelle des Églises Baptistes, org. 1977) and the Association of Central African Baptist Churches (or Association des Églises Baptistes Centrafricaines). Another Baptist group, the Baptist Churches of Western RCA, began from mission work of the Swedish Örebro Society in 1923. Protestantism
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
(25%), Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
(16%), Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
(14%), and Animism
Animism
Animism refers to the belief that non-human entities are spiritual beings, or at least embody some kind of life-principle....
(24%) provide a pluralistic religious makeup of the country.
In 1995 the Eglises Baptistes de la RCA had 375 churches with about 60,000 members. Baptist Mid-Missions still has a number of missionaries in the Republic of Central Africa.
External links
- Baptist Mid-Missions (contains information on this and other mission work of the BM-M)