Christ Apostolic Church
Encyclopedia
Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) is the first Aladura Pentecostal church present in Nigeria
and other countries. It has come into existence in the first half of the
20th century, in the then-British empire
. It was formally established in 1941 after a split from the Apostolic Church which the original Aladura organization (Faith Tabernacle) had invited to Nigeria. Its growth was led by Joseph Ayo Babalola, a road construction driver who became its General Evangelist.
The revival led by Babalola resulted in thousands burning their traditional fetishes. This disturbed the colonial authorities, and allegations included witch-hunting and opposition to hospitals and medicine. Babalola was arrested and jailed.
It operates secondary school
s in Nigeria. The countries with presence of the Christ Apostolic Church include the
United States of America, the United Kingdom
, Canada
, Germany
, Italy
, the Netherlands
, the Republic of Ireland
, Austria
, Australia
, South Africa
, the
Ivory Coast, Togo
and Chad
. Its headquarters are in Lagos
, Nigeria
. The Christ Apostolic Church shows pentecostal features. The number of its members exceeds a million. In the 20th century, it had distance to other Aladura churches. At least in 1999, a dissident faction of the name Christ Apostolic Church existed. Christ Apostolic Church has a major presence among the Yoruba. It does not have infant baptism
. It is in favour of monogamy
. Within the Christ Apostolic Church, healing is attempted.
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
and other countries. It has come into existence in the first half of the
20th century, in the then-British empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
. It was formally established in 1941 after a split from the Apostolic Church which the original Aladura organization (Faith Tabernacle) had invited to Nigeria. Its growth was led by Joseph Ayo Babalola, a road construction driver who became its General Evangelist.
The revival led by Babalola resulted in thousands burning their traditional fetishes. This disturbed the colonial authorities, and allegations included witch-hunting and opposition to hospitals and medicine. Babalola was arrested and jailed.
It operates secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
s in Nigeria. The countries with presence of the Christ Apostolic Church include the
United States of America, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, the
Ivory Coast, Togo
Togo
Togo, officially the Togolese Republic , is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately with a population of approximately...
and 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...
. Its headquarters are in Lagos
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
. The Christ Apostolic Church shows pentecostal features. The number of its members exceeds a million. In the 20th century, it had distance to other Aladura churches. At least in 1999, a dissident faction of the name Christ Apostolic Church existed. Christ Apostolic Church has a major presence among the Yoruba. It does not have infant baptism
Infant baptism
Infant baptism is the practice of baptising infants or young children. In theological discussions, the practice is sometimes referred to as paedobaptism or pedobaptism from the Greek pais meaning "child." The practice is sometimes contrasted with what is called "believer's baptism", or...
. It is in favour of monogamy
Monogamy
Monogamy /Gr. μονός+γάμος - one+marriage/ a form of marriage in which an individual has only one spouse at any one time. In current usage monogamy often refers to having one sexual partner irrespective of marriage or reproduction...
. Within the Christ Apostolic Church, healing is attempted.
See also
- Nigerian sectarian violenceNigerian sectarian violenceNigerian Sharia conflict is an armed conflict of militant groups, different representatives of religious groupings and the government of Nigeria....
- Church of the Lord (Aladura)Church of the Lord (Aladura)The Church of the Lord is an African Initiated Church founded by the first Primate and Late Prophet Dr. Josiah Olunowo Ositelu in 1925, but inaugurated in 1930 in Ogere-Remo, Shagamu, Ogun State, Nigeria; Reference: Journey So Far, ISBN 3-8258-6087-7; Publication - TCLAW Publishers, 2009."Aladura"...
- Celestial Church of ChristCelestial Church of ChristThe Celestial Church of Christ is an African Initiated Church founded by the Rev. Samuel Biléhou Joseph Oschoffa on 29 September 1947 in Porto-Novo, Benin...
- Eternal Sacred Order of Cherubim and SeraphimEternal Sacred Order of Cherubim and SeraphimThe Eternal Sacred Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim is the first African initiated church established in 1925 by Moses Orimolade Tunolase. The church was born out of the Anglican church community among the Yoruba people in Western Nigeria.-History:...
- Cherubim and Seraphim SocietyCherubim and Seraphim SocietyThe Cherubim and Seraphim Society is a Christian denomination from Nigeria. It was founded by Abiodun Akinsowon Emmanuel as a split from the Eternal Sacred Order of Cherubim and Seraphim...