Kimbanguism
Encyclopedia
Kimbanguism is a branch of Christianity
founded by Simon Kimbangu
in what was then the Belgian Congo
(now the Democratic Republic of Congo). The church's name is the Kimbanguist Church (fully Église de Jésus Christ sur la Terre par son envoyé spécial Simon Kimbangu, or The Church of Christ
on Earth by His Special Envoy Simon Kimbangu), and is a large, independent African Initiated Church
with an estimated 5.5 million believers.
In April 1921, Kimbangu, a Baptist
mission catechist, inaugurated a mass movement through his supposed miraculous healings and biblical teaching. The Belgian
authorities treated the faith with suspicion and imprisoned Simon Kimbangu for most of his life (he died while in prison). The church was formally recognised by the Belgian
colonial
authorities in 1959.
Some smaller, more loosely organised groups in Central Africa
regard Kimbangu as God
's prophet
, though that view is not orthodox.
ethic, rejecting the use of violence, polygamy
, magic and witchcraft, alcohol, tobacco, and dancing. Its worship is Baptist
in form, though the institution of Holy Communion
was not introduced until 1971.
The three key dates in the Kimbanguist are April 6 (marking the date of the start of the ministry of healing), October 12 (marking the day Kimbangu died) and May 25 (marking Christmas
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/6692201.stm, falling on the birthday of Papa Dialungana). The church is largely non-sacramental with large services only loosely organised.
The church also believes that Papa Simon Kimbangu is, in fact, the Holy Spirit, according to John 14:15-17. The Kimbanguists pray in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, both beginning and the end.
Alongside Father Simon Kimbangu, the Holy Trinity are, Father Kisolokele (first son of SK), as God the Father, Father Dialungana (the reincarnated Jesus Christ, and second son of SK), Father Diangienda Kuntima (last son, reincarnation of Papa Simon Kimbangu, and second human form of the Holy Spirit), and Father Simon Kimbangu Kiangani (grandson of Papa Simon Kimbangu, third human form of the Holy Spirit, and current spiritual leader of the Church, reigning from 2001-present)
The Church Kimbanguist and the Catholic Church have some things in common, such as sharing the belief of the Incarnation, and the conceiving of the Holy Spirit. The Catholic Church and the EJCSK both belief that the Virgin Mary is the Mother of the Universe, but Kimbanguists believe that Mother Muilu Kiawanga Nzitani is the wife of Papa Simon Kimbangu, mother of the Trinity and of course, the Virgin Mary.
The life and works of Kimbangu
Simon Kimbangu is said to have came down to earth from Mount Zion as a Congolese infant. He was raised by a Pentecostal minister and poor wife, and is believed to have been an extraodinary child, with the wisdom of Solomon and the power to bring salvation to sinners. He grew up to be an Anglican. When he was 20 years old, he married his aunt, Muilu Kiawanga Nzitani, who the church teaches was Virgin Mary returned to earth. He did this because, when his uncle was on his deathbed, he asked Kimbangu to marry his wife.
The church teaches that while Muilu was asleep in bed, she heard somebody talking to her Husband. Approaching the garden, she saw Kimbangu talking to a "divine stranger", who Kimbangu told her was Jesus Christ.
In 1921, the mother of a deceased child is said to have approached Kimbangu while he was talking to his disciples. He is said to her,
"Have faith in Me. I will give you a miracle and you know the truth about me. I will do something great for your daughter and you know see God's glory", and resurrected her child from the dead.
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
founded by Simon Kimbangu
Simon Kimbangu
Simon Kimbangu was a Congolese religious leader noted as the founder of Kimbanguism...
in what was then the Belgian Congo
Belgian Congo
The Belgian Congo was the formal title of present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo between King Leopold II's formal relinquishment of his personal control over the state to Belgium on 15 November 1908, and Congolese independence on 30 June 1960.-Congo Free State, 1884–1908:Until the latter...
(now the Democratic Republic of Congo). The church's name is the Kimbanguist Church (fully Église de Jésus Christ sur la Terre par son envoyé spécial Simon Kimbangu, or The Church of Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
on Earth by His Special Envoy Simon Kimbangu), and is a large, independent African Initiated Church
African Initiated Church
An African Initiated Church is any of a number of Christian churches independently started in Africa by Africans and not by missionaries from another continent, in which they sometimes hold to one or more African tribal belief systems syncretised with Christianity.-Nomenclature:A variety of...
with an estimated 5.5 million believers.
In April 1921, Kimbangu, a Baptist
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...
mission catechist, inaugurated a mass movement through his supposed miraculous healings and biblical teaching. The Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
authorities treated the faith with suspicion and imprisoned Simon Kimbangu for most of his life (he died while in prison). The church was formally recognised by the Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
colonial
Belgian colonial empire
The Belgian colonial empire consisted of three colonies possessed by Belgium between 1901 and 1962: Belgian Congo , Rwanda and Burundi...
authorities in 1959.
Some smaller, more loosely organised groups in Central Africa
Central Africa
Central Africa is a core region of the African continent which includes Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda....
regard Kimbangu as God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
's prophet
Prophet
In religion, a prophet, from the Greek word προφήτης profitis meaning "foreteller", is an individual who is claimed to have been contacted by the supernatural or the divine, and serves as an intermediary with humanity, delivering this newfound knowledge from the supernatural entity to other people...
, though that view is not orthodox.
Beliefs and practices
The church eschews politics and embraces a puritanPuritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
ethic, rejecting the use of violence, polygamy
Polygamy
Polygamy is a marriage which includes more than two partners...
, magic and witchcraft, alcohol, tobacco, and dancing. Its worship is Baptist
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...
in form, though the institution of Holy Communion
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
was not introduced until 1971.
The three key dates in the Kimbanguist are April 6 (marking the date of the start of the ministry of healing), October 12 (marking the day Kimbangu died) and May 25 (marking Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/6692201.stm, falling on the birthday of Papa Dialungana). The church is largely non-sacramental with large services only loosely organised.
The church also believes that Papa Simon Kimbangu is, in fact, the Holy Spirit, according to John 14:15-17. The Kimbanguists pray in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, both beginning and the end.
Alongside Father Simon Kimbangu, the Holy Trinity are, Father Kisolokele (first son of SK), as God the Father, Father Dialungana (the reincarnated Jesus Christ, and second son of SK), Father Diangienda Kuntima (last son, reincarnation of Papa Simon Kimbangu, and second human form of the Holy Spirit), and Father Simon Kimbangu Kiangani (grandson of Papa Simon Kimbangu, third human form of the Holy Spirit, and current spiritual leader of the Church, reigning from 2001-present)
The Church Kimbanguist and the Catholic Church have some things in common, such as sharing the belief of the Incarnation, and the conceiving of the Holy Spirit. The Catholic Church and the EJCSK both belief that the Virgin Mary is the Mother of the Universe, but Kimbanguists believe that Mother Muilu Kiawanga Nzitani is the wife of Papa Simon Kimbangu, mother of the Trinity and of course, the Virgin Mary.
The life and works of Kimbangu
Simon Kimbangu is said to have came down to earth from Mount Zion as a Congolese infant. He was raised by a Pentecostal minister and poor wife, and is believed to have been an extraodinary child, with the wisdom of Solomon and the power to bring salvation to sinners. He grew up to be an Anglican. When he was 20 years old, he married his aunt, Muilu Kiawanga Nzitani, who the church teaches was Virgin Mary returned to earth. He did this because, when his uncle was on his deathbed, he asked Kimbangu to marry his wife.
The church teaches that while Muilu was asleep in bed, she heard somebody talking to her Husband. Approaching the garden, she saw Kimbangu talking to a "divine stranger", who Kimbangu told her was Jesus Christ.
In 1921, the mother of a deceased child is said to have approached Kimbangu while he was talking to his disciples. He is said to her,
"Have faith in Me. I will give you a miracle and you know the truth about me. I will do something great for your daughter and you know see God's glory", and resurrected her child from the dead.
Hierarchy
- The spiritual head (Diangienda)
- Adjunct spiritual heads (Dialungana and Kisolokele – the other sons of Simon Kimbangu)
- Bansadisi (healers)
- Legal representatives of churches in the various countries
- Regional representatives and their staffs
- Subregional representatives and their staffs
- Main parish ministers, evangelists and helpers
- Parish-section ministers, evangelists and helpers
- Congregants
External links
- http://www.gospelcom.net/dacb/stories/demrepcongo/diangienda_joseph.html
- Simon Kimbangu & Kimbanguism
- Official Website (mostly in French, some German)
- Orchestre Symphonique Kimbanguiste (in French)
- Kimbangu resource (in French)
Further reading
- Kimbangu: An African Prophet and His Church Marie-Louise Martin (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1976) ISBN 0-8028-3483-3