Protestantism in Angola
Encyclopedia
The existence of Protestants in Angola
dates back to the late 19th century and in some places predates Portuguese
colonial missionaries. Many of the nationalist independence leaders were raised as Protestants, including Jonas Savimbi
. An estimated 10%-20% of Angolans were Protestant as of the late 1980s.
The government of Angola
recognizes 11 Protestant denominations:
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
dates back to the late 19th century and in some places predates Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
colonial missionaries. Many of the nationalist independence leaders were raised as Protestants, including Jonas Savimbi
Jonas Savimbi
Jonas Malheiro Savimbi was an Angolan political leader. He founded and led UNITA, a movement that first waged a guerrilla war against Portuguese colonial rule, 1966–1974, then confronted the rival MPLA during the decolonization conflict, 1974/75, and after independence in 1975 fought the ruling...
. An estimated 10%-20% of Angolans were Protestant as of the late 1980s.
The government of Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
recognizes 11 Protestant denominations:
- Assembly of God,
- Baptist Convention of AngolaBaptist Convention of AngolaThe Baptist Convention of Angola is an organization made up of many Baptist Churches in Angola and has its headquarters in Luanda. It is smaller than the other group of Baptist congregations in the country, the Evangelical Baptist Church of Angola.-History:...
, - Baptist Evangelical Church of Angola,
- Congregational Evangelical Church of Angola,
- Evangelical Church of Angola,
- Evangelical Church of South-West Angola,
- Our Lord Jesus Christ Church in the World (Kimbanguist),
- Reformed Evangelical Church of Angola,
- Seventh-day Adventist ChurchSeventh-day Adventist ChurchThe Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath, and by its emphasis on the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ...
: 306,569 members - Union of Evangelical Churches of Angola
- United Methodist ChurchUnited Methodist ChurchThe United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...