Reformed Old Apostolic Church
Encyclopedia
The Reformed Old Apostolic Church is a chiliastic sect
with roots in the Catholic Apostolic Church
and the Old Apostolic Church
. It is part of a branch in Christianity called Irvingism and is separate from Protestantism
with membership mostly restricted to the coloured
communities, in the Western Cape
and Eastern Cape
in South Africa
of the Old Apostolic Church
of Africa.
was ordained as an Apostle in the Old Apostolic Church in 1958 by Apostle William Campbell. Lombard was the first coloured, and the second non-white Apostle of the Old Apostolic Church. During his lifetime up until 1971 he was responsible for the coloured and black communities of the Cape Province (Northern Cape
, Western Cape
and Eastern Cape
). According to ROAC members this was due to racial segregation within the OAC. But during that time the segregational laws of the National Party Government was in effect and whites and coloureds was not allowed to have meetings in the same areas.
In January 1972 Robert Lombard and two Overseers (Adolf Neethling and Gamba) broke away and formed the Non-White Old Apostolic Church. Lombart appointed Adolf Neethling to succeed him in January 1972, and died in June that same year.
In a court case in 1975 the Non-White Old Apostolic Church church was forced to change its name to Reformed Old Apostolic Church. The reason stated was that the name "Non-White Olld Apostolic Church" confused the public into thinking that the church was a branch of the Old Apostolic Church. Today the church is widely known as ROAC, standing for the Reformed Old Apostolic Church.
Demographics for the ROAC is not available.
of Freddie Isaacs, also known as the Cradock Apostle broke away from the ROAC.
The idea of a "Generational God" is not an original doctrine of Irvingism (not found in other Apostolic Churches). The original Irvingism held to the Classical Theism
doctrine. The Reformed Old Apostolic Church adopted Process Theology
and liberation theology
.
The ROAC practises baptism for the dead
. During this ceremony, it is believed that the ancestors will enter a host body, whom will be baptised in the place of the deceased by the Apostle
Sect
A sect is a group with distinctive religious, political or philosophical beliefs. Although in past it was mostly used to refer to religious groups, it has since expanded and in modern culture can refer to any organization that breaks away from a larger one to follow a different set of rules and...
with roots in the Catholic Apostolic Church
Catholic Apostolic Church
The Catholic Apostolic Church was a religious movement which originated in England around 1831 and later spread to Germany and the United States. While often referred to as Irvingism, it was neither actually founded nor anticipated by Edward Irving. The Catholic Apostolic Church was organised in...
and the Old Apostolic Church
Old Apostolic Church
The Old Apostolic Church is a Christian religious community, with historical roots in the Catholic Apostolic Church and the New Apostolic Church...
. It is part of a branch in Christianity called Irvingism and is separate from 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...
with membership mostly restricted to the coloured
Coloured
In the South African, Namibian, Zambian, Botswana and Zimbabwean context, the term Coloured refers to an heterogenous ethnic group who possess ancestry from Europe, various Khoisan and Bantu tribes of Southern Africa, West Africa, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malaya, India, Mozambique,...
communities, in the Western Cape
Western Cape
The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...
and Eastern Cape
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are Port Elizabeth and East London. It was formed in 1994 out of the "independent" Xhosa homelands of Transkei and Ciskei, together with the eastern portion of the Cape Province...
in South Africa
History
The Reformed Old Apostolic Church was founded in 1972 by Robert Lombard, a former ApostleApostle
An apostle is a messenger and ambassador.Apostle and apostles may refer to:-Religion:* Apostle , one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ, named in the New Testament...
of the Old Apostolic Church
Old Apostolic Church
The Old Apostolic Church is a Christian religious community, with historical roots in the Catholic Apostolic Church and the New Apostolic Church...
of Africa.
Pre-ROAC History
Apostle Robert LombardRobert Lombard
Robert William Lombart was the first coloured apostle of the Old Apostolic Church of Africa and founder of the Non-White Old Apostolic Church, that later became known as the Reformed Old Apostolic Church.-Life:...
was ordained as an Apostle in the Old Apostolic Church in 1958 by Apostle William Campbell. Lombard was the first coloured, and the second non-white Apostle of the Old Apostolic Church. During his lifetime up until 1971 he was responsible for the coloured and black communities of the Cape Province (Northern Cape
Northern Cape
The Northern Cape is the largest and most sparsely populated province of South Africa. It was created in 1994 when the Cape Province was split up. Its capital is Kimberley. It includes the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, part of an international park shared with Botswana...
, Western Cape
Western Cape
The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...
and Eastern Cape
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are Port Elizabeth and East London. It was formed in 1994 out of the "independent" Xhosa homelands of Transkei and Ciskei, together with the eastern portion of the Cape Province...
). According to ROAC members this was due to racial segregation within the OAC. But during that time the segregational laws of the National Party Government was in effect and whites and coloureds was not allowed to have meetings in the same areas.
Schism from the Old Apostolic Church
In 1971 Lombard was relieved of his responsibilities due to his health by the Apostelate of the OAC. During his sickness he received a revelation from Jesus Christ that he must lead his people to the promised land, and that he would be healed. Lombard believed that he was appointed by Jesus Christ as a liberator of the members of the Old Apostolic Church, and that the church should become active in demolishing the "Apartheid" government's and already implemented apartheid or "separate development" within the church and not bend to political pressure due to the section 29 (c) of the Native Laws Amendment Bill, also known as the "Church clause". The Apostelate of the OAC refused to accept Lombard's interpretation of his revelation.In January 1972 Robert Lombard and two Overseers (Adolf Neethling and Gamba) broke away and formed the Non-White Old Apostolic Church. Lombart appointed Adolf Neethling to succeed him in January 1972, and died in June that same year.
In a court case in 1975 the Non-White Old Apostolic Church church was forced to change its name to Reformed Old Apostolic Church. The reason stated was that the name "Non-White Olld Apostolic Church" confused the public into thinking that the church was a branch of the Old Apostolic Church. Today the church is widely known as ROAC, standing for the Reformed Old Apostolic Church.
Demographics for the ROAC is not available.
Schisms
The Reformed Apostolic ChurchReformed Apostolic Church
The Reformed Apostolic Church is a millinalistic personality cult under the leadership of a former Elder, Freddie Isaacs of the Reformed Old Apostolic Church...
of Freddie Isaacs, also known as the Cradock Apostle broke away from the ROAC.
God
According to the ROAC, God is a generational God. God is constantly renewing Himself and the church with new ideas and revelations. "Renewal is unavoidable" is a common catchphrase within the ROAC. Renewal will take place, and without anybody's control.The idea of a "Generational God" is not an original doctrine of Irvingism (not found in other Apostolic Churches). The original Irvingism held to the Classical Theism
Classical theism
Classical theism refers to the a form of Theism in distinction to modern ideas about God such as Theistic Personalism, Open Theism and Process Theism. Classical Theism began with the works of the Greek philosophers, especially Platonists and Neoplatonists and was developed into Christian Theology...
doctrine. The Reformed Old Apostolic Church adopted Process Theology
Process theology
Process theology is a school of thought influenced by the metaphysical process philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead and further developed by Charles Hartshorne . While there are process theologies that are similar, but unrelated to the work of Whitehead the term is generally applied to the...
and liberation theology
Liberation theology
Liberation theology is a Christian movement in political theology which interprets the teachings of Jesus Christ in terms of a liberation from unjust economic, political, or social conditions...
.
Jesus
The ROAC believed that after the resurrection, Jesus did not go to heaven, but went into the Apostles. Jesus is according to ROAC doctrine with-in (residing) the Apostles of the ROAC.The Dead
Part of ROAC doctrine is the teaching that the dead can also reside within believers. This connect to their belief of Jesus residing within the believers.The ROAC practises baptism for the dead
Baptism for the dead
Baptism for the dead, vicarious baptism or proxy baptism is the religious practice of baptizing a living person on behalf of one who is dead, with the living person acting as the deceased person's proxy...
. During this ceremony, it is believed that the ancestors will enter a host body, whom will be baptised in the place of the deceased by the Apostle
Apostle
An apostle is a messenger and ambassador.Apostle and apostles may refer to:-Religion:* Apostle , one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ, named in the New Testament...
Sources
- Martin, Harry. I Tell You the Truth. (Eyewitness accounts and Testimonies by a member of the ROAC)
- Old Apostolic Church of Africa: Western Cape (photo-album)
- Old Apostolic Church of South Africa v Non-White Old Apostolic Church of Africa 1975 (2) SA 684 (C) at 687
External links
- http://www.internetapostolicmovement.info Unofficial website of the Reformed Old Apostolic Church. It includes the book "I Tell You the Truth" by Harry Martin.