Presbyterian Community in Congo
{{Infobox Christian denomination
| name = Presbyterian Community in Congo
| image =
| imagewidth = 250px
| caption =
| main_classification = Protestant
| leader/moderator =
| theology = Calvinist
| orientation = Reformed
| polity = Presbyterian
| founder =
| founded_date = 1891
| founded_place =
| separated_from =
| branched_from = Presbyterian Church in the United States of America
| merger =
| separations =
| associations = World Council of Churches, All Africa Conference of Churches, World Communion of Reformed Churches and Church of Christ in Congo
| area = Democratic Republic of Congo
| church =
| footnotes =
|website =
}}
The Community Presbyterian in Congo - in French Communaute presbytérienne au Congo, usually abbreviated as CPC - is a Presbyterian denomination, part of the Church of Christ in Congo (ICC), a union of 64 Protestant denominations in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Within the ICC, each denomination is given a number by which it is identified, the CPC is identified as the 31st community within the ICC.{{cite web|url= https://scooprdc.net/2018/09/09/kasai-central-la-31ieme-communaute-presbyterienne-au-congo-se-dote-dun-nouveau-secretaire-general-sur-fond-des-tensions/ |title=Kasai Central: The 31st Presbyterian Community in Congo has a new secretary general amid tensions|accessdate=April 21, 2023|date=September 9, 2018|publisher=Scoop RDC }}{{cite web|url= https://www.memoireonline.com/11/13/7672/m_La-pratique-du-pentectisme-et-le-developpement-integral-des-fideles-lushois21.html |title=The general organization of the Pentecostal communities in Lubumbashi |accessdate=April 21, 2023|date=2010|publisher=University of Lubumbashi |author=Pasula N'Kukiter Armand}}
In 2006, the CPC had approximately 2.5 million members, being the second largest Protestant denomination in the country and the largest reformed and presbyterian denomination.
History
In 1891, the American Presbyterian Mission in the Congo (of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America) began its work in Kasaï.{{cite web|url= https://www.memoireonline.com/02/12/5252/La-sanction-comme-facteur-du-bon-rendement-de-lentreprise-Cas-de-limprimerie-protestante-du-K.html |title= sanction as a factor in the good performance of the company. The case of the Protestant press of Cassai, from 2007 to 2010|date=2011| accessdate=April 21, 2023|publisher=Instituto Superior Pedagógico de Kananga |author=Kalala Kalala Jeannot}}
The name quickly spread throughout the country, especially in the region of Katanga.
The denomination became known for its social and educational work, as well as its mediation role in interethnic conflicts in southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.{{cite web|url= https://www.radiookapi.net/2020/05/07/actualite/societe/kananga-la-communaute-presbyterienne-sensibilise-la-population-contre |title= Kananga: Presbyterian community raises awareness against Coronavirus|date=July 5, 2020| accessdate=April 21, 2023|publisher=Rádio Okapi}}
The denomination administers the Presbyterian University of Congo.{{cite web|url= https://acpcongo.com/index.php/2022/06/13/kasai-central-satisfaction-des-etudiants-de-luniversite-presbyterienne-du-congo-a-la-rehabilitation-de-lavenue-kamuandu/ |title=Cassaio central: satisfaction of students at the Presbyterian University of Congo with the rehabilitation of Kamuandu Avenue|date=June 13, 2022| accessdate=April 21, 2023|publisher=ACP Congo}}
In the 1970s, splinter groups formed the Presbyterian Community in Eastern Kasai, Presbyterian Community in Western Kasai and Reformed Community of Presbyterians.
By the end of the 1990s, the denomination had about 1,250,000 members, with 964 pastors, in 525 churches.{{cite web|url=http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/global/democratic-republic-congo/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130815201828/http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/global/democratic-republic-congo/|archivedate=August 15, 2013|title=Democratic Republic of the Congo: Religion|publisher=Presbyterian Church (USA)|accessdate=August 15, 2013|date=April 18, 2013|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url= http://www.globalmissiology.org/francais/docs_html/atido_mandat_eglise_engagement_social_2_2009.html |title=Statistical Table of Religions in the Congo in 2001 |accessdate=21 April 2023|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604161115/http://www.globalmissiology.org/francais/docs_html/atido_mandat_eglise_engagement_social_2_2009.html|archivedate=4 June 2011}}
In 2006, the denomination reported to the World Council of Churches that it had 2,500,000 members in 926 congregations and 672 pastors.
Doctrine
The community allows the ordination of women in all its offices. It also subscribes to the Apostles' Creed and the Westminster Confession of Faith.{{cite web|url= http://www.reformiert-online.net/adressen/detail.php?id=12141&lg=de |publisher=Reformed Online|title=Congo Presbyterian Community |date=7 February 2006|accessdate=21 April 2023|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170910220258/http://www.reformiert-online.net/adressen/detail.php?id=12141&lg=de|archivedate=10 September 2017|url-status=dead}}
Inter-church relations
The CPC is a member of the World Council of Churches,{{cite web|url= https://www.oikoumene.org/member-churches/church-of-christ-in-congo-presbyterian-community-of-congo |title=Presbyterian Community in Congo| publisher=World Council of Churches|access-date=21 April 2023|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20221127011449/https://www.oikoumene.org/member-churches/church-of-christ-in-congo-presbyterian-community-of-congo|archivedate=27 November 2022}} of the All Africa Conference of Churches, of the World Communion of Reformed Churches{{cite web|title=List of members of the World Communion of Reformed Churches|url=http://www.wcrc.ch/members|access-date=21 April 2023|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20230418191442/http://wcrc.ch/members |archivedate=April 18, 2023}} and the Church of Christ in Congo.
In addition, it has close relationships with the Presbyterian Community of Kinshasa and the Protestant Community of Shaba.