Council of Churches in Namibia

Council of Churches in Namibia
Founded 1978
Website www.ccnnamibia.org

The Council of Churches in Namibia (CCN) is an ecumenical organisation in Namibia. Its member churches together represent 1.5 million people, 90% of the population of Namibia.[1] It is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Councils in Southern Africa.[2]

CCN has its roots in the Christian Centre, which established in 1975 "as an ecumenical meeting place for black workers in Windhoek."[3] Its purpose was to "speak with a united voice against injustice on behalf of the voiceless; and to initiate relief projects for the poor,"[1][4] but its real goal was to establish the Council of Churches in Namibia, which happened in 1978.[3] Prior to Namibian independence, the CCN spoke out against repression and racism in the apartheid regime, and was "particularly outspoken in its denunciation in South Africa's introduction of conscription for all young men in Namibia."[5]

Since independence, the Council of Churches in Namibia has been involved in humanitarian activities such as helping political prisoners and addressing the issues of hunger and drought.[3] CCN is an umbrella organisation, with all its member churches being autonomous and independent. It views itself as a "facilitating body" to create a "platform for dialogue on different issues."[6]

The founding members were the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME), the Anglican Diocese of Namibia, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN), the Methodist Church of Southern Africa (MCSA), and the Roman Catholic Church.[1] Eight denominations have since joined the CCN: the Dutch Reformed Church in Namibia, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia, the German-speaking Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (GELK), the Protestant Unity Church, the Rhenish Church in Namibia, the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa, the United Methodist Church in Namibia, and the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa. The Coptic Orthodox Church is an associate member, while the Reformed Churches in South Africa, the Apostolic Faith Mission of Namibia, the Pentecostal Protestant Church, the Ecumenical Institute of Namibia, and the Young Women's Christian Association are observer members.[7]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "About Us". Council of Churches in Namibia. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
  2. ↑ "Fellowship of Christian Councils in Southern Africa". World Council of Churches. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 !Nôabeb, Engelhard (2003). "Namibia". The Encyclopedia of Christianity, Volume 3. Eerdmans. p. 688. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
  4. ↑ "Council of Churches in Namibia". World Council of Churches. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
  5. ↑ Williams, Gwyneth; Hackland, Brian (2015). The Dictionary of Contemporary Politics of Southern Africa. Routledge. p. 54. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
  6. ↑ Heita, Desie (23 September 2016). "Namibian churches battle with LGBT issues". New Era. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
  7. ↑ "Members of CCN". Council of Churches in Namibia. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
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