Financial resources and economic agency in the early history of the African Independent Churches
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Authors
Denis, Philippe,1952-
Issue Date
2011
Type
Article
Language
en
Keywords
Methodists Church , Presbyterian Church , Indigenous minister , African Independent Church (AIC) , Money matters , Conflicts , Managing church funds , Breakaway churches
Alternative Title
Abstract
The article examines how money issues were handled in the
Methodist, Anglican, Presbyterian and Congregational
churches of South Africa when some of their most prominent
indigenous ministers decided to secede in the 1880s and 1890s.
Far from being financially incompetent, as suggested in the
missionary literature, the first African Independent Church
(AIC) leaders knew how to deal with money matters, having
exercised important responsibilities in the mission churches
before breaking away from them. Conflicts on the manner of
managing church funds played an important role in their
resolution to establish independent churches. Discrimination in
respect of salaries, housing and working conditions also contributed
to their sense of alienation. The breakaway churches'
rapid development is testimony to the organisational capacity
of their leaders.
Description
Peer reviewed
Citation
Studia Historiae Ecclesiasticae, vol 37, no 2, pp 29-49
Publisher
Church History Society of Southern Africa
License
Journal
Volume
Issue
PubMed ID
DOI
ISSN
10170499