Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa

Not to be confused with Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa.

The Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa (UPCSA) was formed in 1999 through the union of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa (RPCSA) and the Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa (PCSA).

Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa
NEC TAMEN CONSUMEBATUR
Classification	Protestant
Orientation	Presbytarian
Scripture	Protestant Bible
Theology	Reformed
Polity	Presbyterian
Associations	All Africa Conference of Churches; World Communion of Reformed Churches; World Council of Churches; South African Council of Churches
Region	South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia
Origin	26 September 1999 Port Elizabeth
Merger of	Reformed Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa & Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa
Congregations	473
Members	80,000 [1]

Both churches shared a common origin dating back to the 19th century, when Britain took control of the Cape Colony. The Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa was established among soldiers and settlers who arrived in the Cape in 1820, later expanding northwards into present-day Zimbabwe and Zambia. The Reformed Presbyterian Church, on the other hand, emerged from Scottish missionary efforts aimed at indigenous Africans and began at Lovedale Mission in Alice. It became an autonomous church in 1923.

The first Presbyterian congregation in Rhodesia was founded in 1896 in Bulawayo, followed by another in Salisbury (now Harare) in 1903. Today, the UPCSA has more than 40 congregations and between 100,000 and 300,000 members.^[2]

The church’s motto, Nec tamen consumebatur, is adapted from the Latin translation of Exodus 3:2: "...The Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet it was not consumed."

Recent history

The Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa (UPCSA) ordains both men and women as ministers and elders, a practice inherited from its predecessor, the Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa.^[3] The church defines marriage as an exclusively heterosexual union between one man and one woman and instructs its ministers not to perform same-sex marriages.^[4] However, in 2015 a church court ruled that the church did not prohibit its ministers from blessing same-sex unions.^[5]

In 2019, the UPCSA celebrated its twentieth anniversary after having spent much of that time forging structures of union.

Presbyteries

The Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa (UPCSA) comprises over 500 congregations and more than 900,000 members,^[1] and is divided into several presbyteries (regional districts):

South Africa

• Amathole
• Central Cape
• Drakensberg
• eGoli
• eThekwini
• Trans Xhariep^[6]
• Highveld
• Lekoa
• Limpopo
• Thukela
• East Griqualand
• Mthatha
• Tiyo Soga Memorial
• Tshwane
• Western Cape

Zambia

• Copperbelt
• Munali
• M'chinga

Zimbabwe

• Zimbabwe

Democratic Republic of Congo

• Democratic Republic of Congo

Associations/ministry groups

The Basis of Union is a contract that was signed in September 1999 by the Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa (PCSA) and the Reformed Presbyterian Church in South Africa (RPCSA). Under this contract, the two churches merged to form the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa (UPCSA). Article 13 of the Basis of Union stipulates that, as a condition of the union, both churches were to contribute four associations each, which were subsequently merged to form only four associations—a women's association, a men's association, a girls' association, and a youth association.

• The Girls' Christian Association (GCA) of RPCSA and JB (named after Janet Burnside, the wife of Rev. Tiyo Soga) of PCSA united to form IYZA (Inhlangano Yezintombi ZamaRhabe Amanyanayo), now known as the Fellowship of Young Women.
• The two women's associations merged to form the Uniting Presbyterian Women's Fellowship (UPWF), now known as the Fellowship of Women.
• The Presbyterian Men's Association (PMA) of PCSA and the Young Men's Guild (YMG) of RPCSA united to form the Men's Christian Guild (MCG), now known as the Fellowship of Men.
• The two youth associations merged to form the UPCSA Youth Fellowship (UPCSA YF).
• Additionally, there is the Fellowship of Church Choirs and Musicians.

Confession of faith

• Nicene Creed
• Apostles Creed
• Faith of the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. 2013
• Declaration of faith for the Church in Southern Africa. 1986

Further reading

• De Gruchy, John W. (2005). The Church Struggle in South Africa. Fortress Press. ISBN 978-0-8006-3755-2.
• Fahlbusch, Erwin (2008). The Encyclopedia of Christianity. Vol. 5. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. ISBN 978-0-8028-2417-2.