Celestial Church of Christ

The Celestial Church of Christ ( Celestial Church of Christ ), in the French-speaking world Église du Christianisme Céleste, is a Christian church that was founded in 1947 in Dahomey, now Benin, by Samuel BJ Oschoffa ( 1909-1985 ).

It spread in the following years mainly in West Africa and is now the largest in the group of Aladura - churches, the " praying churches." Your fan base is estimated at over 15 million. The official headquarters of the Celestial Church of Christ (abbreviated CCC) is located in Porto Novo, Benin, next to it is also the city Imeko in Nigeria, Celestial City, significantly, referred to by supporters of the CCC emphatic as their "new Jerusalem ". Here also the founding father Oschoffa is buried. The CCC has its own Academy in Lagos ( Nigeria ), which ( as the pastorate in the big churches comparable) is used to train the " Shepherds ", the community leaders.

Doctrine and practice

The name " heavenly church " is derived from the Book of Revelation, celebrate, according to the fourth chapter angels with the 24 elders a permanent worship in heaven that recreates the CCC. The CCC is similar in external appearance and strong doctrine of the cherubim and seraphim Society, to which it expressly refers to as her previous church. She takes it can claim to be the capstone of a development. In this sense, it is to be understood when referred to the CCC as a "last ship of salvation" (last ship of salvation ). Characteristic of its occurrence is the white cassock, with the embark parishioners to worship.

Just like the Cherubim and Seraphim Society ( C & S), the CCC has a strong liturgical in their services, which distinguishes them from the dominant in Africa today charismatic Christian movements. The liturgy seems like a compilation of Catholic and Protestant elements and emphasizes more strongly than in the C & S, thus their universalist claim. Besides the use of holy water and incense, the kneeling in prayer and strongly ritualized gestures ( which, however, do not have a clearly Catholic background), nevertheless, the sermon is the focal point of worship. Also, the congregational singing receives a significant role. The songbook of the CCC includes approximately 1000 hymns and songs, which are used both in worship, as well as special prayers. Since it is allowed each service participant in principle, spontaneously to sing a song about during a sermon, the singing acts as a dialogue between the liturgist and the community. Another commonality with the C & S is the pronounced worship of angels, especially the Archangel Michael. Michael is regarded as the carrier of the Holy Spirit in the " Celestians " and called on every prayer. Religious scholars have seen in the angels worshiping a replacement for the traditional African ancestor worship. Together the two churches is the great importance of the prophets and prophetesses, which replace the oracle and Babalawos. The prophets want to give their church members, as well as people outside their church by so-called " spiritual work " life coaching. Some prophets see it as well as her duty, just as in the Old Testament, to call for adherence to ethical principles within their offices among political leaders of their countries.

Services are held in three days on Wednesday ( Mercy- day), Friday (Power- day) and Sunday. Furthermore, since even the Thursday as a holy day plays a special role, one can recognize the traditional in many West African societies four-day week here.

Often comes in sermons and utterances of the pendant is a strong biblizistisches understanding of faith expressed, ie the contents of the Bible are taken as true and authentic in the sense of the word. Nevertheless, one can not necessarily speak in this church by a fundamentalist movement, as well as personal dogmas and beliefs among their followers behind religious practice completely withdraw. In this respect, the CCC moved well within an African tradition that avoids confrontations and social consensus against the personal and abstract distinctions provides.

Members of the CCC are subject to various dietary laws. Especially foods that are traditionally seen in Africa as potential carriers of magical powers (such as cola nuts ) are prohibited supporters. In addition, the consumption of pork, tobacco and alcohol are prohibited. The CCC relies on its rules on the spiritual character of their church, the resist these substances.

Hierarchy

There is a distinct hierarchy within the CCC. About 20 ranks lead of brother or sister up to the Pastor, who holds a similar rank pope. This is of special importance to the evangelists (about bishops and cardinals comparable), oversee not only the observance of the doctrine, but also make the political decisions within the church. The rank of the evangelist may be held only by men. While lower ranks are assigned by the evangelists, the upper ranks are determined by choice within the church leadership. Since 2001, the church is in schism, since it was unable to agree on a common leader. The rank of pastor is vacant ever since. The cleavage proceeds primarily between the Anglophone and the Francophone part of the church and is based on competence disputes, not on different schools of thought.

Ecumenism

The CCC is according to your part of the statute of the one, holy, indivisible, spiritual church. In the past, she tried several times to ecumenical cooperation with other churches. So she tried to join the World Council of Churches, but failed because they did not clearly distanced himself from the polygamous marriage. In 1982 there was a meeting between Samuel Oschoffa and Pope John Paul II.

Criticism

Among African Christians is the CCC, like all so-called "white garment churches ", ie churches, whose members occur in a white cassock, controversial. While many suspect them to be associated with occult powers and be just a Christian masked continuation of pagan cults, the prophets and prophetesses other hand, are very much in demand as healers and soothsayers. The CCC defends himself decided against accusations of paganism or of syncretism and considers it important that all of their practices would have a biblical background. Finally, it was part of the vision of the founding father Oshoffa to take action against the " witch doctors ".

Which often accomplished practice of re- baptism is viewed as sectarian, which means a fraction of the ecumenical principle. The CCC refers here to the particular conditions in Africa, because for obscure baptismal practices in some churches can be no question of a valid baptism. Many Africans also wanted to avoid for fear of a baptism by they indicated erroneously, to have been already baptized.