Pursuing an Elusive Unity

Rhodian Munyenyembe brings to the many controversies related to the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) a rigorous scholarly research. Being strong on sources and weak on controversy, the book makes a unique contribution to all the manifold discourses on church unity. The book is a major contribution to the development of an indigenous church historiography for Malawi.

Dr Klaus Fiedler
Professor of Theology and Religious Studies,
Mzuzu University, Malawi
Emeritus Professor of Missiology,
Evangelical Theological Faculty, Leuven, Belgium

Rhodian Munyenyembe assesses the historical relationship of the founding Synods of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) in Malawi. Tracing their roots back to their mother churches in Scotland, the Netherlands and South Africa, Dr Munyenyembe argues that they are historically rooted in the theology of the 16th-century reformers and in the revivals of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a shared history that offers them potential basis for unity. Dr Munyenyembe’s book offers a well-informed and balanced treatment of this complex relationship, and will remain, for a long time, indispensable for understanding current disputes in the CCAP to those interested in the history of the church in Malawi.

Jonathan Nkhoma
Associate Professor,
Mzuzu University, Malawi

1. List of Figures
2. Foreword
3. Acknowledgements
4. Introduction
5. List of Abbreviations
6. Chapter 1: Origins of the CCAP: Theological and Revival Roots
1. Introduction
2. Reformed Soteriology
3. Presbyterianism in Scotland
4. The Dutch Reformed Church in the Netherlands
5. The Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa
6. The Difference between Reformed and Presbyterian
7. Revivals and the Birth of the CCAP
8. Conclusion
7. Chapter 2: The CCAP Tributaries
1. Introduction
2. Early Cooperation between Livingstonia and Blantyre Missions
3. The Livingstonia Mission
4. The Blantyre Mission
5. The Dutch Reformed Church Mission
6. The Formation of the CCAP
7. Related Developments to the Formation of the CCAP
8. The Concept of Comity and Its Application in Malaw
9. Harare Synod
10. Synod of Zambia
11. Conclusion
8. Chapter 3: The CCAP: One Denomination, Several Independent Synods
1. Introduction
2. Constitutional Matters
3. Liturgy
4. Theological Training
5. Education in the CCAP Synods
6. Women’s Ministry
7. Non-ordained Men’s Ministry
8. Youth Ministry
9. Church and State Relations among the Synods
10. Conclusion
9. Chapter 4: Pangs of Unity in Diversity among the Synods
1. Introduction
2. Early Tensions in the Unity of the CCAP
3. Differences in Practice
4. Border Disputes in the CCAP
5. Conclusion
10. Chapter 5: Challenges Rocking the CCAP General Assembly
1. Introduction
2. Constitutional Direction of the CCAP General Assembly
3. The Efficiency of the General Assembly versus the Autonomy of the Synods
4. Inter-Synodical Wrangles and the Stability of the General Assembly
5. Partner Churches and the Stability of the General Assembly
6. Political Machinations and the Stability of the General Assembly
7. Private Initiatives at Reconciling the Synods and Strengthening the General Assembly
8. Current Trends in the General Assembly
9. Conclusion
11. Chapter 6: Foreign Relations and Current Developments in the CCAP
1. Introduction
2. The Genesis of Foreign Relations
3. The Development of Foreign Relations
4. The Synod of Livingstonia and Its Foreign Partners
5. Blantyre Synod and Its Foreign Partners
6. Nkhoma Synod and Its Foreign Partners
7. Harare Synod and Its Foreign Partners
8. The Synod of Zambia and Its Foreign Partners
9. Foreign Relations and the Unity of the CCAP Synods
10. An Evaluation of the CCAP Synods’ Foreign Relations
11. Conclusion
12. Chapter 7: Unity beyond Border Disputes
1. Introduction
2. Oneness of the Synods without Borders
3. Consolidating Synodical Independence
4. Foreign Expansion
5. Loose Cooperation and Synodical Sisterhood
6. The Synods as Different Denominations
7. More Unity of the Synods Reconsidered
8. Conclusion
13. Chapter 8: Concluding Thoughts
14. Bibliography
15. Index of Subjects
16. Index of Names