From mission to church; from church to mission? The Bantu Presbyterian Church of South Africa: The first ten years, 1923-1933

Abstract

The formation of the Bantu Presbyterian Church of South Africa in 1923 was much criticised for being the result of a racist policy; yet had it not been for racism prevalent in South Africa at the time its formation might have been unnecessary  as part of the missionary outreach of the United Free Church of Scotland. For better or worse it was established and in such matters there was no going back.  However, its mission was hindered by attempts to control it externally by the Scottish church and internally by missionaries and their Mission Council. The first ten years of its history testify to this. Its subsequent history bears witness to the attempt to make it an authentic African missionary church open to the ecumenical scene.