Presbyterian Community in Congo

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Presbyterian Community in Congo (CPC) is a Presbyterian denomination in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is part of the Church of Christ in Congo (ICC), a union of about 64 Protestant churches, and the CPC is the 31st member identified within the ICC. In 2006, the CPC had about 2.5 million members, 926 congregations, and 672 pastors, making it the second largest Protestant group in the country and the largest Reformed and Presbyterian church.

The CPC began in 1891 when the American Presbyterian Mission started work in the Kasaï region, and the movement spread, especially to Katanga. It is known for social and educational work and for helping mediate interethnic conflicts in southeastern DRC. The denomination runs the Presbyterian University of Congo.

In the 1970s, splinter groups formed the Presbyterian Community in Eastern Kasai, the Presbyterian Community in Western Kasai, and the Reformed Community of Presbyterians. By the late 1990s it had about 1.25 million members, 964 pastors, and 525 churches. The CPC allows women to be ordained to all offices. It subscribes to the Apostles’ Creed and the Westminster Confession of Faith. It is a member of the World Council of Churches, the All Africa Conference of Churches, the World Communion of Reformed Churches, and the Church of Christ in Congo. It also maintains close ties with the Presbyterian Community of Kinshasa and the Protestant Community of Shaba.