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The First
General Assembly: Kampala, Uganda
Theme: Freedom and Unity
in Christ
20-30 April
1963
Sub-Themes of the Assembly
The conference began right away with the discussion of
issues topical to African unity and spirituality. The
sub-themes were as follows:
• The Selfhood of the
Church in Africa: Seeking a definition for selfhood, the
Assembly proclaimed that “personality with a separate and
conscious existence” (Drumbeats, p.31) was to be the church’s
goal. Furthermore, it was decided that the church needs to
share its fellowship with all, uniting congregants with a
clear theology, sense of worship and understandable language
and liturgy.
• The Church and the Churches: In order
to keep the church united, delegates were called to be
Christians first and affiliate with a denomination next.
Another proposed method of church unity was to create links
between congregations with pulpit exchanges. Further
discussion revealed the church’s desire to be a witness in
urban areas through the Urban Africa Programme. The church
also saw the need to reach out with service to those living in
rural areas.
• Christian Concern for the Family: The
delegates discussed the fact that the family unit is fluid in
some cultures, transcending parent-child relationships to
involve a larger community. Mutuality and respect was called
for between marriage partners, and women were encouraged to
become more active in both church and society. Controversial
subjects such as birth control were debated. It was proposed
that churches should not withhold communion from those
practicing polygamy, and in conclusion the importance of
sexual and homemaking education for boys and girls was
emphasized. Committees were developed to discuss family issues
at greater length in the future.
• The Christian and
the Community: African society has experienced many
challenges, from slavery in the past to the sometimes
difficult migration of people from urban to rural areas in the
1960s. Churches were called to minister to those in both rural
and urban areas, bringing better education to less populated
areas and getting involved with youth in urban centers.
• Economic Development and Christian Responsibility:
Kampala heard many voices advocating for political change.
Some called for a radical “witness of revolution” (Drumbeats,
p.54), while others worried that such strong nationalism could
lead the Christian focus away from God and instead bring glory
to human beings. While the method of political and economic
change was debated, the Assembly was in favor of action; this
discussion paved the way for future AACC prophetic ministry.
• Towards a Theology of Nationalism: The delegates
defined several kinds of nationalism, ranging from the desire
to create stronger national cohesion all the way to
totalitarianism. The assembly warned against indiscriminate
use of violence, while acknowledging that single-party
politics sometimes turns into a dictatorship. Above all, the
assembly declared the importance of the church’s role as a
witness to reconciliation, love, peace, justice and as a voice
against corruption.
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