By KT Reporter
The Reformed Anglican Church, a denomination that emphasizes Protestant Reformation principles within the Anglican tradition, is set to inaugurate a new Acholi Diocese in Lamwo District, a key step in its expansion across northern Uganda.
The announcement was made by the Archbishop and Primate of the Reformed Anglican Church, Most Rev. Prof. Jonathan Kyangasha, who noted that the launch, to be held on Saturday, will include the ordination of clergy and the installation of a Vicar General to administer the proposed diocese.
Speaking during a press conference in Kitgum Municipality on Friday, Archbishop Kyangasha, who previously served in the Church of Uganda as a lay reader, archdeacon, and theological lecturer, said the Reformed Anglican Church seeks to restore Christianity to its foundational principles as articulated during the Reformation.
He criticised the growing commercialisation of sacred practices in some churches, arguing that such practices distort the Gospel message.
“We have church leaders who don’t even give in church. You cannot demand from people what you yourself don’t practice. Leaders must be examples in giving, tithing, and thanksgiving,” he said.
Kyangasha added that imposing extra conditions on believers before receiving sacraments such as Holy Communion goes against Scripture, yet those with financial means are sometimes allowed to bypass these requirements.
“Those who bring in good money, even when they are thieves or witches, are allowed to partake in Holy Communion, even when they have not undergone these unbiblical church operations,” he said.
The archbishop reaffirmed that the Reformed Anglican Church is rooted in the teachings of the Reformation, upholding episcopal leadership, evangelical mission, and sacramental worship, particularly baptism by immersion and open access to Holy Communion for all baptised believers.
He said the Church was established in response to what he described as doctrinal and theological deviations within the traditional Anglican structures, noting that the new denomination seeks “a return to the roots of Scripture and the original teachings of Christ.”
Archbishop Kyangasha also emphasised the Church’s commitment to national development, saying it is working closely with the Government of Uganda to promote socio-economic transformation through agriculture and youth empowerment.
“If you want the Church to have money, you first support its members, educate them and involve them in the government’s socio-economic transformation programmes,” he said.
The Church is already providing coffee seedlings to congregants and encouraging communities to adopt President Yoweri Museveni’s four-acre model as a pathway to household income growth.
The Vicar General of the proposed Acholi Diocese, Rev. Charles Abwola, said the Reformed Anglican Church officially began operations in Lamwo District on December 1, 2023, and currently has about 100 members, mainly youth, children, and women. He described the new diocese as an opportunity to establish a strong and vibrant foundation for ministry, thanks to the prevailing peace and the receptiveness of local communities.
Rev. Abwola said the Church will intensify evangelism and mission outreach, noting that many people are drawn by prayer, counselling, and testimonies of healing. He added that the Church is encouraging youth to engage in commercial agriculture and other productive ventures, though limited resources mean growth will be gradual.
Once commissioned, the Acholi Diocese will join the Church’s expanding network, which already includes dioceses in Upper West Nile, Upper Nile (Kumi), Kampala, and Rwenzori, with additional proposed dioceses in Kigezi, Ankole, and now Acholi.
The commissioning will include the ordination of two deacons and the formal incorporation (incardination) of two senior priests who have requested to join the Church. Where a diocese has no bishop, a vicar general serves in the interim until a bishop is consecrated.
Although globally the Reformed Anglican Church traces its origins to 1789, Archbishop Kyangasha said the denomination was officially registered in Uganda in 2020. Its roots in the country now extend through regions including West Nile, Busoga, and Teso, where it is known as the Upper Nile Diocese.
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