Religion
Religion in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Christianity is the majority religion in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, followed by about 95% of the population. Animism accounts for about 1%.
Of a population of 75 million, there are about 35 million Catholics in the country, representing nearly half of the total population There are six archdioceses and 41 dioceses. The impact of the Roman Catholic Church in the Democratic Republic of Congo is difficult to overestimate. Schatzberg has called it the country’s “only truly national institution apart from the state.” Its schools have educated over 60% of the nation’s primary school students and more than 40% of its secondary students. The church owns and manages an extensive network of hospitals, schools, and clinics, as well as many diocesan economic enterprises, including farms, ranches, stores, and artisans’ shops.
Kimbanguism was seen as a threat to the colonial regime and was banned by the Belgians. Kimbanguism, officially “the church of Christ on Earth by the prophet Simon Kimbangu”, now has about three million members, primarily among the Bakongo of Bas-Congo and Kinshasa.
Sixty-two of the Protestant denominations in the country are federated under the umbrella of the Church of Christ in Congo or CCC (in French, Église du Christ au Congo or ECC). It is often simply referred to as ‘The Protestant Church’, since it covers most of the 35% of the population who are Protestants.
According to the CIA world factbook, Muslims make up 10% of the population. According to Pew Forum, a part of US nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation, Islam is the faith of 1.5% of the population. Islam was introduced and mainly spread by Arab traders/merchants.
The first members of the Baha’i Faith to live in the country came from Uganda in 1953. Four years later the first local administrative council was elected. In 1970 the National Spiritual Assembly (national administrative council) was first elected. Though the religion was banned in the 1970s and 1980s, due to misrepresentations of foreign governments, the ban was lifted by the end of the 1980s. In 2012 plans were announced to build a national Baha’i House of Worship in the country.
Traditional religions embody such concepts as monotheism, animism, vitalism, spirit and ancestor worship, witchcraft, and sorcery and vary widely among ethnic groups. The syncretic sects often merge elements of Christianity with traditional beliefs and rituals and are not recognized by mainstream churches as part of Christianity. Under the weight of poverty, new variants of ancient beliefs have become widespread, lead by US inspired Pentecostal churches which have been in the forefront of witchcraft accusations particularly against children and the elderly[clarification needed]. Children accused of witchcraft are sent away from homes and family, often to live on the street. The usual term for these children is enfants sorciers (child witches) or enfants dits sorciers (children accused of witchcraft) and can lead to physical violence against these children[clarification needed]. Non-denominational church organizations have been formed to capitalize on this belief by charging exorbitant fees for exorcisms. Though recently outlawed, children have been subjected to often-violent abuse at the hands of self-proclaimed prophets and priests.