- Angolan pastors broke with the Brazilian-led Universal Church of the Kingdom of God in 2020
- The dissidents claimed control of 220 of about 300 temples in Angola
- They formed the Universal Church of Angola
- The church’s Brazilian leadership said some temples had been invaded by ex-pastors
A group of Angolan pastors broke away from the Brazilian-led Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG) in 2020 and claimed control of most of its buildings in Angola, Global Voices reported on July 28, 2020.
The dissidents said they controlled 220 of the roughly 300 temples in the country. In November 2019 Angolan pastors had signed a manifesto criticising the church’s Brazilian leadership, and in June 2020 they formally separated and set up the Universal Church of Angola. Churches were closed on June 26, 2020, because of security concerns, and founder Edir Macedo addressed the situation by livestream the next day.
The Angolan pastors accused the Brazilian leadership of racial discrimination and financial misconduct, among other allegations. The church’s official response, reported by BBC Brazil, said “some temples in the country have been invaded by a group of ex-pastors who have broken away from the Church.”
The split turned a leadership conflict into a fight over who owned and controlled hundreds of church buildings.
When a church divides, the most practical question is who keeps the buildings. In Jamaica, the answer usually depends on how the property is held: by local trustees, by a denomination, or by an overseas parent body. Congregations that have paid for their own buildings should know whose name is on the title, and denominations should make trust arrangements clear before any dispute arises.
Follow Jamaica Homes on Youtube @jamaicahomes and Instagram @jamaica_homes and on Facebook @jamaicahomesnews Send us a message or email us at onlinefeedback@jamaica-homes.com or editor@jamaica-homes.com
Visit our YouTube Community ↗