page_title: Kimbanguism
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Kimbanguism / History
caption_attribution_description: Français&#160;: Joseph Diangienda
context_page_description: Kimbanguism is an African religion practiced by the Church of Jesus Christ on Earth through his prophet Simon Kimbangu. It has roots in Christianity and has its headquarters in N'kamba in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
context_section_description: In April 1921, during the Belgian colonization in Congo, Simon Kimbangu started preaching to people and using the powers that he believed he had received from God in visions to heal people. During his ministry, he attracted a large group of people. Under pressure from the Catholic Church, who was afraid of the popularity of the movement, the Belgian authorities tried to arrest Kimbangu on June 09, 1921. They failed in arresting him, and Kimbangu escaped. He continued his ministry in secret before turning himself in on September 12, 1921. He was sentenced to death, but the sentence was changed to life imprisonment. He died in prison in 1951.
  During Kimbangu’s imprisonment, Kimbanguism was prohibited, but the followers continued to practice it. It grew through the leadership of Kimbangu’s wife, Muile Marie, and his son, Joseph Diangenda. After Kimbangu’s death, the movement was recognized as a religion by the Belgian authorities in 1959  and became a member of the World Council of Churches in 1969. The church was led by Kimbangu’s youngest son, Joseph Diangenda Kuntima, until his death in 2001. Since 2001, Kimbangu’s grandson, Simon Kimbangu Kiangani, has become the spiritual leader.
caption: Joseph Diangenda
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