Bachelor of Arts in Theology
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- ItemTHE CONCEPT OF DEATH IN THE BIBLE: FROM SEPARATION TO LIBERATION(Tangaza University College, 2005) MWANZIA, PETERFrom time immemorial, the mystery of death has remained subtle to man. Efforts have been made to understand this reality, but little light shade to the oddity of the mystery of death and the dread that accompany it. Struck by the same curiosity and lack of satisfactory answers about the mystery I thought of embarking on trying to grasp the concept of death in the Bible, as it is a reliable source of Christian faith. The research the first Chapter starts with the curiosity to understand the concept of death in the Old Testament. Before I enter in to the core of the study I will first research on the concept of death in the Ancient Near Eastern cultures, for these cultures had much influence on the understanding of the concept of death in the Old Testament. As it will be seen, death in these cultures is something to be feared, that which alienates one from the joy of living. In these cultures still man is to blame for the fate that begot humanity of lacking immortality. In the second and third parts of the chapter we shall focus on the Old Testament understanding of the concept of death. We shall see why death is said to be separation from God and from his people. We shall see the origin of death as effect of sin. Elaborate study will be given also to sanctions against dead and the historical development of the concept of death from creation to the inter-testamental period. In all these we shall see how death is understood as that which separates or rather divides people. Chapter two will give a substantial change of the concept of death from the idea of separation to means of liberation. We shall see how the understanding of death is spinned around the victorious death of Christ Jesus. Jesus transformative action of the vi concept of death will be dealt in length. We shall see the mysterious liberation concept of death which seen contradictory to Old Testament. In the third chapter we shall endeavor to present how we are to understand death today. We shall see how we are to conceive of death in a positive and more spiritual way and how we can apply the concept of death in our lives. Generally the research will be answering whether concept of death today is still the same as it was? Is death still the punishment for sin; is it still separation or means to liberation (way to eternity?
- ItemLACK OF REAL COMMUNICATION AS SOURCE OF CONFLICT BETWEEN EWE TWINS'RITES OF TOGO AND CHRISTIANITY(Tangaza University College, 2005) MESSIGAN, COSMAS ATSOUhere is an Ewe proverb saying: "Agobaya mefoanu dzro o, dzogbeyae doa nufo na ago" meaning that the fan-palm or `borassus flabellifer' does not make noise alone in the desert, if not because of the disturbance of the wind. In other words, there is no effect without cause. The encounter of the gospel with the tradition is never a simple fact: it often brings conflict. This is the case of Christianity and the Ewe twin's rites in Togo. Since the introduction of the gospel by the missionaries in Togo, there was a kind of division in twins' families due to the refusal of the tradition (rituals) vis-a-vis Christianity. Some researches relate that there was no proper dialogue between the first Missionaries and the participants of twins' rites converted into the Church. This lack of dialogue or communication became source of conflicts between African tradition and Christianity.
- ItemJOB AND THE INNOCENT I CONFRONTING GOD IN HUMAN SUFFERING(Tangaza University College, 2005) OBIERO, NICHOLAS 0. C.P.Human existence as we know, is limited, fragile and is full of dissatisfaction. It is as insubstantial as the bloom of a flower that blossoms in the morning and withers at evening, or again it is like a shadow, or a moth-eaten garment. Human desire is to live forever but the fact of life is that we have to experience pain, suffering and lastly death. Thus, the reality of human history is that we have to survive so much pain and disappointment. When we are faced with the reality of death, and when we see innocent people undergoing pain, suffering and death, we are forced to ask, "Why do the innocent suffer?' We can glibly say that God is good, God is merciful, that he is kind and faithful. But a great many people on earth can say, "I don't have any evidence for that. Maybe you do, but I don't." If we were to be honest with ourselves maybe many of us would admit that we do not have a lot of conviction about God's goodness either. If we do have a lot of conviction about God's goodness then, why bad things happen to good and innocent people will still remain a universal dilemma that forever we will be forced to confront. Our struggle here on earth is always to reconcile a good God with a seemingly evil world. In most cases, we are forced to ask, "What is the meaning of human suffering? What role does God play in life as humans experience suffering? These are some of the questions, which human beings have asked throughout history and we as well continue to ask the same questions. In ancient Israel, the tightly constructed world-view was incapable of offering a satisfying explanation to the problems of human pain, suffering and death. For human pain, suffering and death were more often than not attributed to human sinfulness. The dilemma which was left in struggling with these problems of human pain, suffering and death threatened the entire structure of order of explanation of things and this had to be resolved if the system was to survive. But strictly speaking, these were not only problems in and for Israel. Israel was but one among several ancient peoples who wrestled with these problems. The Book of Job as we will see, is a classic example of a challenge thrown in the face of the claim of an ordered world. Today, there are many innocent people who undergo sufferings, misfortunes and difficulties in their everyday lives. To these, especially to the AIDS orphans and victims, it seems as if the world has turned upside down; are their sufferings symbols and consequences of sin, or a punishment, a scourge from God? What good comes of all these? Does God listen to these cries in their baffling varieties or even see the many who suffer and die everyday? What is evident in the case of Job is the actual human experience that confronts many of us who have to face ill fortunes in our lives. It is the silent and innocent cry of these people, the hatred, anger, fear, terror, turmoil, rage, confusion, death, darkness but also the confidence, longing, trust, rediscovery of God and faith that I intend to research and discuss in my long essay. In so doing, I will carry out my research, discussions and findings through reading and reflections on the Book of Job, through reading relevant books, documents and articles on the Book of Job and on human suffering, through dialogue with those terminally ill, HIV/AIDS patients and HIV/AIDS orphans who are undergoing physical sufferings in their lives and through my own reflections on and experience of human suffering in moments of sickness and loss of loved ones. Thus I will basically apply both historical and descriptive methods in my work. In the first chapter of this essay, I will try to point out the problem the author of the Book of Job is addressing and also to try to describe the context from which the author speaks. I will also try to see who the upright were thought to be in that society, what was the path of the wicked and lastly why was the Book of Job written. The second chapter will try to describe who the man Job is, why and how is Job innocent, what is Job's plight and from where does Job get the strength to continue living? The third chapter will be an attempt to situate Job in our contemporary society, the innocent suffering in our society, what are the attitudes towards the innocent, what are their sufferings and cry, and do we have something to say to the innocent suffering in our society? In the fourth and the last chapter of my essay, I will try to discuss whether there is God's justice and love in human suffering, and whether human pain and suffering can bring one closer to God
- ItemINSURGENCY IN THE NORTHERN UGANDA AND VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS: A CHALLENGE TO MISSION ACTIVITIES. A CASE STUDY OTUKE CAMP.(Tangaza University College, 2005) ISONGA, ALEX S.0, CM.The insurgency in northern Uganda is not exactly what is presented by the media. One has to see what it is on the ground. From what one hears from the media one is made to think that this senseless war is affecting only the Acholi ethnic group. No, it is a problem which has affected many tribes neighbouring the Acholi people, especially the Langi. This paper is intended to bring this fact to the attention of the whole nation of Uganda and the rest of the world. This war has also affected tribes like the Teso, Alur, Lugbara, Madi etc. When they hear about northern Uganda most people think of Gulu (Acholi), but the area comprises Gulu, Pader, Kitgum, Lira, Apach, Ara, Nebi and Adjumani, all of whom this war has affected in one way or the other. During my theological studies in Kenya I used to hear a lot about this insurgency and when I could go home I lived in Jinja and did not have much knowledge of what was really happening in northern Uganda. But last year I heard that 250 innocent people were massacred in the Tarlonyo' protected camp in Lira diocese, northern Uganda and I had a chance to see the bodies of the victims. I was struck beyond words; I was stunned by the kind of life in the camp where I went to visit the 1 Small Christian Community which was created in frute camp in Lira. I was horrified with the terrible poverty, diseases and hunger that people were undergoing. Then I thought it was worthwhile writing a short paper on the violation of human rights caused by the LRA war in northern Uganda. I felt that the government of Uganda could do better than it had already done. In the camps the questions were raised: why all this persecution inflicted on the innocent people; when shall they be free from it? However, the Church in northern Uganda remains a Church of consolation and hope to its people. The Christians in Lira Diocese live a life of sharing and joy in their situation of suffering. And it is their hope that one day they will be free from these persecutions
- ItemINFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND THE MAKING OF AN AFRICAN RELIGIOUS A Case Study of Holy Cross in East Africa(Tangaza University College, 2005) ELIAONA, DAVID C. CSC1. Background of the Study Information Technology has been a talk of the day for as long now as this generation can tell. It may be said to be a 'theory' that affects the world most in the current times. It touches almost all areas of life especially when it comes to its role as a servant to the media industry. But apart from this societal influence, Information Technology has been part and parcel of the growing African Church and specifically in this work, in the formation and the general life of an African religious. Though not so much talked about in these circles, it still has so much influence, some of them being positive and negative. This study aims in going a little deeper than just the formation of an African religious and the use of Information Technology but also further to a religious who is in active ministry to see the effects of the same.