Browsing by Subject "Biblical"

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Begging: A Challenge to the Church in Kenya.
(Tangaza, 2002-02) Oduor, Maurice
Human life is a gift from God, the sole Creator of all that exists (Genesis 1:27- 28). For this reason, it is something precious which has to be handled with great care. Nevertheless, at times this care is so minimal that more often than not, each person is more concerned about his / her own welfare and not of the other. The world is full of Cainine attitude. The Lord asked Cain, where is your brother Abel? He answered, I don't know. Am I supposed to take care of my brother? (Genesis, 3: 4-9). Cain knew the injustice he had dealt his brother and was not ready to take responsibility even over his dead body. In the world today, it is a matter of survival for the fittest. News of war and refugees seeking for a place to settle occupy a considerable space in the daily newspapers. For instance, the Afghans fleeing their country in fear of the United States of America attacks, the killing of Israel tourism minister Reharam Zeevi followed by Israel threats to Palestine that Arafat must hand over the assassins or face harsh retribution. Kenya, for example, hosts thousands of ref-Lines from various countries such as Rwanda, Burundi and Somali. Situations of war lead people to become destitutes while others, even though not real destitutes still want everyone to know that they have problems hence in need of help. One of the Little Sisters of St. Francis dealing with refugees had this to say, When people are displaced by war, they become desperate psychologically so much that even those that are able to do some work simply sit to be dished with money, food and clothing freely. According to them people should help them and so they keep knocking at the office for assistance'. Begging can be an attitude in a person. All in all, whether people beg out of the desire to acquire more, or out of real need for basic provisions, the truth of the matter is that, begging is a reality today particularly in the third world countries. This becomes a big challenge to the Church whose mission is that of Jesus as He described it, The Spirit of the Lord is in me. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed and announce that the time has come when the Lord will save His people (Luke 4: 18-19) The Church exists so as to continue the mission of Christ and therefore faces the challenge of finding ways and means of bringing hope to the hopeless, particularly to beggars scattered all over the world.
Biblical Foundation of Jesus' Priesthood Vis-A-Vis Inculturation Of Ministerial Priesthood In The Democratic Republic Of Congo.
(Tangaza University College, 2000-02) Shabani, Edmond
We are presently experiencing a religious crisis where priesthood seems to be rejected by the challengers of the priests of the Catholic Church. The Church meets serious objections and challenges in this area. The objections are caused by a secularized mentality. Some people think that to talk of priesthood today is meaningless; and others claim that the Church has no right to insist on it because its founder was not, according to them, a priest. If we go back to the ancient Jewish religion, the ministers were called "priests". Today, in our century there are many religions and sects, whose number grows every year in the world, but only few of these religions and sects use the term "Priest". Some religions and some sects use the term "Pastor ", others" Mtumishi " ( Kiswahili word meaning" Servant" ), some use" Apostle ", others " Shepherd ", " Evangelist "and some others use similar words to these. Only a few religions use the term" Priest ". One could ask him/herself: what is the meaning of" priest", why do many religions avoid the use of this term, what is its foundation, is this term understood by people or does it have a negative background? How can our priesthood be justified today? This work will have four chapters which are connected to one another. The first Chapter aims at discovering the history of priesthood and its divine institution in the Old Testament. The aim of the second chapter is to examine the priesthood in Jesus' time and its relationship with him. And we will see the judgement of Christ on the priests of his time and his correcting behavior toward them. The third chapter is to analyze the priestly function of Jesus. The priesthood of Christ remains a very complex mystery: we can not exhaust all its aspects, because we have also to leave space for faith. If we want to talk of this mystery at the present moment, it is to enlighten the greatness and the seriousness of the Christian priesthood as it is exercised by our priests, because to deny Christ' priesthood, is to cut the root of the ministerial priesthood of the Church. To reject the ministerial priesthood of the Church is to ignore its initiator, Jesus Christ, the Eternal Priest. The fourth chapter about inculturation will tell us how every culture exercises the ministerial priesthood according to its genius without neglecting the place of Jesus the founder of the true priesthood and of all cultures. The final point is to show that inculturation should go beyond its own external or ritual form. At the end of our work, we don't claim to have said everything, or to have said exactly what we intended to say. We are aware of our limits in this matter, trusting that the Lord himself will add to our contribution the necessary elements which are missing, and doing all this for his own glory.
Biblical Foundations of Monastic Life In Early Abyssinia
(Tangaza, 2002-02) Wold, Estifanos Helafu
This essay will reflect about monasticism in Eritrea and Ethiopia and their evangelisation since they have the same Christian history. In it, I will show how the people of these two countries were attracted to monasticism in early ages through the mediation of the word of God and how they have shared their faith with others. In presenting this, for convenience sake, I will use the common name 'Abyssinia' in the details of the research instead of repeating the names of these two countries again and again. This essay is made up of three chapters and its objectives mainly are; a) to show that the monastic vocation was a particular way of responding to God's call to ascetic life as well as to evangelisation; b) to present the deeper values, risks and challenges of being monk; c) to show the role Abyssinian monks played in implanting inculturated Christian faith, in translating scripture into local languages, indigenisation of the liturgy, their active role of educating and through the witness of their lives; and d) to critically analyse both positive and negative aspects of monastic evangelisation and suggest areas that could be adapted and improved. In the first chapter of this essay we shall see the active work of the word of God in the lives of his own people and the way he called them to monastic vocations abundantly. In the second part of the first chapter, I will focus on how the Abyssinian monks have evangelised Abyssinia untiringly. I will also clarify plainly their goal, purpose, failures and achievements in the course of evangelisation. In this chapter, I will use many quotations from the scripture which were indicated repeatedly in many books written regarding Abyssinian monks as the main means of inspiration for their monasticism. Then in the second chapter, I will give the modern exegesis of these selected quotations by modem scholars. In the last chapter, I will compare the daily early Christian life of Abyssinian monks and their interpretation of scriptures and today's modem exegetes. Then I will conclude my research with application and guidelines for adaptation and reformation of these monks.
Empowering Women for Better Maternal And Child Health in Arid Areas - Kenya
(Tangaza University College., 2002-03) Mwaura, Magdalene W.
This study is a concern on high maternal and child morbidity and mortality, in the nomadic communities. It seeks to establish the major factors contributing to this problem. The study also seeks to acknowledge efforts that have been made to remedy this problem. It has been carried out in Rumuruti Division of Laikipia District - Kenya. The research tools used were oral interviews, questionnaires and participatory observations. The study has followed the Social Ministry methodology of SEE, JUDGE and ACT. It has been found out that the Catholic Church, through Food Assisted Child Survival Project, has been addressing the issue through relief food, micronutrients and health educating women. The research showed that maternal and child morbidity and mortality in Rumuruti is caused by poverty, illiteracy, non-availability of health facilities, and some cultural practices that are health hazardous. In order to remedy this problem therefore, women have to be empowered with financial ability, and both formal and non-formal education. The society also need to be enlightened on how some traditional practices like wife sharing, wife beating, and Female Genital Mutilation increases maternal and child's ill health. This study is divided into six chapters. Chapter one gives a general overview of maternal and child morbidity and mortality in the world, especially in Third World Countries like Kenya. Chapter two is the literature review. Chapter three discusses the methodology used in the research. Chapter four gives the data analysis and research findings. Chapter five is the theological reflection. Chapter six is a proposal of one way that the problem could be addressed, that is by empowering women, who are the key players in this issue. In order to remedy the problem, the Church, the government and the Non-Govemmental-Organisations have to work hand in hand.
Interface between African’s Concept of Death and Afterlife and the Biblical Tradition and Christianity
(Tangaza University College, 2016-05) Mwania, Patrick
From whatever perspective one approaches it, death is a mysterious reality that is certain in human existence, though humans battle with its unpredictability and inevitability. This unpredictability and inevitability of death fascinate and frighten the broad range of humanity. There is an ingrained denial of the gruesomeness and finality of death. Despite its ambiguity, it is a phenomenon, conceived differently depending on cultural, ideological, or idiosyncratic orientation. In the medical world, death is defined as a cessation of breath and heartbeat whereas as a philosophical reality, death is seen as the cessation of the integrated functioning of the human organism. In short, death from whatever perspective is hard and challenging project. This study is an attempt to understand death and afterlife according to the African traditional world view and how it relates to the Biblical and Christian traditions