Degree of Baccalaureate in Theology

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ACRITICAL ANALYSIS OF KARL POPPERS THEORY OF POLITICS TO THE UGANDAN POLITICS.
(Tangaza University College, 2023-01-11) BIRUNGI., Thomas
Politics is a series of actions that involve deliberation within a group or other types of interpersonal power dynamics, such as the allocation of resources or status. The goal of this essay is to clearly state the various factors that come into play when interpreting political dynamics including power and resources. I'll consider it in light of modern philosopher Karl Popper. The study will also examine democracy and how it is now performed in both Uganda and the rest of the globe. We will learn why people are deceived or poorly governed rather than having a proper government that is at their service, particularly in Uganda. The primary goal of this essay is to examine Karl Popper's views on politics, democracy, and how they affect individuals today in the creation of effective governments. I'll also check out what other philosophers have to say about democracy and politics. Examining present political practices in Uganda such as detention facilities, “closed political centers,” state-sanctioned illegal push-backs of political parties, etc. reveals the aggravation. Politicians are not limited to serving in national government; they can also serve as heads of their own families, provided they are not subject to outside authority. This implies that being a politician is possible even if you disagree with other politicians. Socrates became a politician to the point of being accused because he had a different mentality or notion about the nature of truth than the judges in his court. In summary, we will wrap up this thesis's discussion by offering solutions on how to stop Uganda's bad governance and political unrest.
Acts of Compassion In The Synoptic Gospels
(Tangaza College, 2009) Mutuku, Dominic, Wambua
The work at hand is an exposition of the acts of compassion in the synoptic gospels, most of which are associated with Jesus himself, whereby he is moved with compassion for people in different kinds of needs. Mostly, Jesus was moved with compassion to heal. He was also moved with compassion for the crowds. There are also other acts of compassion in the synoptic gospels that are not directly connected with Jesus. Such acts are found in some parables. Part of this introduction will list the occurrences of compassion in the synoptic gospels, besides looking at the meaning of the word "compassion" as it appears in the synoptics.
African Traditional Healing
(Tangaza University College, 2011) Yaw, Adu Samuel
The Akan community of the Southern Ghana is very traditional in nature. For several years, the lifestyle, thinking pattern, worldview, and cultural practices of the people has not changed much in spite of formal education and western influence. Although a lot has changed over the years as viewed from the periphery, the typical Akan knows that people still maintain their traditions and observe their customs. This research is something we have longed to do over the years. In the culture in which we grew up it was common that some Christians consulted one traditional healer, witch doctor, diviner, etc. during difficult times such as sickness, calamities, etc. It is also out of observation during my pastoral year experience in Ghana in 2008,2009. In our pastoral work, we visited the sick people at their homes, gave them Holy Communion and shared the word of God with them. My observation during that period was that some would visit one traditional healer or the other from time to time. As an African Christian, we would like to research in this area so as to understand this phenomenon to equip me in my future ministiy as a priest.
African Traditional Healing: A Challenge To Pastoral Care of The Sick in Ghana
(Tangaza University College, 2011) Yaw, Adu Samuel
The Akan community of the Southern Ghana is very traditional in nature. For several years, the lifestyle, thinking pattern, worldview, and cultural practices of the people has not changed much in spite of formal education and western influence. Although a lot has changed over the years as viewed from the periphery, the typical Akan knows that people still maintain their traditions and observe their customs. This research is something we have longed to do over the years. In the culture in which we grew up it was common that some Christians consulted one traditional healer, witch doctor, diviner, etc. during difficult times such as sickness, calamities, etc. It is also out of observation during my pastoral year experience in Ghana in 2008,2009. In our pastoral work, we visited the sick people at their homes, gave them Holy Communion and shared the word of God with them. My observation during that period was that some would visit one traditional healer or the other from time to time. As an African Christian, we would like to research in this area so as to understand this phenomenon to equip me in my future ministiy as a priest.
African Traditional Healing: A Challenge To Pastoral Care of the Sick in Ghana
(2011) Adu Yaw, Samuel
The Akan community of the Southern Ghana is very traditional in nature. For several years, the lifestyle, thinking pattern, worldview, and cultural practices of the people has not changed much in spite of formal education and western influence. Although a lot has changed over the years as viewed from the periphery, the typical Akan knows that people still maintain their traditions and observe their customs. This research is something we have longed to do over the years. In the culture in which we grew up it was common that some Christians consulted one traditional healer, witch doctor, diviner, etc. during difficult times such as sickness, calamities, etc. It is also out of observation during my pastoral year experience in Ghana in 2008,2009. In our pastoral work, we visited the sick people at their homes, gave them Holy Communion and shared the word of God with them. My observation during that period was that some would visit one traditional healer or the other from time to time. As an African Christian, we would like to research in this area so as to understand this phenomenon to equip me in my future ministiy as a priest.
THE AFRICAN UNDERSTANDING OF MORALITY IN RELATION TO KANT’S GOLDEN RULE PRINCIPLE
(Tangaza University College, 2022-11-27) MUKALAZI, DANCAN OCHIENG’
Aristotle’s notion of governance as a reflection of leadership in our today’s Kenyan society
(2022-11-10) OBURE, OKARI STEPHEN
In any given society it needs development in its current level to another for the better promotions of its people and fulfills their potentialities. This is enhancing into practice when the leaders of that society are fully committed to fulfill their work in order to attain that development. A leader has to take the mandate of ruling people in a proper way which is accountable and acceptable by all in agreement on what to be imprimented and actualized in time for the sake of development. For the society to develop and prosper well it needs the power of sovereign and the power of authority. These two are the major determinant on how the society should be and how it should enhance its practices to all individuals. According to Aristotle man is a political animal on what he wills and demands for he encounter of live and the people he is with. In his arguments we gate that we are obliged to have a vision on how to rule our appetites of power in order to attain our virtues living in this society. We are delegated to follow what we are directed to either by our wills or by our ruling authority in where we are enduring our daily activities. For the society to prosper it needs a clear and determined mind set from the leader to the serves of that society to attain that mind set in order to govern and lead the society into a better and adorable existence. We need each other in one way all the other, no man can survive alone without the dependence of the environment he is and the governance he is exposed to. If the governance is clear and focused on what is essential to all individual who are in that error, they are opted to fulfill them in a melodious way for all the success of his people. In the society we are today, most of the influences we have are from the prominent individuals who are powerful and dependent of what to take and to live on. For us to attain a successful and prospering society we need to be ready in enduring all the sacrifices for the determent of the society we are and for the coming generation.
BEING AS THE SOURCE OF ALL IDEAS ACCORDING TO ANTONIO ROSMINI
(Tangaza University College, 2022-11-11) BUKWIMBA, BONIPHACE JOHN
This long essay is about the role played by Rosmini’s idea of being as the source of all ideas. It will concentrate on how we derive several other concepts from the concept of being. Rosmini, a rationalist, will aid us in comprehending the notion of being the entrance to all concepts. The concept of being can be referred to as "truth" when it is seen as the representative of things insofar as they are known. In addition, this concept of being is known in ethics as the fundamental moral law and the basis for all moral judgments. This long essay is presented in four chapters, namely thesis design, the origin and nature of the idea of being, idea of being in relation to other ideas, and the possible application. Furthermore, each chapter has both an introduction and conclusion, also this paper contains a general conclusion, footnotes and sources of the material used. Chapter one talks about thesis design. In this chapter we shall introduce the work generally starting from the background, statement of the problem, research objectives, research questions, significance of the study, literature review, research methodology, theoretical framework, research findings and conclusion. The second chapter introduces us the philosophical meaning of the idea of being according to Rosmini. In this chapter we shall see the very nature and origin of the idea of being, we shall also see the life and works of Antonio Rosmini and the conclusion. The third chapter will discuss how truth, goodness, and justice relate to the concept of being. We shall also see how the concept of being is also called the first moral law in ethics. In the fourth chapter we shall explain the possible applications of the idea of being. In this chapter, we'll explore how the principle by which we know things changes when the concept of being is applied to them. The final chapter will be a summary, in which we shall discuss the significance of the notion of being, or the light of reason, as Rosmini refers to it, as the only means of understanding other notions. In this chapter we shall conclude that it is through the idea of being we know other ideas, that is through understanding the meaning of our existence we can come to the knowledge of other ideas. In summary, this paper is all about understanding the meaning of our existence, that in Rosmini’s understanding the concept of being or the light of reason is given to us at our conception therefore, we cannot think of anything without this idea, and hence reason should be at the center of our life.
Call and Mission of Disciples in Mark 1:16-20 And 6:7-14: Its Relevance to Religious Life
(Tangaza University College, 2006) Otieno, Gilbert
This work intends to explain the understanding of Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark. The term discipleship or following of Christ seems to have a wider meaning in the Gospel of Mark. First, it would mean the life of people who accepted the message of Christ, but remained in the same situation of home and work in which the Gospel found them, even though they were interiorly transformed by it. Secondly, it would refer to stricter following of Christ like the disciples who accompanied Jesus in his missionary travels from Galilee to Jerusalem. In the second meaning, the New Testament clearly gives the names of the four who, according to the synoptic Gospels, were the first to be called. They are, Simon, Andrew, James and John (cf Mk. 1:16-20). Our study would concentrate on this second meaning. In our discussion we shall look at the call of these four basing ourselves on the Gospel of Mark. We shall also look at the sending of the Twelve (Mk. 6:7-13). After a brief study of these passages (Mk 1:16-20 and Mk 6; 7-13), we shall try to look at what the religious can learn from these passages for the positive response to their Divine Call. In doing this however, we are not going to give the history of Religious Life. It is just an invitation to the religious communities to renew themselves in the spirit of the Gospels. It is fitting because today the religious must find a new meaning for their presence in the community of Jesus' disciples by penetrating deeply into the biblical word. This is to enrich the religious in their daily response to the divine call by making them equipped to be interpreters and livers of the Word of God in the ever-changing world. It is my belief that through the authentic interpretation and living of the word, the religious will grow in intimate and close relationship with Jesus, something that gives meaning and life to their call.
Canonical Implication of Contraceptives among Discordant Couples on a Canonical Marriage
(Tangaza College, 2009) Ngowi, Matthew, Ambrose
This essay is situated in an African context particularly in Kibera Slums of Nairobi. Life in the slum is stricken with socio-economic hardships with ever growing poverty, which may accelerate some moral and legal problems like prostitution and drug abuse. In my visit to Kibera slum in the year 2009, I came across one Christian family who wedded in the Church in 2005 (names are reserved). The spouses now have two children whom they are bringing up with tremendous hardships because none of the spouse has a reliable source of income. This couple had promised to be faithful to each other from the very beginning of their marriage. Unfortunately, the husband was found to be HIV positive three years later. He was not ready to disclose to me how he was infected but from his way of living it could suggest some sort of marital unfaithfulness. I was able to arrive at this conclusion because there was a moment when the wife had to go home during her early days of maternity of their second child. She had to go home because the husband could not help her as he was busy engaged in his daily work in a certain factory in Nairobi. During this time, the husband associated himself with some women who happen to be his neighbors. This was known because when the wife returned, she learned of it and forced the husband to go for the HIV test who was then found to be HIV positive.
Catholic Church Facing the Challenge of the African Traditional Religion and the Question of Salvation
(Tangaza University College, 2006-11) Nir Anselme Somda, Beter
We see that many people in our home village and many other places in Africa are very exited to become Catholic Christians. We even sometimes miss teachers to instruct them. For the first year of catechumenate their numbers can reach almost 800 people for the whole parish. After following the required instruction, they receive the sacraments of initiation and become members of the Catholic Church. They confess that Jesus is the Saviour and recite the creed: I believe in the holy, Catholic Church... But we noticed that the same Christians coming to the Church every Sunday, are the very ones going to see diviners, witchdoctors and make sacrifices in order to succeed in their work, or to help their children to pass exams, or to get good health... Facing these facts we ask ourselves for which reason do they go back to their traditional practices though on the day of their baptism they confessed that Jesus is their Saviour and he saved them. This situation led me to start thinking that maybe it is because they do not experience the savific presence of Jesus by belonging to the Church or the Church does not accommodate them, meaning that they do not see the Church as the instrument established by Jesus for the salvation of the world. It looks like people see the Church as a social association or the provider for the poor. If they were totally convinced that the Church is the instrument of salvation, during the time of crises they would have remained in the Church while praying more intensely instead of going back to their former practices. So at the end of my theological studies, I tried to reflect on the main factors which push those converted Christians to go back to their former practices. I • • discovered that though the Church is the instrument of salvation it does not respond filly to the aspirations of the newly convened Christians: for example the element of diviners who can read the future of people, the element of offering sacrifice to obtain favour or the sacredness of the religion. People were trained to believe in what they do not understand. When the traditional doctors speak in words they do not understand they see the mystery and are easily drawn to believe in them. As a first step towards this study I did first a general reading of many books around the topic. I also discussed with some people about the topic. The fruit of that research, study and reflection are expressed in three chapters in this essay. The first Chapter will be the presentation of the notion of salvation and its relationship with the Catholic Church. We shall also talk about the ways through which God offers salvation to people. The second Chapter will look at salvation and the mediation of salvation in the African Traditional Religion. Wc shall also look at the position of the Catholic Church towards the African Traditional Religion. The third Chapter will look at the reason why people do go back to the African Traditional religion, the elements the Church can get from the African Traditional Religion in order to help the newly converted Christians (which aspects of Jesus and of the Church to develop more) and finally I shall give my personal point of view about African Traditional Religion and the Catholic Church. I foresee some limitations for this work. Since I am not an expert in African Traditional Religion, I will not be using a particular African Traditional Religion. Traditional Religion, I will not be using a particular African Traditional Religion. I am using the books in general on African Traditional Religion. The notion of Salvation is not understood totally in the metaphysical sense meaning we are not going to be discussing on sins and the mystical interventions. This work is intended to create an awareness of what is happening. When I will be writing a doctorate dissertation in the future, it will be more expanded and will be more scientifically done.
The Challenge of Poverty for The Church In Kenya: The Case of Kibera
(Tangaza University College, 2004-01) Kisoi, Mutune Benedict
It sounds ridiculous to get a religious man or woman writing an essay condemning poverty or even researching on poverty. This is because as a religious we have a vow of poverty, whereby reacting against it seems a contradiction. Most of my friends who heard about my topic could not believe it. Their questions were. do you want to give us a new insight on how to live our poverty or you want to show the whole world the meaninglessness of this vow? As for me neither of the presumptions was true. By the fact that I have freely chosen to live this evangelical counsel (poverty) does not mean that I cannot talk about the negative impacts it has on others. So my point in this essay is to highlight on how poverty oppresses people and how it challenges evangelization. In the recent years, the increase and effect of poverty has created a lot of anxiety here in Kenya and the whole of Africa. Although quit visible, very little has been done to reduce it. This essay will be divided into four chapters. In the first chapter, I will first deal with various definitions of poverty. Given that poverty is not a new reality in our African continent or to humanity, I will too expose the tradition African view of poverty. Then in the same chapter, we will review various general causes of poverty. Chapter two will mostly be concerned with Kibera. Its location and causes of poverty in this slum will be covered. Chapter three will cover both biblical and Church's teachings on poverty. It would be of no use to talk about poverty without giving some recommendations or suggestions on how to alleviate it. So chapter four will carry with it various recommendations. which are geared towards poverty alleviation. Then I will end up with a general conclusion.
Challenges to the Life of a Christian In the Light Of Jesus' Temptations: Matthew 4:1-11
(Tangaza University College, 2005) Icapango De Almeida, Joaquim
The danger of people falling away from God in our days is as high as it was in the time when Israel was living surrounded by nations who worshiped other gods. The worship of idols as it was done by the Canaanites may no longer be a problem for us today but the replacement of God by our own abilities, strength and different kinds of progress is a big temptation that faces the present humanity. The plan of God for humanity and nature still encounters resistance in many ways. It remains an ideal as far as its realisation and actualization is concerned. Total trust and confidence in God remains a challenge for a society that claims to have moved far away from the primitive and mythological stages of humanity. The temptations of Jesus as narrated in the synoptics have been the topic of many discussions among scholars. Though many things have been said about them few things have been put into writing. This is shown by the small biography that exists about the topic. It is true that scholars, when writing on the synoptics, make some references on the temptations, but it is also true that few scholars have ventured to take the temptations as a topic of biblical research on its own as it is done on other biblical passages. Scholars have interpreted the temptations in different ways. There are those who think that the temptations are mythological descriptions of beliefs that were held by the Jewish communities and therefore they cannot make any sense to us. I 4 2 There are also those who, though they remove the mythological aspect from the temptations, see little value in them concerning their applicability to the Christian life of the present time. They hold that the concepts used in the description of the temptations are no longer relevant to the present times. However, there is a third group of scholars who hold that the temptations are historically true and they have a lot to tell us today. We are going to follow this last position in this work since our goal is to make the contents of the temptations relevant for the Church's daily preaching and catechesis. In order to accomplish our goal, we shall start by clarifying some terms so that we may have a common starting point of understanding of our topic. We shall study the passage selected for our study of the temptations, which in our case is Matthew 4:1-11. After, we shall look at the natural tendencies of the human person in order to find out in which situation the temptations stand concerning the core of human natural orientation. Finally, we shall try to look at the implications of the temptations in the lives of those who have answered the call to follow Jesus. That is, we shall apply the temptations to the life of Christians. The content of the material presented in this work does not intend to exhaust the whole question that can be raised about the temptations but to show in which way the temptations are valid and relevant for Christians and even for humanity in general. The material in this paper is the fruits that result from many hours of hard work, intensive research, personal reflection and prayer. We are going to present our thoughts within the framework of the position held by different scholars though without losing the focus of our own standing. Therefore we defend the originality of the material presented in this work.
The Christian Response to Sickness in The African Context: With Reference to Mbagathi District Hospital
(Tangaza University College, 2004) Omen Va, Gabriel
I belong to the congregation of Camillians and our ministry is to serve the sick wherever they are. We usually do our pastoral work in the hospitals. Mbagathi District Hospital is situated along Mbagathi road, just near the city mortuary in Nairobi (Refer to the Map on Page 78). Most of the sick people there are suffering from highly infectious diseases e.g. tuberculosis, and hepatitis. Most of them are suffering from AIDS. Most of the sick there are very sick. It is very hard to get the relatives of the sick in this hospital visiting them. Some of them have been sick for quite along time. Most of the patients here are from the Nairobi slums as the treatment is a bit cheap and they can afford to pay from their meagre salaries. It is human nature that most of the people don't like to see somebody who is very sick. The hospital doesn't pay salaries which will motivate some Church ministers to go and work there. So most of the work done in Mbagathi is voluntary and without any pay. hence it is absolutely under the personal initiative and self-transcendent love of any good willed church minister. After being posted by my superior to exercise my pastoral ministry there. I have thought how I can use this opportunity to evangelize the sick there and also to empower more members of the community to work there as the patients are progressively increasing. In this hospital we have various categories of patients: there are some who are not evangelized, some who were evangelized but because of their sickness they have lost their hope and trust in God, some have lost their hope in life, some don't want even to hear the Word of God as they blame God for their sickness. My essay contains five chapters. Each chapter has an introduction, sub-topics and conclusion. I will explore my experience with the sick in Mbagathi district hospital. In the first chapter I will examine the uniqueness of each individual, the root causes of sickness. How people experience sickness in blaming others. God, themselves and the environment. The ministry of caring for the sick being one where one feels powerless and helpless. Sickness as a form of suffering. Then I will give the results of some intervieNAs which I carried among the sick people. In the second chapter I will look at the socio-cultural analysis of sickness. In this chapter I will look at the African understanding of sickness, traditional experience of sickness and suffering, sickness as a whole human experience. African understanding of health and disease and the teaching of the Catholic Church. In my essay's third chapter, I will discuss the theological understanding of sickness. In this chapter I will look at human sickness as a mystery. Jesus as a healer par excellence, the biblical both Old and New Testaments' understanding of sickness. In the fourth chapter, I will look at evangelization in the service of the sick. I will examine the hospital chaplaincy as an important means of evangelization. Jesus as our missionary model, accompanying the sick in terminal stages, the Church's mission. the spiritual pain of the sick, the ministry of healing. The prophet-healing African Independent churches, the healing in the ministry of Jesus and the sacraments of healing. In the last chapter, I will discuss the empowerment of the members of the community to offer their service to the sick. En this I will examine the missionary animation, the vow of poverty as a gateway to love the sick and the training of priests. I will terminate my essay with a general conclusion.
Christianity and Islam: A Possible Way Forward in Peaceful Coexistence
(Tangaza College, 2009) Shyjan, Job, C; Shyjan, Job, C
I have chosen the topic of my research as; Christianity and Islam: A Possible way forward in Peaceful Coexistence. The reason for me to choose this topic is connected with the area of my mission. I am a missionary to the Sudan. We have our presence in the North Sudan which is predominantly Muslim. We work and interact with the Muslims on a daily basis. Therefore I thought it would be necessary to know more about Islam and also to identify the possible unifying elements between Christianity and Islam. My intention is to enhance a peaceful interaction and mutual respect in all areas of our lives. I do not intend to convert Muslims into Christians but to find a common platform where we could interact and share our ideas and even share our faith. I am well aware also of the challenges ahead of me in this endeavor.
Christianity and Islam: A Possible Way Forward In Peaceful Coexistence
(Tangaza University College, 2009) Shyjan C., Job
I have chosen the topic of my research as; Christianity and Islam: A Possible way forward in Peaceful Coexistence. The reason for me to choose this topic is connected with the area of my mission. I am a missionary to the Sudan. We have our presence in the North Sudan which is predominantly Muslim. We work and interact with the Muslims on a daily basis. Therefore I thought it would be necessary to know more about Islam and also to identify the possible unifying elements between Christianity and Islam. My intention is to enhance a peaceful interaction and mutual respect in all areas of our lives. I do not intend to convert Muslims into Christians but to find a common platform where we could interact and share our ideas and even share our faith. I am well aware also of the challenges ahead of me in this endeavor.
Church and Communication: The Church's Teaching on Social Communication and its Application in the Congolese Local Churches.
(Tangaza University College, 2005) Nzabara-Ntuma, Paluicu
The Church is all about communication with and of God. Vatican H, in its dogmatic constitution Del Verbum, corroborates this reality and shows that the Church's essence is about communication with God and among her members for "the invisible God, from the fullness of his love, addresses men as his friends, and moves among them, in order to invite and receive them into his own company." It follows that the Church cannot do without communication since she is intimately connected with the mystery of the self-communication of God and the making known of his will. 1. Problematic The Church communicates. She communicates God to her members and at the same time she communicates with God. This communication has not been always easy for the Church. She faces many difficulties: political, social and economic. In other words, conditions of the time influence the way she communicates. 2. Hypothesis In her structure and mission the Church is communication. But sometimes, due to situations of the time she lives in, she fails to effectively communicate. Then, questions are: "How does the Church communicate?" "How does she understand communication?" "What are the problems she meets to not communicate effectively?" This essay tries to discuss these questions to evaluate some of the practical problems the concretisation of the teaching of the Church meets. 3. Structure of the Essay This essay is developed in three Chapters. Chapter one defines and develops the "reality Church" and the "notion communication" and their relationship. It also discusses the Church as essentially communication on the model of the Trinity. Chapter two goes down in history, from Jesus' communication to our days', and discusses the Church's attitude towards mass communication and brings out her present understanding of mass communication as culture creation factor. The third chapter discusses communication as approached by the National Episcopal Conference of Congo. It brings out the historical and political setups and the development of the relationship between the Congolese local Church and mass media. It stresses the fact that the Congolese Church positively uses mass communication for evangelisation. 4. Methodological Remarks and Sources To develop this essay, "Church and communication", I have used different approaches. A systematic approach helps analyze Church, communication and their nature. However, for the great part of the work, I approach the topic from a historical and pastoral/practical point of view. The main sources of my reflections are essentially the Church's documents on social communication. However, as they are many and treat various topics, I drew a lot from those concerned with the Church's attitude towards mass communication. This does not mean that I overlooked others, rather used available Church document on social communication providing doctrinal, historical and pastoral/practical elements to substantiate my reflections. In order to ensure objectivity to evaluate the application of the Church' s teaching in the Democratic Republic of Congo, I used some publications of the National Episcopal Conference of Congo of many relevant data and information concerning the topic, at the archive of the CENC.2 5. Limitations Though it was easy for me to get literatures related to the first and second chapters, it has not been easy for me to select data and information I needed from the National Episcopal Conference of Congo. This was so because of abundance of sources that were not necessarily helpful in my research. It took me more than two weeks, working day after the other, to get what was helpftil. Moreover, it was not possible for me to reach every and each individual diocese in order to get all information about what has been done or being done as far as communication is concerned. Thus, as a synthesis of theological and communicational reflections, this essay does not exhaust whatever could be said as regard to the theme. The empirical field research of the impact and extended application in the local Churches is still to be done.
Church – State Relations in Uganda with Special Reference to Administration of Church-Founded Schools and Hospitals
(Tangaza University College, 2015) Mutebi, Vincent
For any pastoral agent in a foreign country one of the salient issues of concern would be the person’s relationship with the civil authorities and the impact and implications of his or her work in the society. The motivation for this essay arises from two years of pastoral experience in Ethiopia (2009 -2011), from which the writer was captivated by the church-state relations in this country to reflect back on the situation and legal status of the Catholic Church in his home country Uganda. It is interesting to note that in Ethiopia up to the time of this writing, all the required documents such as identity cards and working permits for all foreigners in pastoral activities of the Catholic Church are processed through the ECS. This is the Ethiopian Catholic Secretariat, a body that deals with all matters pertaining to the Catholic Church in partnership with respective state offices. A lot of advantages accrue to such a procedure. First among others is the securing of legal documents and acquisition of necessary facilities for apostolate and humanitarian support projects. Second is the exemption from taxes for the use of these facilities so long as they are not for profit. These include both movable assets like vehicles for transport facilitation, and immovable assets especially land for residence and projects such as schools and hospitals. Unfortunately, at all levels; social, political and economic, the Catholic Church is taken as a Non- Governmental Organisation (NGO). In the local language of the Borana People it is Dirigitti, which means Association, Company or Organisation. This has a lot of impact on religious missionary presence and work in Ethiopia today. For instance, many of the schools founded and run by the Holy Ghost Fathers (Spiritans) could not get any assistance from the government in terms of food and scholarly material such as books, simply because they belong to an organization, which is the Catholic Church in this respect. Relating the above scenario with studies in Church History and the Social teaching of the Church, one can easily establish a chain and flow, a trend of interaction and relation between Church and State. These have at times been close allies in cooperation for the common good and yet at other times so antagonistic. Behind all is a claim for both temporal and spiritual power on the side of Church which civil rulers have accepted or rejected depending on how it suits their political interests at a given time. This will be further elaborated in the first chapter of this essay.
The Church's Response to People Living With Hiv/Aids in Kenya as a New Phenomenon of Biblical "Leprosy
(Tangaza College, 2011) Ziem, Albert Antuo
In some books of the Bible terms such as leprosy and leper are used in the text of the book. This is evident in both the Old Testament and the New Testament but then they are used extensively especially in the Old Testament with specific reference to the book of Leviticus. Lepers in the Bible are among the many sick people mentioned in the Bible but what is unique about this group of sick people is the attitude of the faith community towards these lepers. In the Bible lepers are often treated as social outcasts in the community because of the prejudice attached to their condition of infirmity. Regardless of the exact symptoms, and diagnosis of these various ailments, becoming "unclean" is the primary concern that all biblical sufferers of leprosy share.' The common prejudice associated with this ailment was that it renders the person unclean and this deprives the individual of an authentic human relationship with the rest of the community.
The Church's Response to People Living With Hiv/Aids in Kenya As A New Phenomenon of Biblical "Leprosy
(Tangaza University College, 2011) Antuo, Ziem Albert
In some books of the Bible terms such as leprosy and leper are used in the text of the book. This is evident in both the Old Testament and the New Testament but then they are used extensively especially in the Old Testament with specific reference to the book of Leviticus. Lepers in the Bible are among the many sick people mentioned in the Bible but what is unique about this group of sick people is the attitude of the faith community towards these lepers. In the Bible lepers are often treated as social outcasts in the community because of the prejudice attached to their condition of infirmity. Regardless of the exact symptoms, and diagnosis of these various ailments, becoming "unclean" is the primary concern that all biblical sufferers of leprosy share.' The common prejudice associated with this ailment was that it renders the person unclean and this deprives the individual of an authentic human relationship with the rest of the community. Leprosy in the Bible was a disease for which there was then no cure but sometimes some people did recover from this disease.2 It was a disease which caused fear and revulsion among the people.3 Leprosy was not always seen as punishment, and lepers were not necessarily sinful people but before Jesus there was no suggestion that lepers should be cared for.4 Instead, because they were considered a danger to the community, they were banished until a priest certified that they were cured of the leprous condition (cf. Lev 13:9f0.5 Lepers could not mix with other members of society since this would result in pollution as this was the common conception. Lepers suffered exclusion with all its effects. In our time the prejudice against lepers may no longer prevail as it was during the biblical period. The attitudes toward lepers might have changed in our world today and the leprosy of our time is curable. By using the term leprosy our time I do not mean to say that it is the same as the "leprosy" of biblical period but we cannot also rule out the possibility that it was prevalent at that time. In today's world there exists another form of "leprosy" which threatens the lives of many people. It is feared by many, no cure has been discovered for it yet, and its victims are to a large extent treated as social outcast. Many are prejudiced about them and will not like to associate with them. HIV/AIDS and people living with HIV/AIDS to some extent can be seen as the "leprosy" and lepers of our time respectively. HIV/AIDS is a disease affecting many people in our world today regardless of age, class, religion and even geography. There are many Christians in the Church who are affected and afflicted by HIV/AIDS. Fr. Abraham Hailu a Comboni missionary priest in his article published in the New People magazine challenges us to see people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS as part of the body of Christ undergoing suffering and in need of our attention.6 He calls on all Christians to respond in the spirit of Evangelical charity. A response inspired and motivated by the teachings of Christ in the Gospels.

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