Degree of Baccalaureate in Theology

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    Evangelization Among the Poor Poverty: A Challenge to The Mission of The Church In Kenya (Makina Makongeni Sub-Parish)
    (Tangaza University College, 2004) Byaruhanga, Augustus
    My objective in writing this long essay is to explore the theological basis for the Church's involvement in evangelizing the poor. This has to be done following Jesus' example during his public ministry on earth. Jesus identified himself with the needy and the poor "as long as you did it to one of these little ones, you did it to me (Mt 25:40)" Jesus acted in solidarity with the poor during his entire earthly ministry. Having done pastoral work among the people of Makina Makongeni Sub-Parish for the last three years, I have come to realize that: 1-The poor need people of faith to teach them the Good News of Jesus Christ, who is the liberator, consoler, comforter and source of love. 2-For the poor to come out of their material, political and economical poverty, they need people to address the oppression and injustice they are facing. 3-The poor remind us of the role they play in God's plan and in the kingdom. The mission of the Church is no other than the mission of Jesus who was sent into the world by the Father and who sent the Holy Spirit to continue and complete his saving work. "The Church on earth is by its very nature a missionary since, according to the plan of the Father; it has its origin in the mission of the Son and the Holy Spirit". The proclamation of the Good News to those who do not know Jesus is in fact the grace and vocation of the Church, her deepest identity. The Church is the hope of the poor, the oppressed, homeless, destitute, orphans and widows of this world. Those who are suffering and weeping truly expect words and actions that bring them Good News. Through evangelization, the poor discover the true love of Jesus Christ who came to comfort and console them. Evangelization confronts poverty, injustice, oppression, exploitation and the conditions and social structures that breed these evils. The Church as Christ's body ought to continue this ministry by preaching the Good News to the poor, proclaiming the Gospel that sets the oppressed free and bringing wholeness to the broken hearted. The Church helps the poor to overcome and transcend the fear of death and believe in the life here after.
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    Poverty and Wealth in the Gospel of Luke: A Model and Challenge for the Conventual Franciscan Friars in Kenya Today.
    (Tangaza University College, 2006) Kabata, James
    There has been a lot of striving among the Christians to comprehend the real meaning and value of poverty and wealth. Conventual Franciscans Friars and other consecrated men and women are also struggling to understand the meaning and value of poverty in their lives. We realize that on the one hand, there are several people in our societies who suffer from povertyl while on the other hand there are rich people who are able to sustain themselves and even have more than they need. In the same category of the rich there are consecrated men and women who have professed publicly the vow of poverty as one of the three evangelical counsels. Some of these religious men and women place a lot of value on the vow of poverty although they have most of their basic needs and wants catered for. This research is aimed at helping us realize the meaning and value of poverty and wealth in the context of the paradox that we have cited above. Our main responsibility shall be seeking to comprehend the value of poverty and wealth under the guidance of the Gospel of Luke and the Franciscan tradition. Method, Structure and Content of My Study This essay is divided into three main chapters. In the first chapter we shall give a background of poverty and wealth in the Old Testament. We shall discuss different lines of thought about poverty and wealth and observe how the people of Israel viewed poverty and wealth. We will also explore the Exodus story, which is portrayed as a prototype of God's concern for the poor and then analyze the provision of the law for the poor. We shall wind up the first chapter by evaluating the general understanding of poverty among the prophets. The second chapter will be the main basis for this study. In this chapter we shall discuss poverty and wealth in the Gospel of Luke. We shall commence by presenting the social and economic status of Jesus and his disciples from the infancy narratives. Then we shall discuss his teaching by analyzing various aspects such as his mission statement (Luke 4:18-19) and the sermon on the plain found in Luke 6:20-49. Finally we shall analyze Jesus' attitude towards poverty and wealth and his instructions concerning the dangers of wealth and the right use of possession. With a concrete background of poverty and wealth derived from the Old Testament and an elaborate meaning of poverty and wealth resulting from the Gospel of Luke, we shall be in a position to apply our knowledge to the Conventual Franciscan Friars in chapter three. We shall briefly explain the general meaning of Franciscan poverty and demonstrate how the teaching of Jesus on poverty and wealth is an actual model for the Conventual Franciscans in Kenya and at the same time a genuine challenge for them.