Undergraduate Projects/Long Essays

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Start date: 2000Subject: search.filters.subject.Evangelization

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    Challenges in Evangelization Among the Youth in Embu Diocese
    (Tangaza University College, 2005) Erastus Njagi, Nthiga
    What is known as Embu Diocese presently was a part of Meru diocese. Embu became a diocese only in 1986 under the leadership of Bishop John Njue; The Salesians of Don Bosco Set foot on what would be later called Embu Diocese in 1980 to be a part of great force in evangelization among the youth started by the Consolata Fathers in 1920s.2 My essay is organized in four areas each of which provide a broad view and insights to possible solutions to challenges in evangelization. In Chapter one I will try to bring out the essential elements in evangelization and their implications. The nature of each of the elements will be explained in relation to evangelization. I will attempt to show how these elements could affect evangelization if they are not accorded their due importance. Lastly I will indicate how these elements lie within the plan of God for humanity. In Chapter II, I will expound how young people could fail to acquire the essence of evangelization. In this section under review will be youth and the evangelizer, youth and catechesis, and youth and communication. In Chapter III I will investigate how the nature of the evangelizer is a pastoral challenge while Chapter IV will be my recommendations and lastly conclusion.
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    A Traditional Luo Elder As A Pastoral Minister in Reference to I Timothy 3:1-7 (Impact on Evangelization in Luo land Kisumu)
    (Tangaza University College, 2005) Nicholas, Adongo Olonde
    Over the centuries, the Luos lived together and managed their socio-political and religious affairs internally. They had their elders who were entrusted with different duties and roles. Among the duties, these elders chaired and maintained the traditional worship. The elders became the light to the community whenever darkness fell over the entire community. The common figure, that is, Ker/Ruoth, had the duty to see to it that the community and its activity progressed smoothly. In fact, Ker/Ruoth was the highest position in the land performing the role of traditional "pastoral" ministry. The Ker had good and valuable qualities that reflected the nature and the culture of the community. In brief, the qualities are such factors as wealth to begin with. In this case, wealth was considered a factor that enabled the elders to support the less privileged. This was used to prove the degree of the person to give, that is, whether he was a cheerful giver or one whose sight did not transcend his family relations. During famine, people turned to the elder for assistance. He had to be a respected man. This respect was earned first by the manner in which the person managed his house. If he had a good wife then his home became a pillar of righteousness among his contemporaries. He had to be brave, a factor that pointed to the idea that he was able to face the invading enemy and rescue his people. Others included calmness, not unmarried, an elder son, and not a witch, a native and one whose mother was not a different tribe. Other qualities would be considered later in this work. For St. Paul in his first letter to Timothy, he outlined the qualities that a person would need to qualify in his case as a minister. These qualities are also applicable to a traditional Luo elder. For Paul, an elder had to be an irreproachable person. This necessitates the spirit of welcoming and straight forwardness. He must be married once. Marriage suffered infidelity during this time Paul wrote the letter and as such, he looked for those who followed the right teaching in marriage. Selfcontrol according to Paul made one to approach different situations with the right attitudes the situation would deserve. Hospitality was also called for in the sense of giving and welcoming, one whose heart bore no grudges. He must be one who managed his household well, not a recent convert, not a lover of money and has a good reputation. One quality considered among the Luos, especially polygamy would be seen as a point of conflict but given the mind of the community, it is as good as monogamy if not better. This was the point of clash between the early missionaries and the Luos. This intercultural clash between the idea of the missionaries and the traditional Luo leadership hastened the spread of Christianity among the Luos of Western Kenya. The traditional elders among the Luos were just as good as the ones Paul wanted to lead. A Christian leader is in some ways considered a pastoral minister, one who attends to the flock of Christ.
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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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    Human Rights Abuses: A Challenge to Evangelization In Northern Uganda.
    (Tangaza University College, 2004-11) Onegi, Samuel
    Although Uganda is party to many international human rights documents, the Constitution promulgated in October 1995, nevertheless dedicates a substantial amount of time to protecting human rights. It begins by clearly stating that human rights are inherent and cannot be granted nor removed by the government. It maintains that everyone deserves equal protection under the law free from discrimination. In the constitution, all citizens are granted the freedoms of conscience, expression, movement, religion, assembly and association. The following additional rights are also protected under the document: the right to life, the right to personal liberty, the freedom from slavery and torture, the freedom from depravation of property, the right to privacy, the right to a fair trial and the right to education. Moreover, the rights of women, children, minorities, those with disabilities and the family unit are all clearly spelled out in the document. The constitution further provides the protection of human rights that are not expressly acknowledged in the document. It empowers people to seek redress if they believe that there has been an infringement upon any of the rights protected in the document. It establishes the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHC) to, among other things, appraise human rights conditions in Uganda, research and promote public awareness of human rights issues and propose suggestions to parliament on how human rights can be better protected in the country. However, the protracted war in Northern Uganda has caused serious human rights abuses and many people have suffered the consequences of the war. It has caused serious challenges to various stakeholders, including the church in carrying her work of evangelisation. This project seeks to devote some time looking at the challenges, which the war has caused to evangelization in Northern Uganda both at the grassroots and the national levels. Many human rights abuses have been witnessed in the past years in the north.
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    YOUTH SCCS: A Critical Analysis of How the Youth SCCs can be an Effective means of Evangelization in
    (Tangaza University College, 2004) Mwanza, Silvester
    In my first three years as a student in the Society of African Mission (SMA) 1995-98, I was involved in the weekend apostolate with the SCCs in my home parish, St. Charles Lwanga in Kabwe, Zambia. My work involved visiting the SCCs and helping them in anyway they wanted. However, I was intrigued to discover that in all the 30 SCCs I visited, most of the Youths and most of the Men were missing. During a couple of occasions, 1 tried to ask the members who were present of which the majority where women as to why there was an apathy especially among the Youths. The answer 1 got was that 'the Youths of nowadays are just too difficult to understand. We have tried to encourage them to come but all our efforts have been fruitless'. On one or two occasions, I tried to engage my Parish Priest on the same issue but his response was that, 'the Youths of these days have rebelled against the church. We just hope the Holy Spirit is going to intervene soon'. These responses never satisfied my whims. Therefore after four years, I decided to revisit the same issue through this opportunity, which we have been given here at Tangaza College. I was motivated to analyze critically this issue and find out what are the main reasons, which make the Youths not to attend the SCCs. I chose the Youths because I believe that the quality of Church of tomorrow depends on the quality of the Youths of today. This has been my main goal in this research; to try and go to the root causes that make the Youths lose interest in participating actively in the SCCs and then try and offer some suggestions on how this apathy could be alleviated.
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    Evangelization in A Slum: The Case of Kibera
    (Tangaza University College, 2003) Amedee, Ainemon Guy
    Evangelization is the core and summit of the Church's mission in the world. The word "evangelization" comes from the Greek ievangelionc which means 'good news'. The Church is called and sent to proclaim the Good News, "Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature" (Mk! 6: 15). Evangelization is a dynamic and on-going process that takes root in Jesus Christ, the full revelation of God and spread throughout the whole human race. "What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we looked upon and touched with our hands concerns the Word of Life — for life was made visible; we have seen it [...] and proclaim to you" (lJnI: 1-2). In a sense, evangelization is the proclamation of the Life of God made visible and present in the Person of Christ. In other words, evangelization is the giving and the celebration of Life.
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    A Pastoral Analysis of Evangelization Of the Basarwa Of Botswana
    (Tangaza University College, 2002) Tsetsengwe, Godfrey Thatayaone
    "Mosarwa ke wena!" meaning "you Bushmen". This is a phrase I grew up knowing that, it was not good to use referring to a Motswana. It refers to someone who is illiterate and uncivilized. Basarwa are the most neglected and marginalized group in Botswana. Even today those who have left the desert looking for greener pastures are still not respected. Some of the men work as shepherds and the women as house girls and at some places they are really exploited. Also, others have had the opportunity to go to school and are well educated just like other people in the country. But still they are despised only because they are "Basarwa." The Basarwa lack the basic necessities in life. At the moment they have pre-schools run by a non- governmental organization called Tirisanyo Catholic Commision. Yount! Basanva from the settlements go to school in the villages like Hukuntsi and live in hostels. That is when they leave the bush and interact with children from other ethnic groups in Botswana whose parents are working in the Kalahari area. The parents remain in the bush living their day-to-day lives under difficult conditions. When staying at the hostel the young Basarwa used to see people going to Church on Sundays and other days during the week and they also started coming. The priest in I lukuntsi, Fr Julian Black' bought a football for them and after Mass they remained at the parish playing. The parish is open to them, even during the week they come; at times they are given sweets and biscuits. During important feasts like Independence Day and Christmas, parties are organized for them and they always look forward to such occasions. It is at the Church where they found happiness and comfort. As time went on the young ones expressed their desire to be members of the Church and to receive the sacraments. Having stayed with them and known them well, when taking them home Fr. Julian asked their parents if it was possible for him to accept them into the Church. The parents were happy and allowed him to start teaching them catechism in preparation to receive the sacraments. That was a major step of evangelization of the Basarwa. The parents also shared what they had heard before of the gospel, but the pastors of the the London Missionary Society who came did not stay long. The Basarwa are eager to hear the word of God and if possible to receive the sacraments. Some of the elders expressed their desire to become members of the Church and asked Fr. Julian to avail himself to them as well not only their children who go to school where the Church is already established. In the desert normally preachers come and pitch their tents and start preaching but afterwards they disappear. In a way that is frustrating to the Basarwa. After years of hard labor in the Kalahari desert Fr. Julian is happy to see even the most neglected and isolated people showing interest in the Church. Through all the years he has been known to the Basarwa as "the one who lives alone." Now they are beginning to see a new reality of his presence among them, they know that he is there to bring the good news to them. That is a major step, they feel loved and accepted by the white man who has left his own country to minister to the people in Botswana, the Basarwa included. These are the early stages of evangelization among the Basarwa. They may still be too optimistic about the new religion but only time will tell where the seeds planted will fall. Will those expressing their desire to embrace Catholicism keep the faith. With time we shall see what happens in the process of evangelization among the Basarwa, how many will keep the new faith for long and contribute to the establishment of the Church in the settlements.
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    How Exclusivism of Christian Churches In Kisii Diocese Is a Challenge to Evangelization
    (Tangaza University College, 2016) Omboto, Ondari Cosmas
    The Kisii people commonly known as the Abagusii, is an ethnic tribe belonging to a Bantu group which entered Kenya from the west. They are originally said to have migrated from Congo Zaire. Before Christianity was introduced to the abagusii, they believed in one supreme God who created the world but did not interfere directly in human affairs. The interference was rather caused by ancestor spirits(ebirecha),witches, and impersonal forces. The Abagusii believed that displeased ancestor spirits were responsible for disease, the death of people and livestock, and the destruction of crops. Today, most people in the Abagusii community claim to be followers of some form of Christianity. A Roman Catholic mission was first established in 1911 and a Seventh Day Adventist mission in 1913. There are four major denominations in Gusiiland: Roman Catholic, Seventh-Day Adventist, Swedish Lutheran, and the PentecostalAssemblies of God1. Roman Catholic and SDA cover 80% of Christian population and other Christian religions cover the rest.
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    Evangelization through Media: A Case Study of Lwanga Communication Centre - Mombasa
    (Tangaza University College., 2002-02) Mghanga, Festus Kitogho
    To see in a concrete way how the Church is evangelising and will continue to evangelise through media in our times. This study is necessitated by the new situation the Church finds her self in, and under which it has to evangelise. The realisation of the importance of media in evangelisation can be seen from the much the church in Council wrote, and what different Popes have subsequently written concerning modern media and means of communications, and evangelisation.
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    Evangelising the Youth through the Mass Media: A Case Study of Our Lady Queen Parish-Karen
    (Tangaza University College., 2002-02) Mbinda, Makau John
    Is it possible for us to use the mass media to evangelize the youth? We shall find out in this essay. The third millennium has witnessed an enormous technological advancement in the field of mass communication. The world has become standardized by the mass media. What makes this possible is the reduced distances in communication, thanks to the satellite technology. We can instantly know what is happening in USA while we are in Kenya just by a click of a button. On the world communication day, Pope Paul VI addressed the possible use of media by the youth saying, "it is clear to everyone that there is an immense responsibility on the part of all, before history, to put to good account the extraordinary opportunities offered by the communications media to help young people to inform and form themselves, to bring out the real problems of the world, to seek the authentic values of life and to live up to their calling as individual persons and Christians." Surely, "we live in a bewildering world which is moving faster and faster. The mass media in Nairobi all compete for the hearts and minds of people. The church must master the media and use them in ways that are even more impressive than the way the world uses them." 2 Moreover, "these days it is the media of social communications that provide new sources of knowledge and culture with their considerable power of moving men's feelings and minds, together with the train of ideas and stirrings of the imagination carried by the sounds and sights they transmit." The church cannot close her eyes to such a tremendous development. Within the limits of her ability, the church should try to tap these 'powerful' means of communication and use them in her evangelizing mission. Needless to say, this tapping is not as easy as it sounds here. For the church to be able to use the means of social communication for evangelization, a lot of work has to be done. This essay ventures into the work of opening avenues for the church to use the mass media in evangelizing the youth. The essay is divided into five chapters. In chapter one, we examine evangelization. Chapter two introduces us to the world of mass media while chapter three deals with the research methodology. Chapter four gives the analysis and the interpretation of the data collected from the research. The final chapter offers some proposals and a general conclusion on the work.