Undergraduate Projects/Long Essays

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A Mission for Every Catholic? John Paul II Evangelizing Teams
(Tangaza University College, 2004) Walusala, Wafula
In this work, we have tried to present information concerning JP II ET. Note that, when JP II ET is used in singular, it means one particular group or JP II ET as one national team in Kenya, but when plural is used, it refers to the various groups or all of them. To begin with, we shall give the meaning (definition) of the term evangelisation. Inflict, this definition is part of the introduction itself. After getting a grasp of the meaning of the term evangelisation, we shall proceed to the background of JP II ET, which comprises of how it was founded, its aims and the system of leadership. I will also give some of the factors that motivated me to choose this particular group(s) for my research. The theological foundation of JP II ET will take us through the Bible, the teachings of the Church and the Apostolic Pilgrimage of Pope John Paul II to Kenya. In this case, we would like to show how JP II ET is actually based on a sound Catholic theology. We will look at the way JP II ET is spreading the Gospel as commissioned by Jesus Himself The social analysis of the situation that led to the formation of if' II ET also falls under this chapter. We will see further how the mission of JP II ET is a responsibility for every Catholic and all those who follow Christ by believing in his Good News. After having analysed the situation of JP II ET, we well take a look at the their activities from the time of their foundation up to the time of the completion of this research. We will also give our findings in terms of what the members have achieved as well as the problems they have encountered along the way. We have tried to find out whether this successes and failures have their roots from within or from without or both. Following the strengths and weaknesses of JP II ET we have tried to reflect on the possible way forward. Here, we intent to show J1:' II ET would be renewed and how harmony in terms of membership and activities can be achieved. We have also thought about a system of self-reliance and necessity of reviewing the literature and the formation as a whole. Last but not least, we have given some suggestions as to how JP II ET could be empowered, so that their mission can bear fruits for the whole Catholic Church as well as to Christianity in general i.e. where possible, especially with the spirit of Ecumenism. We have tried to indicate how JP II ET can work with or among the clergy and the magisterium in this important and very challenging area of the Gospel task. We shall see how they have been called as /ay ministers in the Catholic Church. We have also emphasised on their scope of evangelising and how they can fulfil their mission without getting into trouble with their Parish Priests and Bishops. We have paid attention to today's challenges in terms evangelisation especially the African context and the importance of inculturation. This research leaves us with what to expect from .JP II ET as we trace its roots, its growth and its fruits that will be enjoyed by the Church as a whole. I would also like to indicate that all the biblical quotations cited in this work have been taken from the RSV Bible.
Traditional African Funeral Celebrations, A Challenge for Mission Today
(Tangaza University College, 2003) Akeriwe, Raymond M.
Traditional African Funeral celebrations, A challenge for mission today: Case study of Navrongo/ Bolgatanga Diocese (Nav/Bolga Dio,), Upper East Region (HER) Ghana, West Africa. This is my contribution to the on going discussion on an area that has for a long time posed a pastoral problem in my area of study and a bid to forge a way forward in coming up with an acceptable and workable proposal as far as African traditions and Christian values are concerned. My purpose in this work as an African, and an indigen of the Nay/ Bolga Dio. [UER Ghana] , is that, I consider the issue of death related rites to be of great concern to the local people. It is an area that touches on the very lives of the people, as such a close look at it may give us a clearer understanding of the phenomenon of death and its effects on the people. There is an identity crisis here, who are we? Western Christians or African Christians? Christians of this diocese are first and foremost African, before becoming Christian, people with a culture that defined their whole world view and perception of life. This is an area of real concern for the African Christian in that she/he is tom between tradition, cultural demands and the Christian faith. There is the need to protect one's place in the African hierarchy which is very important to the elders. This defines one's place too in the here after, therefore all that is necessary [ Living an exemplary life, good moral and religious standing] to get to the other side must not be overlooked. Initial perceptions of African Traditional Religion (ATR) by the early Europeans, missionaries were very much distorted, biased and damaging. ATR was described as evil, barbaric, primitive, diabolic', thus converts were uprooted completely from what they believed and knew and introduced to a whole new way of life, religion and culture. Many lost their identity through this and those who have come after them have since not found their faith and place in the traditional set up. With the current of inculturation blowing across the Church today, there is need for a rethinking on the life of the Church on the continent of Africa. There is a need for an inner reconciliation of many Christians in Africa, Nav/Bolga Diocese particularly, who live in deep conflict between their sincere belonging to Christ and their need to treasure the gifts bestowed on them by God through ATR. The Churches focus today should be geared towards a progressive development of authentically African forms of Christian life, celebration and thought. This brings about an enrichment of the catholicity of the Church as her message is constantly re-expressed in the Church and religious traditions which show the active presence of God's generous providence at work in every human context throughout human history. As Fr Domingues (mcd) rightly puts it [in his course presentation notes for Tangaza college - Inter-religious dialogue. 2000] ATR is of a great theological value to Christianity. It is the concrete historical way in which God has providentially been, somehow dialoguing with millions of persons, in their social, cultural and religious lives. Their concrete religious practices, traditions, belief systems are the concrete context in which God offered them some light on his own mystery. In a special way, God communicate and dwells with them. There is a context in which God offers African cultures the Holy Spirit, in such a way that they have a real possibility of answering to God's invitation of becoming partners in the paschal mystery of Christ. [(IS 22] . There is a real possibility of finding in ATR some real revelation of God [in her rites, art, poetry, proverbs etc] and some genuine human response to it in faith. This encounter and response however does not exclude that fact that such revelation and faith be mixed with much human sinfulness, corruption, in the concrete cultural, social and religious life of the African peoples.
Mission - The Instrument of Liberation
(Tangaza University College, 2003) Don Bosco, Mawdsley, J.
From my childhood, I have had a special attraction, a thirst, for justice. I was born into a caste minded society. There was pressure in relating to people, in making friends. Am I allowed to relate with this person or not? Is this person of the same caste as I, or is she or he from a higher or lower caste? These were constant questions I had to face. Though I loved to relate with everybody, it was not easy. If I related with everybody what would be the consequences? Whether the person would be accepted by my family or whether I would be accepted in that person's family, was my fear. I could see caste tension everywhere. It extended throughout society, starting with families, and spreading to Temples, Churches, market places and even to the cinemas. Great discrimination existed between the rich and the poor, the high caste and the low. There was also a gap between people from different States (regions) of the country. People from one state had some reservations about relating with people from another state. This is more or less an ethnic problem. These discriminations not only existed in secular society but also among the religious. The caste system found nourishment in the seminaries and in religious communities. The bishops were chosen according to the caste of the majority. The minority, obviously, had no voice.. These discriminations and injustice also existed outside India. I found them also in the Philippines. There was great division between the rich and the poor,
The Mission of the Mill Hill Missionaries in Western Kenya from 1963 to 2016: Challenges and Achievements
(Tangaza University College, 2016) Masiga, Odonya David
Since the arrival of missionaries in East Africa a lot has taken place. This includes physical development in terms of infrastructure, introduction and improvement of formal education, health and social services. But at the core of this mission is the message of Jesus Christ, the Good News. All these other factors that have been brought and improved by the missionaries to point to the nature of the mission of Christ. The role of the missionaries was to show this love of Christ in a practical way, that the kingdom of God may be felt among the people. That being the main aim of the missionaries, the main question that we ask today is, “did they keep to the mission as it was supposed to or it was what they thought fit to do as missionary work?” The Mill Hill Missionaries have been in east Africa for more than a century. For this time they have carried out missionary work among some of the local communities here. This paper is going to investigate and to look into the missionary activities of the Mill Hill Missionaries, their impact, successes and failures in their mission here in East Africa especially in Western Kenya from the year 1963 to present. This year also marks the year Kenya gained her independence. This was also the moment that the people of Kenya were coming out of a colonial period and there were some negative sentiments towards the missionaries who were foreign since the missionaries were from Europe and the colonialist were also from Europe. It is significant to mention that this year (2016) the Mill Hill Missionaries are celebrating 150yrs of their foundation since 1866. These 150yrs mark a moment of looking back and counting the blessings that the Mill Hill have attained. It is also a moment of self-searching in terms of the methods of evangelization that were used and how relevant they have been in bringing the Good News of Christ, especially to those in the greatest need. This paper will also delve into what is the understating of mission according to different theologians and as well point out what the church teaches about mission and the evolution of its understanding from pre to post Vatican II to date. All these will be to shed light on the mission of the Mill Hill Missionaries and therefore point out the areas where they have kept to the mission of the Church within their own charism of “to love and to serve”, or they have deviated from that.
Formation of the New Israel and Its Mission In Luke-Acts
(Tangaza University College., 2002-02) Tessema, Teklu
It was just a few days before Christmas 2000 that Stephen alma, student of Law at Nairobi University and active member of the youth group at Consolata Holy Trinity Church. Kileleshwa, approached me with questions that troubled him. Stephen fired one question after the other do not understand at all the relationship between the God of Israel and the Christian God. How did the God of Israel become the God of Christians? Are we Israelites or are we Christians? I am really confused. Is there any possibility of tracing the relationship between the two from a purely biblical point of viewr Stephen's questions led me down a deep reflective path. I turned to Luke who wrote predominantly for Gentiles, many of whom probably also wondered, like Ouma. about the connection between the Israel of Old and the New Israel? Perhaps more than any other New Testament writer, Luke goes to great lengths to show his readers what constitute a New Israel. This work comes as the fruit of this reflection. However, the essay as such does not deal with the relationship between the God of Israel and that of the other nations. Rather, it attempts to analyse the fidelity of God to the divine promises made to Israel and to show how the New Israel that emerges out of the biblical people of God, is a fulfilment of these promises. I do not claim that I have discussed in this essay all the core values that both the OT and Luke narrate regarding the formation of the New Israel. Nevertheless, I have attempted to say something on most of them, at least in passing. My hope is that readers of this essay will come to understand how the New Israel that emerges out of the Old Israel is a testament of God's faithfulness. The essay has been divided into three chapters. Chapter one briefly presents OT background which I believe has played a significant role in the development of Lucan theology. It deals with the covenantal relationship between Yahweh mid Israel that has its future expectation based on prophecies and promises. Chapter two has two local points. First. it takes up these promises and prophecies as Mey climax !n the person of Jesus in the Lucan writings, and second, it shows how Luke portrays the formation of the New Israel. The third chapter deals with how the mission ot Jesus continues through the new community, making salvation available to all. As far as the biblical texts in this essay are concerned RSV is used.
Encountering Jesus Christ as an Ancestor And his Mission Among the Sukuma People
(Tangaza University College., 2002-02) Ihrudayasamy, Adam Fernandez; Ihrudayasamy, Adam Fernandez
he person of Jesus Christ is at the centre of Christian faith. Though Jesus Christ is 'the same yesterday', today and forever, our experience varies according to the person who experiences him and the social context of that experience. The social context is the life situation in which Christ comes as the Saviour. One of the vital emphases in the contemporary Catholic Christology is the shift away from a rather static vision of Christ, seen in terms of dogmas and definitions. The task of Christology today is not that of repeating the Christologies of the past, but it is to create a new translation. It means that the full humanity of Christ has to be taken with the greatest seriousness, an absolutely essential point for any valid theology of Mculturation. Christ is present in every human situation in every community and every human tradition and this fact must be rendered explicit. For Christianity to be rooted in the African soil is to see Christ as an African, that is through the eyes and aspirations of the African people. African beliefs are centred around the divine. This divine could be in the form of a Supreme Being or divinity. If we see the present day Africans both traditional and modem, they do not have any problems with who God is. The Africans are very clear about the position and function of God in the universe. God is the creator and sustainer of the universe. Jesus Christ, the Son of God is one with the Father. The Father (Yaweh) revealed himself to Africans and they responded in faith. So the same Africans also can discover Christ in their 'acts of faith'.' Since Jesus is one with the Father (in 10:30) and Africans do worship God, Jesus has actually been worshipped in African religion but without a name. According to J. M. Bahemuka: "Jesus of Nazareth may have been unknown in traditional Africa, but Christ as the liberating force for humanity was and is present in various manifestations of African culture in general: in its myths, rituals, beliefs, symbols, art and language"? Africa is already offering interesting ideas for an inculturation of Christology. The African Christian theologians give Jesus Christ different titles, for example, Ancestor, Elder Brother, Ideal Elder, Chief, Master of Initiatioil, Healer, King, Priest and Liberator, which are all related to the concept of Ancestor. They are trying to incarnate Jesus Christ into African traditional religion and develop an incultured African Christian theology which remains basically Christian, and is salvific. These are the images and concepts that could facilitate a better understanding of the figure of Jesus Christ and of his saving mystery in African culture. African people experience Christ in their own communities, within their own cultural traditions. In 1980, in Nairobi, Pope John Paul II told the Kenyan Bishops: "not only is Christianity relevant in Africa, but Christ in his members is himself an African". 3 What does it mean to see Christ as African? It does not mean that the historical Jesus was an African, but that the Christ of faith can be seen authentically by an African only through his culture and thinking categories. African ancestors are at the centre of ATR and play a salvific role in ATR and without them there is no ATR. So to see Christ as an African is to see Christ as an African Ancestor, one who dwells among Africans in their daily events of life. With such an understanding, the examination is made in this essay to show some of the concepts of 'ancestor' in African tradition in relation to Christ. This work is done with special reference to the Sukuma people of Tanzania. The experience of the ancestors is a very significant religious value among the Sukuma, and it should not just be suppressed. The missionaries in the past failed to appreciate the significance of the Sukuma belief, which is also common to many other African cultures - the continuing existence of the dead and their active, good or ambivalent influence upon the living.
Mission as Witnessing To the Three-Fold Ministry Of Christ (Prophet, Priest and King) A Scriptural Retreat for Deacons
(Tangaza University College, 2007) Bisimwa Jean-Paul, Cirrakarhula
This essay has emerged as the fruit of a long reflection and a life experience which has led us to the conviction that no attempt to carry out Christ's mission in today's world can be efficient unless it takes Christ as the archetype of mission, because "Jesus is himself mission."' That means taking into consideration the three-fold dimension of his mission: the prophetic mission, the priestly mission and the kingly mission. This mission of Christ is also the foundational task of the Church. That is why, in one way or another, in carrying out our day-to-day ministries, as missionaries and Church ministers, we participate in and exercise this mission of Christ. Hence, the choice of the topic of this dissertation: "Mission as Witnessing to the Three-fold Ministry of Christ." It has also been our aspiration to come up with an essay whose relevance would not be restricted only to the time when it was conceived, when it is being written, and after it has been produced, but to also generate a workable tool that will not be locked away somewhere and be forgotten, but a practical means that can also be of use in future. This has led us to the sub-topic of this essay: "A Scriptural Retreat for Deacons." Thus, this thesis is twofold: to study exegetically the chosen biblical accounts which highlight the three-fold ministry of Christ, and to draw applications from them so as to make them relevant for the retreatants, the deacons, who in a short time will be exercising their ministry as priests and missionaries. In this perspective, we have divided this work in three chapters. In the first chapter, we will discover the "Priestly Mission of Christ." The main text will be Heb 5:5-6. This chapter contains the first three conferences, namely, priesthood and the letter to the Hebrews; participation in Christ's priesthood; and obedience as submission to God and sacrifice for human salvation. In the second chapter, we will underscore the "Kingly Mission of Christ." The focal scriptural text will be In 10:1-8. This chapter includes the fourth conference, that is, Christian leadership. In the third chapter, finally, we will cover the "Prophetic Mission of Christ". This chapter itself is the fifth conference and the key scriptural account will be in 1:1-18. Biblical passages are from the Revised Standard Version, containing the Old and New Testaments Catholic Edition, 1966, except when they are part of a quoted clause.
Mission and the Struggle for Human Development: A Case Study of Andraikiba Parish Madagascar
(Tangaza University College, 2009-11) Rarison, Maurice Alexis
Throughout its history, the Roman Catholic Church has ever been in the midst of human history. In different struggles and dark moments of human history, the Church always wished the best for the human race. Many enterprises and tough decisions have been made by the leaders of the Church for the betterment of humanity. The proper mission which Christ entrusted to the Church is ever centred to the establishment and consolidation of the human community according to the word of God and the divine law'. Surely, the mission of the Church through her structures from the top to the Small Christian Communities (SCC) in a very remote area has always aimed at their wellbeing and for human development. In this research, our focus will be on the mission and the struggle for human development, a case study of Andraikiba Parish, Antsirabe Diocese, Madagascar. Taking into consideration the 5,120 Christians within Andraikiba Parish struggling and crumbling for their spiritual and human development, it is necessary to unite their quest for the meaning of their daily life and the words of God through the teaching and mission of the Church. This leads us toward an encounter of mission theology with the realities and the life of the parishioners at the grassroots in Andraikiba. What does a huge knowledge about God, Gospel, Church, 'etheology, mission, ete,mean to the vulnerable people who do not have enough food you to eat, no education and living in huts around Andraikiba Parish? In which way should we make them understand that God loves them and cares for them and their future generations? Does the mission of the Church have anything to do with their
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.
The Mission of the Twelve in Mark 6:6b-13 and its Relevance Today
(Tangaza University College, 2001-02-07) Ngatia Mutuoki, Constance
The missionary activity of the Church has its foundation in the mission of Jesus Christ. Jesus was sent by the Father to redeem the human race and to restore the whole of creation to its Creator. Upon his coming here on the earth, Jesus began his mission by preaching on the kingdom of God, calling people to repent and believe the gospel (Cf. Mk.1:14-15). In order to fulfill this divine plan of God he further initiated the first apostolic missionary activity during his public ministry in Palestine. He shared his divine mission with his twelve apostles [disciples] that he had called to be with him. Since then, this mission of Jesus has been growing and spreading to all parts of the world for the last two thousand years. Today as we begin the third millennium, Christian missionaries continue this same mission of Jesus. It is this mission that our thesis entitled, "The mission of the twelve in Mark 6:6b-13 and its relevance today" seeks to discuss in depth. The purpose of our thesis is to show how much Christian missionaries can learn from the first mission of the twelve apostles of Jesus as recorded in Mark's gospel. Specifically by reflecting on the instructions of Jesus to the disciples, Christian missionaries of our time are presented with a real treasure from which they can get insights to guide them on how to present the message of Jesus Christ in our modern world that is becoming more materialistic and individualistic. Besides, the thesis will highlight some of the essential aspects that are relevant to all Christians who seeks to increase their knowledge regarding the genesis of the missionary activity in the Church. In order to present these, the thesis will be divided into three chapters. The first Chapter presents the principal text of our study that is, Mark 6:6b-13 with reference to its context in the newly founded Marcan Christian community. The second chapter presents an exegetical study of the unit on the mission of the twelve as recorded in Mark's gospel. The third chapter gives some relevant suggestions regarding the application of the mission of the twelve in the light of the third millennium Christian missionaries. The main hypothesis of the entire thesis is that the mission of the twelve in Mark 6:6b-13 can educate all Christian missionaries of the third millennium, regardless of their sociopolitical, cultural or ethnic background, to be faithful ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is a call to renew the spirit of missionary enthusiasm by emulating the first mission of the twelve apostles as a model for action towards becoming authentic ambassadors of Christ to the people they are sent to minister to in their mission territories. According to the nature of the thesis, the methodology adopted in presenting the material will be exegetical and descriptive.

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