DIV4/6: CHRISTIANITY AND POLITICS

CHRISTIANITY AND POLITICS

ACCOUNT FOR THE CHRISTIAN INVOLVEMENT IN POLITICS

Politics is the governance/mechanism concerned with dispensation of power and distribution of collective resources.

Many Christians believe that politics is not a dirty game as some people take it but it’s the politicians who make it a dirty game.  Therefore a Christian is free to join politics on the following basis;

• Christians should directly participate in politics in order to safeguard their rights and privileges provided for by the law. In some countries like Southern Sudan Christians have for long been blocked from participating in their Franchise.  Thus hindering their rights.
• Christian leaders are called upon to participate in politics because they pioneer many nationalistic struggles to settle civil conflicts. For instance the Late Arch Bishop Mpalanyi Nkoyoyo (5/01/2018) plus other religious leaders of U.J.C.C played a bid role to settle the conflicts between Joseph Kony of LRA and UPDF.
• Christian involvement is important to ensure political events are well coordinated. Te first politicians like Moses and Samuel were both prophets and politicians of Israel.

• Christians should participate in politics because God chose many religious leaders in various capacities. For instance in peter’s first letter (1 Peter 5), he called upon the church leaders (shepherds) to lead the flock of God willingly and to show a good example.
• Christians should not shun politics because from the biblical history Christians have always participated in politics some serving as counselors to Kings. For example prophet Samuel always counseled and advised King Saul (1  Sam 15)
• Christians need to participate in politics because all civil power and authority come from God and nothing exists without his will. According to Paul’s letter to the Romans 13, he called upon believers not to shun away from politics.
• As Jesus the teacher and savior of the sins of believers engaged in politics, so we Christians should feel free to participate also in politics. Jesus showed his participation by making laws for Israel for example he drafted the cardinal commandment of love (Matthew 12:28-34)
• Similarly Christians are called upon to engage in politics because our lord Jesus did not at all condemn it, but instead recognized the work of the emperor of Rome when he said, “Give Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God”. (Mark 12:17)
• Christians ought always to engage in politics because this can enable them easily to initiate and sustain development projects that can boost the economic welfare of the flock of God. In this case the projects like Rubaga, Mengo, Nsambya Virika and Kitovu hospital have grown strong because of a good connection between the church and central government.  Even some Christian founded schools like Rubaga Girls SS, St. Henrys College Kitovu, St. Josephs Nsambya SS have been sustained and developed because the heads of those institutions participate fairy in politics.
• Christians are called upon always to engage in the politics of their country because they will play a vital role in fighting against dictatorship and persecutions of political opponents. This they can do through political engaging in parliamentary debates if elected as members of parliament.  For instance the 2017/Dec/20 presidential age limit ban and extension of parliamentary and other local council term of office could not be passed in Uganda if we had more fanatic Christians in parliament.

• Christians should not shun away from politics because its God himself who commanded mankind to take care of the creation (Gen 1:28) for God said “be fruitful multiply, fill the world and subdue it. This command calls upon Christians to take part in politics.
• Jesus taught that Christians are the light of the world as echoed in Mark 4:21-25. So Christians can only show themselves as the light of the world through engaging in politics.
• Christians should join politics in order to easily utter out the weaknesses of their leaders and call them for reformation. Samuel did it well to the pioneer kings in Israel like Saul when he went astray, Samuel could come up and guided him (1 Sam 13)

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CHURCH AND STATE

Both the church and the state are social institutions that aim at seeing the well being of the people is good.  However the state is more concerned with political issues and distribution of resources fair/ evenly in the country for social developments yet the church is more keen/ interested. Centre on the moral and spiritual uprightness of the citizens.

Therefore the two establishments are unseparable due to the following roles they play alongside each other;

• As the church continues to encourage the believers in Christ to have good moral values emulating the example of Christ, the state similarly calls upon citizens to live a morally upright way respecting the constitution of the country. For instance the church condemns corruption strongly and so does the state which even has several organs like the Uganda police and IGG sector fighting against corruption in government civil offices/ departments.
• The church usually works hand in hand with the state in mobilization of people for national duties. For instance if there is an epidemic out break like cholera, need for immunization of children, election process out break of insecurity in some parts of the country and many others, both the church and state tend to mobilize the masses together because it benefits all Uganda whether one is religious or a pagan.
• In the spirit of developing nationalistic feelings the church and the state cannot be separated. This is because in many countries of Africa, nationalistic sometimes against colonialism was first exhibited through the church. Africans formed independent churches against missionary dominated church with an aim of fighting for self rule. For example the native African church in Nigeria, Zionist church, natal African church in South Africa and the Ethiopian church plus others.  In Uganda the struggle for independence was spear-headed by the Uganda people’s congress (protestants) and democratic party (DP of Catholics)

• The church and the state are inseparable because they co-operate in many aspects of social responsibility. Many projects started by the church are supplemented by the government.  For instance schools like Kings College Budo, Namilyango College S S St. Henrys College Kitovu Masaka districts and some hospitals like Rubaga Hospital, Nsambya Hospital and Mengo hospital were church founded but now funded by the government.  This is because such projects benefit al categories of Ugandans.
• The church has worked well with the state when fighting injustices in the country. For example the leaders of the Catholic Church have often condemned injustice like murder of innocents people. Entebbe, Nansana, Lwengo, Bukomansombi.  The state through the president has organized ralies in such places and returms security in those areas.
• From time immemorial religious leaders have acted as counselors to politicians and always helped to guide them in good leadership required of them. For instance over the Christmas celebrations of 2017 orthodox and some muslim leaders all condemned in their preachings the constitutional commandments made on 20^th/12/2017 extending presidential and parliamentary term of office in Uganda.
• Both the church and the state co-relate/coordinate in policy formations and implementations.

The church ensures that the bills passed in the parliament are taught to the followers. For example the bills aren’t in favor of the people.  For example strongly came out to oppose the newly amended constitutional bill 102(b) which brought in a change of parliamentary and local council leaders to extend from 5-7 years and the presidential age limit removed (made open) to all Ugandans from the age of 18 years.

• The church and the state relate in matters of pilgrimages. For instance when the catholic and protestant church are organizing the celebrations to remember the 3^rd June 1886 Namugongo massacres, at the holy shrine, the state works hand in hand by providing security and control traffic at Namugongo.
• The church and the state also work hand in hand with each other whenever either party has controversial issues to deal with. Each calls the other for abortion. For instance during the Saga in Kigezi diocese in which people planted pins and needles in the bishop’s chair to pierce him, the state got with involved in trying to reconcile the rebellious Christians with the clergy.
• The state and the church have remained in good relationship through the state accepting to honour the Christian days of religious importance and are declared public holidays and days like good Friday, Easter Sunday and Monday, Christmas and Uganda martyrs day are celebrated nationally as special religious days.
• The state often treAfrican traditional society religious leaders like Arch bishops in a V.I.P status, giving them special cars, escorts or protection if need be. The state usually funds renovation of churches like Namirembe cathedral, Rubaga Cathedral and Namugongo martyr shrine.
• The state also often exempts the church from paying certain taxes as they import or receive donations from abroad like cars yet other business people are forced to pay taxes for some of these donations. For instance most vehicles owned by the catholic church or C.O.U have Red and white number plates ending with letters X,Y,Z and W indicating that some taxes were waived off.
• The church has lived in good terms with the state for long in matters of rendering/ offering prayers to some elected civil servants especially the president. For instance while commemorating independence day celebrations and swearing in of a new president, usually religious leaders for different denominations are limited and given opportunity to pray for the nation, the people and particularly the president elect.

CASES/ AREAS OF DISAGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE CHURCH AND THE STATE

Account for the causes of misunderstandings between the church and the state.

There are a number of reasons/ circumstances that often lead the church and the state into conflicts and these are analysed below;

• Misunderstandings between the states and the church sometimes arise from the state putting up laws which the church considers immoral and socially unacceptable. For instance the church is against the state legalizing divorce in courts of law yet the bible teaches that what God goes has joined no man shall separate. (Mark 10:1-12)
• Sometimes religious leaders conflict with the state because they get involved in acts of crime incompatible with their status. For instance Joseph Kibwetere of the restoration of the ten commandments of God based in Kanungu district in the year 2000 massacred over a thousand of his followers convincing them that they would go direct to heaven in the new coming 2000.  This attracted state intervention and resulted into great conflicts between the state and the church.
• Meddling too much in the affairs of the church done by some politicians who want to judge the limits of religious leaders. For instance currently in Uganda in the year 2017 December 20^th, there was a constitutional amendment bill passed erasing presidential age limit which touched the minds of many Ugandans religious leaders inclusive.  But when such religious leaders like Arch bishop Dr. Cyprian Kizito Lwanga of Lubaga cathedral and Orthodox leaders plus the protestant leader (C.O.U) tried to criticize the decisions made by the NRMO parliamentary members, the president attacked them.  Thus causing grudges between the church and the state.
• Disagreements between the church and state sometimes occurs when politicians make religious insensitive or provocative statements that undermine the credibility of the religious leaders. For instance a politician named Otafiire was quoted publically uttering statements of undermining Jesus’ God’s nature and power. One time a parliamentarian from NRMO secretariat moved a motion in parliament to remove “God” from the national anthem, courts of arms and all statutory instruments and legal documents.
• At times conflicts emanate from the failure by political leaders to honour nationally of internationally the gazette religious holy days. For example the once president of Cuba stopped Christians from attending Sunday services and even forbade celebrations of Christmas from 1967-99.
• The conflicts sometimes originate from the decisions taken by the state to ban the production and circulation/ distribution religion. For instance the Arab states like Afghanistan forbid importation of bibles and other related materials.
• The emanation of conflicts between the church and the state come from the church leaders who get actively involved into politics and start campaigning for some candidates within the church.
• Conflicts may arise when the church feels the state is oblivious (unmindful) to wide spread circulation of pornographic materials with no government action taken. For instance the late Arch Bishop Mpalanyi Nkoyoyo of the C.O.U had earlier in May 2003 led a demonstration in Kampala against the news paper nude publications.
• The misunderstandings between the church and the state at times occurs due to widespread corruption and abuse of office by politicians. Many government civil servants have been nabbed swiddling the common man’s money meant to benefit the masses. For instance Gilbert Bukenya (former vice president was jailed for misuse of CHOGHM money of 2007, David Chandi Jamwa was arrested for misappropriation of NSSF, former minister of health Jim Muhwezi was also tried in courts of law for mishandling foreign funds meant to buy drugs for HIV/AIDs victims.