Date of Award
5-2019
Document Type
Thesis
Publisher
Santa Clara : Santa Clara University, 2019.
Degree Name
Licentiate in Sacred Theology (STL)
Director
Anh Q. Tran
Abstract
This study focuses on northern Uganda in the context of war between the Government of Uganda and the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels. I argue that the idea of Church as "field hospital" can help the Church there to reflect on its mission of bringing lasting healing, reconciliation and reintegration.
During the war, the people experienced displacement, gender and sexual violence, abduction, recruitment into the rebel ranks especially the children, mutilations of all kinds and horrific deaths. Moreover, the people were herded into internally displaced people' s camps with very appalling conditions. The Church apart from attending to some of the immediate needs of the people, modeled its presence in the form of the "Church on its knees." The Church focused its mission on praying and appealing to the perpetrators of the war to come to the negotiating table to talk peace.
Given the changed circumstances due to the end of the war, I argue that the Church needs to move beyond being on its knees. With its emphasis on encounter, proximity, and accompaniment, the Church as "field hospital," in my view continues better the mission of the Church in the changed circumstances. This model enables the Church to pay attention to the people affected and afflicted by this war. This capacity helps the Church tap into the agency of the people and help them toward their healing, reconciliation and reintegration.
Recommended Citation
Moro, James, "Towards A Northern Ugandan Church as "Field Hospital": For A Pastorally Attuned Appropriation of Church Teaching" (2019). Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations. 45.
https://scholarcommons.scu.edu/jst_dissertations/45