AGE:
Upper Secondary and post-16 |
THEME:
Bishop Janani Luwum |
AIM: |
- To cause students to reflect on martyrdom, by reference
to a modern martyr.
- To put Christianity in an international context.
|
RESOURCES: |
- Newscuttings from the 'Births and Deaths' column of a
newspaper
- Two or three readers. Set up a 'newsdesk' with two of the
readers sat behind it. Another reader could act as the
'reporter' or 'presenter'. Divide up the readings so that
they give the appearance of a feature on, e.g. the Six
o'Clock News on television.
|
DEVELOPMENT: |
| NEWSREADER: |
Read a series of names from the 'Births' column of a
newspaper. Mention that you wonder how each child will
develop in a few years time. |
| PRESENTER or READER 1: |
Imagine the scene. It is a sunny autumn day in 1982.
In a hospital ward in an English town, two baby boys
are experiencing their first day in the world. Thomas
and Joseph. Their proud parents are chatting. Life
feels good.
Today, Thomas is 17 years old, studying for his A
levels, playing in the local sports team, looking
forward to leaving school. But as for Joseph - who
knows? When he was six months old his father
finished his agricultural training in England and the
family went back to their homeland to help
development work. They have not been heard of
since.
Joseph's parents came from Uganda. It's not in the
news so much these days, but it was the scene of
genocide and other atrocities, as bad as anything we
have seen on the news more recently from places
like Bosnia, Chechnya, and Sierra Leone. Uganda
was run by a power-mad dictator called Idi Amin,
known for his violent and unpredictable behaviour.
Since he seized power in 1971, none of his enemies
had been safe, although it was often difficult to see
who his enemies were. However, some people dared
to stand up to him. Archbishop Janani Luwum, born
an heir to a tribal Chiefdom and later a convert to
Christianity; was one of those people.
|
| PRESENTER or READER 2: |
The Story of Janani Luwum
Janani Luwum had already had an eventful life by
the time he became Archbishop and leader of the
Christian church in Uganda in 1974. He had chosen
Christianity rather than the traditional role that his
family had wanted him to take. He had travelled all
over Uganda, and to Britain, building up and
revitalizing the churches in parishes with very few
resources. He had helped families who had suffered
in the coup when Amin had seized power and in the
violence of the counter-coup. President Amin had
accused Janani of helping government officials but
he was not deterred. Sometimes he would go
personally to the office of the dreaded State
Research Bureau. Sometimes he was able to secure
the release of prisoners. Often he was too late.
Bishops from the Christian churches joined with the
Muslim Kadi begging their followers to work together
in love and harmony. They tried to meet with Amin.
Their efforts seemed useless. Then things started to
happen fast. |
| NEWSREADER(S): |
5 February 1974: In the small hours of this morning,
Archbishop Janani Luwum's house was raided by
the military: They were looking for arms but found
nothing. Earlier that night another Bishop's house
had also been raided. [slight pause]
10 February: Archbishop Luwum and 18 bishops
have today sent President Amin a letter of protest at
their treatment. No answer has yet been
forthcoming.
16 February: Archbishop Luwum and six bishops,
dressed in their episcopal robes were today publicly
arraigned with two government ministers. They were
accused of smuggling arms. Archbishop Luwum
was not allowed to reply and could only shake his
head in denial. The President concluded the
morning's business by asking the assembled
company of soldiers 'What shall we do with these
traitors?' Their reply was 'Kill them now'. At 12.30
Luwum was taken away from his fellow bishops who
were not allowed to follow him. The bishops waited
for news, sitting in the scorching sun all afternoon
until 5.30 p.m., when they were driven away at
gunpoint.
17 February: President Amin's office today
announced the death of Archbishop Janani Luwum
and two government ministers in a car crash.
25 February: The mystery concerning Archbishop
Luwum's death deepens. The bishops' claim for his
body was met with no response, other than being
told that it had been sent north for private burial. A
planned memorial service has been forbidden.
However, the Sunday morning service at the
Cathedral was extended and crowds filled and
overflowed the building. Before the crowd was an
empty grave and the words of the angels to the two
women seeking Jesus's body on the first Easter day
were remembered. [If you wish, include the Reading
at this point: Luke 24.1-8.] With this reading the
atmosphere of grief was transformed into peace, joy
and hope for the future as Bishop Janani Luwum
was proclaimed a martyr. This incident, deeply
unpopular with President Amin, has renewed the
courage of the church in Uganda. |
| NEWSREADER: |
Read a selection of announcements (about three) from a
newspaper 'Deaths' column. Give the date as 17 February 1974.
Change the real names but add: 'LUWUM, Archbishop Janani,
in Kampala, Uganda under suspicious circumstances. His
body died, but he gave his people hope.' |
|
BIBLE READING: |
| The empty tomb: Luke 24. 1-8. This could be included above as indicated. |
MUSIC: |
| Some African-style church music, e.g. 'Kyrie' from African Sanctus by David Fanshawe. Otherwise, a Kyrie from another
setting of the Mass or Requiem would be suitable, e.g. from
Fauré's Requiem.
|
REFLECTION: |
Janani Luwum gained a lot of his strength through prayer and
reflection. Let's now pause a minute and think about the
different circumstances of our lives.
Dear God, we cannot know what the future will hold.
We do not know what situations - happy or sad - will
face us.
Help us to remember that we are all born equal,
That we all need help and encouragement
sometimes.
Let us pray for those with whom we have lost touch,
who may be in danger.
Let us take courage from Janani Luwum's example
and let us have confidence that your love supports
us even when we cannot see the way.
Amen.
|
FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES: |
- Find out more about Uganda and the regime there. What role
does the Church play in public life in Uganda today (there are
some web links below that might help). Searching for Uganda
and Idi Amin on the Internet would be a good place to find
information.
- The following is one of the 'Acholi Uganda' Peace Advocacy
songs by Philip Ogwang Clipper:
Our youth, please have mercy on us.
What kind of fighting is it
where you kill innocent ordinary people without a
cause?
Our people, please come back home and work for
development.
Come and cultivate.
See, bad politics has made you a refugee.
You are now in exile in Canada, America, Britain
because of war, because of fighting.
Please come back home.
- Write your own song or poem to tell people about Janani
Luwum and what he stood for. If possible, write your own
music to go with it.
- The background information for this particular Collective
Worship was kindly provided by CMS (The Church Missionary
Society). They support Christians working overseas as
evangelists ('people bringing the good news'). Find out more
about their work from www.cms-uk.org Make two lists, one of
the different sorts of activity that missionaries are involved with
today, and, secondly, a list of reasons why people might
become missionaries or evangelists. Another site to visit, which
gives some idea of evangelists at work in the UK, is that of the
Church Pastoral Aid Society, www.cpas.org.uk
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