Rtd.Bishop Zac Niringiye has dismissed claims that his recently launched book “the Church, God’s pilgrim people” is political in nature.
“In my family, we discuss two things-church and politics and when notice went out that I was launching a book, some thought it was a political book and some security people had to cross check to see if the book was indeed about the church,” Bishop Niringiye said.
The retired Bishop made the remarks while officiating at the launch of his book at All Saints Cathedral in Nakasero on Friday. He added that: “while my work of political activism is directly related to the church, I deliberately authored this book on the church because of my theology. I was born and bred in the church and my father and mother were church people.”
Bishop Niringiye said that his book had been in the works for fifteen years and seeks to answer the questions of what the bible teaches about the church and the definition of the church not only in Uganda but globally and was authored under the global Christian series. The book according to the bishop will be distributed globally through a network of seminaries.
He however did not rule out writing something about politics, and said that he is currently working on something about social and economic justice. “There is a direct link between justice, political activism, faith and the church. The church’s engagement in the world of politics is natural and you cannot run away from that. The church itself is political in nature, he said.
Speaking at the launch of the book, Reverend Canon Geoffrey Byarugaba described the book as a distinguished accomplishment while Reverend Canon Alfred Olwa, the Dean of Bishop Tucker Theological College at Uganda Christian University said that the 200 page book is an easy read because of Bishop Niringiye’s powerful narrations and vast knowledge of the church of Uganda.
“The book should find a useful place on the shelves of many scholars and casual readers and whoever reads it should be better for the experience,” Reverend Olwa said. The Church, God’s pilgrim people is currently available at Aristoc bookstore for Shs 30,000.
Story by Marvin Kirunda
