How does conflict affect the church in South Sudan?
Emmanuel (pictured here with his wife Vicky) is the Principal of Bishop Allison Theological College, Yei in South Sudan. Recently he received a grant from St Augustine’s to complete a masters degree. The topic of his thesis is fascinating and very pertinent:
“The effect of civil conflicts on the development of the church: A Case of the Episcopal Diocese of Yei.”
HIs thesis had three main objectives:
Investigating the causes of civil conflicts in South Sudan
Assessing how civil conflicts affect the development of the church
Examining strategies devised by the Church to maintain its development amidst civil conflicts in South Sudan.
His thesis helps the church and the community to prevent the emergence of civil conflicts after identifying the causes of the conflicts in the society and how it affects the development of the Church and the community so that the church should keep its development awake amidst conflicting civil societies.
Emmanuel pointed out that, “Most researchers focused on the conflicts within the church and how it affects her development and growth; the role of the Church in conflict resolution and peace building. But few research is done on how the external factors influence the affairs of the Church and affects her state of development and growth. In this regard, my study established its foundation from this phenomenon based on the theories of conflict emergence and its effect on the society.”