By Eric Yiga
The Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, The Most Rev. Dr. Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu, has urged universities to be recognized not merely as academic institutions, but as homes of faith and learning.
Delivering his message through Rt. Rev. Prof. Alfred Olwa, Bishop of the Diocese of Lango and Chairperson of the Uganda Christian University (UCU) Council during a public lecture at Nkoyoyo Hall, UCU, Archbishop Kaziimba emphasized the enduring value of Christian higher education. He described such institutions as places “where truth and purpose walk hand in hand, and where knowledge grows alongside wisdom.”
Held under the theme “A Home of Faith and Learning,” the lecture portrayed universities as spaces where respect and tolerance are nurtured, character is shaped alongside competence, and learning is guided by purpose rather than ambition.
“At UCU,” the Archbishop’s message noted, “this vision is captured in our theme: A Complete Education for a Complete Person.”
He stressed that in such a community, students are not just preparing for careers but for life itself. These institutions foster a spirit of care, where students, faculty, and staff live out shared values such as humility, compassion, and integrity. “Faith and learning,” he added, “are not enemies but close allies.”
Archbishop Kaziimba highlighted Christian thinkers such as St. Augustine, C.S. Lewis, John Stott, and Festo Kivengere as examples of individuals whose deep faith enriched their academic and cultural contributions.
However, he expressed concern over a growing tendency among some scholars to pursue personal gain over the common good. He called for a renewed spirit of inquiry that seeks not only knowledge but transformation.
“Let us reimagine our universities not just as places for lectures and exams,” he said, “but as living communities where faith and learning are woven into every aspect of campus life.”
A Historical Perspective on Christian Higher Education
The keynote speaker, Dr. Philip Ryken, President of Wheaton College (Illinois, USA), provided a historical and global perspective on Christian education. He traced its roots back to the Roman Empire, when early Christian communities in cities like Antioch and Alexandria sought to place the knowledge of ancient Greece under the lordship of Jesus Christ.
Dr. Ryken observed that Africa has always been, and continues to be, fertile ground for the flourishing of Christian education.
Contrasting classical models of education with the Christian approach, he explained: “The Greeks pursued education to equip citizens for democracy; the Romans used it to prepare leaders for empire. But Christians aimed to prepare servants for the kingdom of God.” This higher purpose, he said, gave Christian education its distinctive identity.
He shared the stories of historical figures who promoted Christian learning in difficult times, including:
- Cassiodorus, a Roman senator who left public service to found the Vivarium, a monastic community where Scripture and classical knowledge were studied side by side;
- John Milton, John Amos Comenius, Sister Juana Inés de la Cruz, and C.S. Lewis, whose lives demonstrated that Christian education has not only survived through crises but often thrived because of them.
Dr. Ryken acknowledged that the present age marked by a global pandemic, economic uncertainty, cultural tensions, and rapid advancements in artificial intelligence poses fresh challenges. Yet he described these as opportunities for faith-based institutions to offer their greatest contributions.
He defined the integration of faith and learning as “thinking Christianly about all of life.” Faith, he explained, encompasses the full content of Christian theology not just personal devotion—while learning includes all academic disciplines: arts, sciences, humanities, and social sciences.
“True integration,” he said, “happens when faith and learning speak to each other, shaping both the knowledge and the knower.”
Dr. Ryken cited Wheaton College as an example, where new faculty members engage in seminars exploring how faith connects to their academic work. Tenure, he noted, requires producing scholarship that reflects this integration.
He also praised Christian universities in countries like Australia, Kenya, Indonesia, and Uganda for advancing similar initiatives.
“Christian higher education,” Dr. Ryken concluded, “is always an expression of hope—hope that students can learn, that their learning will transform their lives, and that it will ripple out to impact the lives of others.”
