Bugema University sh800m opens theology complex

The teaching of theology and religious studies under the Seventh Day Church has been boosted by the commissioning of a sh800m study complex at the faith based University of Bugema in Luweero District.

The spacious complex which was commissioned on Friday is to house the Bugema University School of Theology and Religious studies whose students have hitherto been sharing classrooms with other courses.

The construction has been funded by Dr Richard Rajarathinam, an evangelist and a friend of Bugema University based in Maryland, USA.

The President of the Uganda union of SDA churches, Daniel Matte who was the chief guest, said the commissioning of the spacious complex, was a landmark in achieving the church's goals of catering for the mental and spiritual needs of the youths.

Matte who is also the Chancellor of the SDA founded Bugema University said there had been acute need for space given the big number of students in the faculty of Theology and Religious studies.

"Bugema has one of the biggest schools of theology and religious studies in terms of students, hence there has been an acute need for space," Mate said at the function which was punctuated by dedicational sermons, prayers and speeches.

In a dedicatory sermon that he delivered at the function honour of the new buildings, Matte said   the donation of the complex was providential and a blessing from God for which Bugema University had to celebrate and be thankful.

Present were Bugema University administrators, lecturers, students and visitors from the SDA churches in USA and Kenya.

Matte noted that Theological schools in SDA church universities were more than academic establishments with a mandated multipurpose mission to play in the church.

Part of the new complex at Bugema. Photo by Frederick Kiwanuka

He urged the administrators of the faculty to guide the students both in terms of academics and the church spiritual values.

The vice chancellor, Prof Patrick Manu said the students of theology and religious studies had been sharing classes with other courses

"The Theology Department is a dignified department, but there had been no space for us," Manu said.

Dr Anna Galeniece from the Nairobi based Adventist University of Africa who donated some training materials to the faculty, urged the administrators of the faculty to develop a program that will enable the students to interact with the community so as to share God's love.

Dr Rajarathinam who flew in from the USA with his parents and family members to attend the commissioning ceremony, said him and his family were driven by ‘great faith ‘to donate and dedicated the complex with no bias to anybody.

A third year student of theology, Gershom Ndoriyobinjjya said there were about 700 students in the faculty, including the regular students, those who study in the evening and the in-service ones.

Ndoriyobijjya said the faculty of theology did not have its own classrooms forcing him and other theology students to endure uncomfortable studying conditions by sharing classrooms with other courses.