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Archbishop Rev Joseph Kiwanuka warns Kabaka of Buganda on Political involvement

For those reasons, rulers who really concern themselves with religion, those who set an example to their neighbour by their practice of religion are those who would really be useful to the country, they are the ones who deserve to be elected. Therefore, all those who suggest throwing all religion out of politics, those who strive to withdraw denominational schools and to change them into state schools, those who say they do not care about religion, are dangerous to our country, Buganda and Uganda, because they want to take away from us an indispensable element of good government: that is, religion.

Let the Church and the State work together in harmony, but do not let us have a government which, hates and shuts itself off from religion.

Let Church and State help one another in harmony

God himself made and established these two authorities and commands all men to obey both powers. Doing this, God did not intend to embarrass His creaures by commanding obedience to two rulers. It is true that both authorities, religion and State, govern the same people, but they can do this in harmony: It is their duty to do so. On this point, pope Leo XIII writes: “Each of these two powers has authority over the same subjects and as it might come to pass that one and the same thing might belong to the jurisdiction of both, therefore God, who foresees all things and is the author of these two powers, has marked out the course of each in right connection with the other.” If each authority follows the order set up by God, there is no trouble whatsoever.

But what is this Order?

The teaching of the Church to her people has always been: “In all temporal matters in which no religious principle is involved, the State is supreme. The Church does not merely say this but goes further and defends the State and promotes its rights. See what the Pope says to his brother Bishops: “Lord Bishops, instruct your people very often on their duty to keep away from forbidden societies and not to mix with rebels who plot against the State and breed sedition.

Instruct your people to obey the civil authorities placed over them by God, and insist on the fact that those who submit to just laws and obey their legitimate rulers in what is right, are achieving something excellent”. (Diuturnum illud, Leo XIII). It is clear that the Church recognises the authority of the State and its rights, and she does not interfere with them, nay more she helps the State in its duties. The same duty applies to the State: It has the duty to recognise that in religious and moral matters, the Church is also supreme and independent in the government of her own affairs.

The Holy Father explains it this way: “The Church is a society responsible exclusively to God who established her and gave her full authority in all which she needs to attain her end. Her Founder has placed in her whatever is needed to stand firm and to fulfill her duties. The jurisdiction of the Church over man is much higher in dignity than that of the State, since the Church, works in the super natural order for the eternal welfare of souls. The State works in the natural order for the temporal welfare of its citizens.

Therefore, the authority of the Church is far above that of the State. The authority of the Church must have precedence over that of the State; no one can say, that the Church can be subject to the State in the fulfillment of her duties. Jesus Christ gave his Church all the authority she needs, absolutely all, in religious and moral matters, to make laws, to exercise her judicial power and the authority to punish”. (Immortale Dei, 5)

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