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Periodical article | Leiden University catalogue | WorldCat |
Title: | Bishop Alfred Robert Tucker of Uganda: a defender of colonialism or democracy? |
Author: | Byaruhanga, Christopher |
Year: | 2003 |
Periodical: | Uganda Journal (ISSN 0041-574X) |
Volume: | 49 |
Period: | December |
Pages: | 1-7 |
Language: | English |
Notes: | biblio. refs. |
Geographic terms: | Uganda Great Britain East Africa |
Subjects: | bishops missionary history colonialism protectorates Biography, Obituaries Tucker, Alfred Robert, 1849-1914 biography imperialism Christianity history |
About person: | Alfred Robert Tucker (1849-1914) |
Abstract: | Alfred Robert Tucker (1849-1914) was the third Bishop of Eastern Equatorial Africa and the first Bishop of Uganda from 1897 to 1911. Tucker's vision for Uganda has placed him in two camps: a defender of colonialism and at the same time a defender of democracy. When Tucker arrived at the headquarters of the Church Missionary Society (CMS) at Mengo in December 1890, he found Uganda in a state of semi-war, Christian forces struggling with Muslim fighters. Tucker was eager to obtain protection from the Imperial British East Africa Company against the attacks of the Muslim fighters, but due to a lack of money, the Company's directors decided to withdraw temporarily from Uganda in December 1891. It was through Tucker's efforts in arousing public opinion and collecting money that the Company's withdrawal from Uganda could be postponed for a year. Subsequently, he devoted all his efforts to ensuring that Uganda was no longer governed through the intermediary of the Company. This resulted in the decision of the British government, in April 1894, to make Uganda a full protectorate of the British Crown. Now Tucker decided to organize the growing local congregation of the Church of England into a Native Anglican Church that was independent of the Church of England. His next step was the drawing up of a Constitution of the Native Anglican Church in the conviction that Ugandan Christians and missionaries should have equal status. Under this Constitution, Church members were to elect their representatives to the Synod. In this way, Tucker helped indigenous people to discover their innate voting powers. Bibliogr. [ASC Leiden abstract] |