Bishop David Zac Niringiye (PhD)
David Zac Niringiye is a bishop in the Church of Uganda (Anglican); a scholar-practitioner theologian of national and international repute; and a peace and social justice activist. He is currently an Academic Visitor at Wycliffe Hall, University of Oxford, a Research Associate of the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies (OCMS), and an Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for the Study of African Realities, Africa International University.
Over the last two decades, Bishop Niringiye’s passion and commitment to the Gospel have spurred him to champion the cause of social justice and good governance. In his home country of Uganda, he has been a foremost leader in the fight against rampant corruption and authoritarian rule; advocating for quality public education and healthcare; and, peace and national reconciliation. In recognition of Bishop Niringiye’s leadership, the Uganda Joint Christian Council (an umbrella organization of the Roman Catholic, Church of Uganda, and Orthodox Churches in Uganda – representing about 80% of Uganda), assigned him (June 2006) to chair the Task Force for Northern Uganda – an advocacy initiative for the humanitarian crisis in Northern Uganda and working for peaceful resolution to the conflict.
Bishop Niringiye was one of 13 Ugandans who were given the Peace Award by the National Platform for Peace Building and Conflict Prevention of the Office of the Prime Minister of Uganda, in September 2010. He is also an awardee of the Olive Branch Peace Award (awarded to leaders who have demonstrated exceptional skill, commitment, and results in mediation of complex local and international disputes), by the Uganda Muslim Youth Development Forum, Kampala, in collaboration with the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Bishop Niringiye holds a Bachelor of Science Physics degree (Honours) and a teaching Diploma from Makerere University; a Master’s degree in Theological Studies from Wheaton College, USA; a PhD in Theology and Mission History from Edinburgh University, Scotland UK; and an Honorary Doctor of Divinity from Trinity Western University, Langley BC Canada.
Among Dr Niringiye’s publications are: The Church: God’s Pilgrim People (Carlisle, UK: Langham Global Library, 2014) and The Church in the World: A Historical-Ecclesiological Study of the Church of Uganda with Particular Reference to Post-Independence Uganda, 1962-1992 (Carlisle, Cumbria UK: Langham Monographs, 2016) as well as several papers in journals and chapters in books.