Tuesday, January 27, 2026

It is the 27th of January 2026. Welcome to the Christian History Almanac, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org; I’m Dan van Voorhis.

In my coming speaking engagements I will be spending time talking about the history of the church and the last century- a quarter into this one, we look back at the big stories- and the more I read, the more I believe one of the key stories in church history in the 20th century is the great migration of the church from the Northern Hemisphere to the Southern Hemisphere. Consider this statistic: in 1900, 82% of Christians lived in the north- primarily Western Europe and North America. By 2000, that number flipped, with a majority of 67% of Christians living in the south-by-and-large in South America and Africa. In Africa, there are more Christians than in any other continent.  

Its story is one of ancient origins- Egypt and Alexandria, Augustine and Origen. But it is also a modern story with many of the churches and Christians tracing their origins to 19th century missions. Today, we remember the last of the Ugandan martyrs- John Mary Kiwanuka Museeyi, who was put to death for his faith on this, the 27th of January in 1887.

Uganda- historically part of the kingdom of Buganda- is today 80% Christian, a far cry from the 19th century when it had long been cut off from any outsiders and only practiced indigenous religions. It was in the second half of the 19th century that the King of Buganda, Kabaka Mateesa, opened trade routes through his country. This first brought Muslim traders and holy men, and many in the court of the King took to Islam. While it would not stick (today the Muslim population is about 13%), it did introduce monotheism, which would help pave the way for Christian missionaries.

It was the American explorer Henry Morton Stanley who made contact with Mateesa and suggested a role for Christian missionaries. This led to a famous article in a London newspaper asking for Missionaries to come to the East African kingdom on Lake Victoria.

It was the Anglicans and Catholics who sent the first missionaries in the 1870s- as was often the case in this era, they would fight for position, accusing the others of sabotaging their cause. The Scottish Protestant Alexander Mackay would bring a printing press and spread literature that both defended Christianity and argued against Islam. Ultimately, the Catholic missionaries left in 1882, although there were still converts in the kingdom.

In 1884, with the death of Mateesa, his 18-year-old son, Mwanga II, came to the throne. He was bitterly opposed to the missionaries and killed the British Bishop James Harrington in October of 1885. This persecution led to a flowering of new conversions- among them: the man we call John Mary Kiwanuka Museeyi. He had been kidnapped as a child and sold into slavery to the king. As a page, he converted to Islam before his attraction to the Christian message. With the news of the murder of the Bishop, Museeyi presented himself for baptism. He wanted to join the mission but was told it was too dangerous- instead, he took to the nearby forests, where he took in boys who wanted to learn the faith. He would also use whatever funds he had available to ransom slave boys to join their outlaw crew of Christians in hiding.

After a flurry of killings, the king Mwasa II promised to abate. Museeyi heard the promises but was unconvinced. He decided to make himself the test case before any of his fellow Christians came out of hiding. And so, it was on this, the 27th of January in 1887, that the man who took the name John Mary Kiwanuka Museeyi went to the court of the king to announce himself a Christian. Upon his profession, the king flew into a rage and had the man beheaded on the spot- his body wrapped in banana leaves and dumped in a swamp.

Little would the king now that the news of these Martyrs- from the Bishop to the indigenous converts- would lead to a growing of the Christian faith- even to the point of uniting the Anglican and Catholics recognizing each others martyrs as the faithful seedbed of a flowering church today in Uganda- we remember the last Ugandan martyr (of this era): John Mary Kiwanuka Museeyi on the anniversary of his death in 1887.

The Last word for today comes from the daily lectionary and a good word from Philippians 2:

12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. 

This has been the Christian History Almanac for the 27th of January 2026, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org.

The show is produced by a man who wonders whatever happened to Kony? That was Uganda… a mystery… he is Christopher Gillespie

The show is written and read by a man who will, very, very tentatively be rooting for Sam Darnold… with reservations… I’m Dan van Voorhis

You can catch us here every day- and remember that the rumors of grace, forgiveness, and the redemption of all things are true…. Everything is going to be ok.