Inkinga Engokwenkolo YaseNingizimu Afrika
Ngumlobeli wePhaphama! eNingizimu Afrika
ININGIZIMU AFRIKA iyizwe elivelele ngokwenkolo. Inani lababa khona emasontweni liphakeme. IBhayibheli litholakala ngazo zonke izilimi eziyinhloko zaseNingizimu Afrika futhi liyafundwa emakhaya amaningi. Nokho, lelizwe liye laba inkundla yemibango yezinhlanga nobudlova. Ungase ubuze: ‘Kungani amasonto engakwazanga ukulondoloza uthando lobuKristu nobunye?’
Inkinga iyakhula uma uhlola umlando wamuva. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi kuya kucaca ngokudabukisayo ukuthi ngempela inkolo nayo inecala elikhulu lombango walelizwe. Ukuze uqonde ukuthi kungani, cabangela indlela isimo senkolo saseNingizimu Afrika esathuthuka ngayo.
Ngo-1652 amaProthestani angamaDashi aqala amisa izindawo ezihlala njalo endaweni esemaphethelweni eNingizimu yeAfrika. Inzalo yawo namuhla ikhuluma isiBhunu, ulimi oluqhamuka kusiDashi. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, amasonto amaDashi ahlukana aba amasonto amaningi akhiwe kabusha, elikhulu kunawo wonke iDutch Reformed, noma iSonto iDR (Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk). Abantu abangaphezu kwengxenye yesithathu yenani labantu besizwe esimhlophe bangamalungu eSonto iDR.
AmaNgisi nawo athutheleka eNingizimu Afrika. Amaningi ayesonta eSheshi, lawo kamuva ahlukana aba yilokho okubizwa ngokuthi iSonto Eliphakeme neSonto Eliphansi. Amanye ayengamaWeseli, amaHabe, namaCongregationalist. Ngokufanayo, izakhamuzi zaseJalimane zaqalisa iSonto lamaLuthela. INingizimu Afrika yaba isizinda sobuProthestani, okwaphumela ekuguqulweni kwezigidi zabaNsundu. Namuhla amaphesenti angama-77 ezakhamuzi zaseNingizimu Afrika azisholo ukuthi angamaKristu—abangaphansi kwamaphesenti ayi-10 bangamaKatolika.
Nokho, ubuProthestani baseNingizimu Afrika buyaqhubeka buhlukana. Abamhlophe abaningi baye bashiya amasonto amakhulu futhi baye bangenela izinhlangano zokuzalwa ngokusha. Ngokufanayo, abansundu abaningi baye basungula uhlobo lwaseAfrika lobuKristu bokuzisholo. “Amasonto azimele anjalo angase abe yizi-4 000 eNingizimu Afrika iyodwa,” kubika umagazini iLeadership.
Amasonto obuProthestani angokwesiko abhekene nenye inkinga. Njengoba imihlambi yawo incipha, nokusekela okungokwezimali nakho kuyancipha. Okwenza izinto zibe zimbi kakhulu, ukuthi labo abasalayo bahlukene kakhulu ngenxa yamasonto abo agcwele izinkinga zobuhlanga. Lapho amanye amalungu efuna ukuba isonto lawo lisekele izinyathelo ezinqala zokuqeda ubandlululo, amanye afuna ukuba isonto lawo livumele ubandlululo. Kulamaqembu afuna izinguquko, amalungu ahlukene ngokwezinga isonto lawo okumelwe lifinyelele kulo ekuthuthukiseni ubunye nokulingana kwezinhlanga.
“Ngiyakucasukela ukutshelwa ukuthi kumelwe ngihambe ngibambe izandla zabantu engingabazi futhi ngenze sengathi nginomuzwa wothando lobuzalwane ngabantu abangelona uhlobo lwami,” kwasho omunye wesonto laseSheshi ngokuqondene namalungiselelo enkonzo exuba izinhlanga. Futhi abaningi abamhlophe bayakucasukela ukuzigaxa kwezombangazwe kombhishobhi wabo omkhulu onsundu, uDesmond Tutu.
Ngakho umbiko woMkhandlu Wokuhlola Isayensi Yomuntu waseNingizimu Afrika waxwayisa ngokuthi inkolo “ngokuvamile ifeza indima ehlukanisayo nebhubhisayo” kanye “nethemba elingathandeki labalandeli besiko elingokwenkolo elifanayo bebhekene omunye nomunye ezinkanjini eziphikisanayo.” Ngempela, njengoba sizobona, ubuProthestani baseNingizimu Afrika buye baba nengxenye enamandla ekuqhubeleni phambili inzondo yezinhlanga.