Izithunywa Zevangeli Amanxusa Okukhanya Noma Obumnyama?— Ingxenye 4
Ukukhanya Okungokomoya “EZwekazini Elimnyama”?
“EMINYAKENI engaphansi kweyikhulu edlule, i-Afrika yayibizwa ngokuthi iZwekazi Elimnyama ngenxa yokuthi abaseYurophu babengayazi ingxenye yayo enkulu.” Lokho i-World Book Encyclopedia ebhekisela kukho lapha kwakungebona ubumnyama base-Afrika, kodwa, kunalokho, kwakuwubumnyama baseYurophu—ukungabi nalwazi kweYurophu ngezwekazi elalingahloliwe. Ngakho akukhona ukuziphikisa ukuthi elithi Afrika ngokunokwenzeka livela egameni lesiLatini elithi aprica, elisho “ukukhanya.”
Nakuba kunjalo, i-Afrika yayisebumnyameni esicini esisodwa—iqiniso leBhayibheli. UDonald Coggan, owayenguMbhishobhi Omkhulu waseCanterbury, ubiza i-Afrika ne-Asia ngokuthi “amazwekazi amabili lapho amaSonto aseNtshonalanga aye afaka khona umcebo wawo ongabantu nemali cishe kuyo yonke iminyaka engamakhulu amabili.”
Ngokungangabazeki izithunywa zevangeli eziningi zeLobukholwa zaziqotho. Ngenxa yokuphishekela umsebenzi wazo, ezinye zadela ngisho nokuphila kwazo. Ithonya lazo ekuphileni kwase-Afrika lalilikhulu ngempela. Kodwa ingabe ‘zaletha ukukhanya ngevangeli,’ njengoba kwenza uKristu, ngaleyondlela ziqeda ubumnyama obungokomoya beZwekazi Elimnyama?—2 Thimothewu 1:10.
Izithunywa Zevangeli Zabomdabu Ziletha Inhlansi Yokuqala Yokukhanya
UmKristu wokuqala emlandweni owashumayela e-Afrika wayengumAfrika, umthenwa waseTopiya okukhulunywa ngaye eBhayibhelini kuzEnzo isahluko 8. Njengoba ayeyiproselithe elingumJuda, wayelibangise ekhaya evela ukuyokhuleka ethempelini eJerusalema lapho uFiliphu emguqulela ebuKristwini. Ngokungangabazeki, ngokuvumelana nentshiseko yamaKristu okuqala, lomTopiya kamuva walishumayela ngentshiseko ivangeli ayelizwile, eba isithunywa sevangeli ezweni lakubo.
Nokho, izazimlando azivumelani ngokuthi lena kwakuyindlela ubuKristu obasunguleka ngayo eTopiya noma cha. Kubonakala sengathi iSonto Lobu-Orthodox laseTopiya lasungulwa emuva ekhulwini lesine, lapho umfundi wefilosofi waseSiriya okuthiwa uFrumentius egcotshwa njengombhishobhi “wamaKristu” aseTopiya ngu-Athanasius, umbhishobhi weSonto LamaCopt lase-Alexandria.
ISonto LamaCopt—elithi Copt livela egameni lesiGreki elisho “umGibithe”—lithi umsunguli nombhishobhi walo wokuqala kwakunguMarku uMvangeli. Ngokwenganekwane, washumayela eGibithe ngaphambi nje kwengxenye yekhulu lokuqala. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yikuphi, “ubuKristu” basakazekela eNyakatho Afrika kudala, lapho kusavelele amadoda anjengo-Origen no-Augustine. Isikole sokufundisa abaguqukele ebuKristwini sase-Alexandria, eGibithe, saba isikhungo esidumile semfundo “yobuKristu” esasinoPantaenus njengomongameli waso wokuqala. Kodwa ngesikhathi sowalandela uPantaenus esikhundleni, uClement wase-Alexandria, ngokusobala ukuhlubuka kwase kunegalelo elibi. I-Encyclopedia of Religion yembula ukuthi uClement “wasekela ukuba imfundiso yobuKristu neBhayibheli kuvunyelaniswe nefilosofi yamaGreki.”
ISonto LamaCopt laphuma umkhankaso omkhulu wobuthunywa bevangeli, ikakhulukazi empumalanga yeLibya. Imivubukulo eNubia naseningizimu yeSudan nayo yembula ithonya lamaCopt.
Ukufika Kwezithunywa Zevangeli ZaseYurophu
AbaseYurophu abawenzanga umsebenzi wobuthunywa bevangeli e-Afrika ngaphambi kwekhulu le-16 kuya kwele-18, kuyilapho amaKatolika ayephumelela ngandlela-thile. Izinkolo zobuProthestani azizange zifike kwaze kwaba sekuqaleni kwekhulu le-19, lapho iSierra Leone iba izwe lokuqala laseNtshonalanga Afrika izithunywa zevangeli ezalifinyelela. Nakuba amaProthestani azama kanzima ukulingana namaKatolika, namuhla, ngaphandle kwamazwe ambalwa, wonke amazwe ase-Afrika “anamaKristu” amaningi angamaKatolika kunamaProthestani.
Ngokwesibonelo, iGabon inabantu abangamaphesenti angu-96 abangamaKristu ngegama nje. Ngaphambi nje kweMpi Yezwe I, u-Albert Schweitzer, umLuthela, wamisa lapho isibhedlela sezithunywa zevangeli futhi kamuva wanezela ikoloni labanochoko. Naphezu kwethonya elikhulu umsebenzi wakhe njengesithunywa sevangeli sobuProthestani iminyaka engu-40 nangaphezulu owaba nalo kulelizwe, amaKatolika asadlula amaProthestani ngabantu abangaphezu kwabathathu koyedwa.
Nokho, ngokuzibandakanya kwamaProthestani okwandayo, umsebenzi wobuthunywa bevangeli e-Afrika waba nomfutho. U-Adrian Hastings wase-University of Leeds uchaza ukuthi “ifa elibalulekile lalenkathi [ingxenye yesibili yekhulu le-19] kwakuyisiqalo esiphawulekayo sokuhumushela iBhayibheli ezilimini zase-Afrika eziyindathane.”
AmaBhayibheli ezilimi zabomdabu anikeza isisekelo sokusakaza “ubuKristu,” esasintuleka ngaphambili. Abantu base-Afrika abaningi babekholelwa emaphusheni nasemibonweni, bethi ukugula kubangelwa ubuthakathi, futhi benesithembu. Ukuba neBhayibheli ngezilimi zabomdabu kwanikeza izithunywa zevangeli zeLobukholwa ithuba lokunikeza ukukhanya okungokomBhalo kulezizindaba. Nokho, ngokukaHastings, “aboMdabu babevame ukungagculiseki ngalezizindaba.” Waba yini umphumela? “Kusukela ekupheleni kwekhulu leshumi nesishiyagalolunye kwaqala ukuvela kwamasonto amaningi azimele, okokuqala eNingizimu Afrika naseNigeria, kamuva nasezingxenyeni eziningi zalelizwekazi lapho kwase kunezithunywa zevangeli eziningi khona.”
Eqinisweni, namuhla kunezinhlangano ezingokwenkolo ezintsha ezingaba ngu-7 000 ezinabalandeli abangaphezu kuka-32 000 000 eningizimu yeSahara e-Afrika. Ngokwe-Encyclopedia of Religion, “lezizinhlangano ziye zavela kakhulu ezindaweni lapho kuye kwaba khona imizamo emikhulu yezithunywa zevangeli ezingamaKristu.” Ngokusobala lezizithunywa zevangeli zehluleka ukuhlanganisa abantu ezibaguqulile ‘eNkosini eyodwa, okholweni olulodwa, obhapathizweni olulodwa’ esakhuluma ngakho isithunywa sevangeli esinguPawulu.—Efesu 4:5.
Ngani? Umthombo okukhulunywe ngawo ngenhla uchaza ukuthi kwakungenxa “yokudumala kwabantu bendawo abaguqukile ngezindawo nangemiphumela yobuKristu . . . , ukuhlukana okusobala kwamahlelo obuKristu nokwehluleka kwabo ukuhlangabezana nezidingo zendawo nokwehluleka kwezithunywa zevangeli zobuKristu ukudiliza imingcele yezenhlalo namasiko futhi zidale umoya wokuzwana.”
Kwakukuncane kakhulu “ukukhanya” okungokomoya okwalethwa izithunywa zevangeli zeLobukholwa “eZwekazini Elimnyama.” Ngakho-ke kwakubuthakathaka kakhulu ukuba kungaqeda ubumnyama bokuntula ulwazi lweBhayibheli.
Amanxusa Okwenziwa Kwamakoloni?
Naphezu kweqiniso lokuthi ezinye izithunywa zevangeli zeLobukholwa zafeza okuhle, i-Encyclopedia of Religion iphoqeleleka ukuba ivume: “Izithunywa zevangeli zasekela, futhi zagqugquzela ukusungulwa kwamakoloni, kangangokuba ubuKristu nokunqotshwa kwamakoloni kwakungase kubonakale kumqondo munye ngezinye izikhathi. Ngezizathu ezithile ezinhle, ukulwisana nokwenziwa kwamakoloni kwanamuhla ngokuvamile kuye kwabiza ubuKristu e-Afrika ngokuthi umngane wokwenziwa kwamakoloni.”
I-Collins Atlas of World History inikeza ukuqonda lapho ichaza ukuthi izizwe zaseNtshonalanga zazishukunyiswa ukuqiniseka ngokuthi “ukwenziwa kwamakoloni kwakuzoletha ukukhanya kwengqondo, izimiso zentando yeningi nezinzuzo zesayensi nemithi yokwelapha kulezozizwe eziphakathi nezwe okwakucatshangwa ukuthi aziphucukile.” Futhi i-New Encyclopædia Britannica ithi: “Kuye kwaba nzima ukuba izithunywa zevangeli ezingamaRoma Katolika zizihlukanise nokwenziwa kwamakoloni, futhi eziningi azizange zithande ukuzihlukanisa.”
Khona-ke, ngokuzwakalayo, ngokwezinga izithunywa zevangeli zeLobukholwa ezasekela ngalo intando yeningi futhi zadumisa izinzuzo zentuthuko yaseNtshonalanga yesayensi nemithi yokwelapha, zabonakala zingamanxusa okwenziwa kwamakoloni. Lapho abantu bengasazithandi izimiso zemibuso yamakoloni zezomnotho, zezombangazwe, nezenhlalo, baphelelwa nawukholo ezinkolweni zaseYurophu.
Ukushumayela—Kwakuza Kuqala?
Njalo lapho kukhulunywa ngezithunywa zevangeli ezingamaProthestani e-Afrika, ngokuvamile kuthintwa igama likaDavid Livingstone. Njengoba azalelwa eScotland ngo-1813, waba isithunywa sevangeli sezokwelapha futhi wahamba kabanzi kulo lonke elase-Afrika. Ukulithanda kwakhe ngokujulile “iZwekazi Elimnyama” nenjabulo yokuthola izinto ezintsha kwaba isikhuthazo esengeziwe. I-New Encyclopædia Britannica ibiza “ubuKristu, ezentengiselwano, nempucuko” ngokuthi “izindlela ezintathu ayekholelwa ukuthi zazimiselwe ukuvula i-Afrika.”
Kuningi okwafezwa uLivingstone. Nokho, okwakuza kuqala kuye ngokusobala kwakungekhona ukushumayela ivangeli. I-Britannica ifingqa umsebenzi wakhe njengesithunywa sevangeli iminyaka engu-30 “e-Afrika eseningizimu, emaphakathi, nesempumalanga—ngokuvamile ezindaweni lapho abaseYurophu babengakaze balubhade khona ngaphambili” ngalendlela: “Kungenzeka ukuthi uLivingstone wathonya izimo zengqondo zaseNtshonalanga nge-Afrika ukwedlula noma yimuphi omunye umuntu ngaphambi noma ngemva kwakhe. Izinto azithola—zokuma kwezwe, zobuchwepheshe, zezokwelapha, nezenhlalo—zanikeza ulwazi oluyinkimbinkimbi olusahlolwa. . . . ULivingstone wayekholelwa ngenhliziyo yonke emandleni e-Afrika okuthuthukela ekubeni izwe lesimanje. Ngalendlela, wayengeyona kuphela ingqalabutho yobukhosi baseYurophu e-Afrika kodwa futhi neyobuzwe base-Afrika.” ULivingstone wayenesihawu esikhulu ngabantu base-Afrika.
Nakuba ezinye izithunywa zevangeli zasekela noma okungenani zabekezelela ukuhweba ngezigqila, kungaba okungalungile ukuzimangalela ngokuthi zakwenza lokho njengeqembu. Kodwa uma kucatshangelwa isikhathi esidlule, kunzima ukunquma ukuthi isihawu esaboniswa iningi lazo sasishukunyiswa isifiso sokusekela izindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu zokungakhethi nokulingana noma sasishukunyiswa ikakhulukazi imizwa evamile yokukhathalela komuntu siqu inhlalakahle yabantu ngabanye.
Nokho, lokhu kwamuva kwakuyovumelana nezinto eziza kuqala ezabekwa iningi lezithunywa zevangeli. Incwadi ethi Christianity in Africa as Seen by Africans iyavuma ukuthi akekho umuntu “ongafinyelela umbhalo wazo ogciniwe wokuthuthukisa ezenhlalakahle.” Kodwa ukwakha izibhedlela nezikole kwakusho ukubeka phambili izidingo zabantu ezingokomzimba kunokushumayela iZwi likaNkulunkulu ngenjongo yokuphishekela izithakazelo zaphezulu. Ezinye izithunywa zevangeli zaze zamisa ngisho nezikhungo zezohwebo ukuze abantu base-Afrika bakwazi ukujabulela izinto ezibonakalayo ezengeziwe zaseYurophu, ngaleyondlela benze ngcono isimo sabo sokuphila.
Ngokuqondakalayo, namuhla abantu abaningi base-Afrika bayabonga ngezinzuzo zezinto ezibonakalayo izithunywa zevangeli zeLobukholwa ezazenza zatholakala. Njengoba u-Adrian Hastings ephawula: “Nakuba bezigxeka kakhulu izithunywa zevangeli namasonto, abaholi bezombangazwe base-Afrika bayayibonga ingxenye ezaba nayo emfundweni yasesekhondari.”
‘Uma Ukukhanya Okukini Kungubumnyama . . .’
NgokukaHastings, kuze kube semakhulwini eminyaka amuva nje i-Afrika “yayiyizwekazi ubuKristu obehluleka ukwenza intuthuko ehlala njalo kulo.” Eqinisweni, phakathi nekhulu le-18, umsebenzi wezithunywa zevangeli ezingamaKatolika wawusucishe waphela ngokuphelele, okwenza umlobi uJ. Herbert Kane abuze imbangela “yokwehluleka okukhulu kangaka.” Phakathi kokunye, zaziziningi izithunywa zevangeli ezazifa. Esinye isici kwakuwukuhileleka kwePortugal ekuhwebeni ngezigqila. Njengoba zonke izithunywa zevangeli zamaKatolika zazingamaPutukezi, lokhu “kwanikeza umfanekiso omubi ngobuKristu.” Kodwa “okufaneleke kakhulu, futhi mhlawumbe okunamandla kakhulu,” kunezela uKane, “kwakuyizindlela ezishwampuluzayo zezithunywa zevangeli, ezaphumela ‘ekuguquleni’ nasekubhapathizeni ngokuphamazela abantu abaningi.”
Izithunywa zevangeli zeLobukholwa zehluleka ukushukumisa abantu base-Afrika ukuba basebenzise izimfundiso zazo esikhundleni sezinkolo zabo. Ukuguquka kwakusho ukushintsha amagama angokwenkolo, kodwa hhayi izinkolelo nokuziphatha. U-Eleanor M. Preston-Whyte wase-University of Natal uyaphawula: “Imibono yemfundiso yendabuko yamaZulu iye yahlanganiswa yaba umbono wamaKristu angamaZulu ngezindlela eziningi zobuqili.” Futhi uBennetta Jules-Rosette wase-University of California eSan Diego uthi izinkolo zanamuhla zase-Afrika “zihlanganisa izici zenkolo yaboMdabu engokwesiko nalezo zezinkolo ezintsha, ubuKristu nobuSulumane.”
NgokweHubo 119:130, “ukwambulwa kwamazwi akho [kaNkulunkulu] kuyakhanyisa, yebo, kuyabaqondisa abangenalwazi.” Njengoba eziningi izithunywa zevangeli zeLobukholwa zehluleka ukubeka kuqala ukwembula iZwi likaNkulunkulu, yikuphi ukukhanya ezazingakuletha? Abangenalwazi bahlala bengenakuqonda.
“Ukukhanya” okwalethwa izithunywa zevangeli zeLobukholwa emakhulwini eminyaka adlule, ‘imisebenzi yazo emihle,’ yayivela ezweni elisebumnyameni. Naphezu kokuzisholo kwazo, zazingakhiphi ukukhanya kweqiniso. UJesu wathi: “Ngakho uma ukukhanya okukuwe kungubumnyama, ubumnyama bukhulu kangakanani.”—Mathewu 6:23.
Ngalesosikhathi, zaziqhubeka kanjani izithunywa zevangeli eNyakatho naseNingizimu Melika, eZweni Elisha? Ingxenye yesihlanu yochungechunge lwethu izophendula.
From the book Die Heiligkeit der Gesellschaft Jesu
[Isithombe ekhasini 25]
Ngenxa yokuphishekela umsebenzi wazo, ezinye izithunywa zevangeli zadela ngisho nokuphila kwazo
[Isithombe ekhasini 26]
Izithunywa zevangeli zeLobukholwa, njengoLivingstone, azizange ziwubeke kuqala ngaso sonke isikhathi umsebenzi wokushumayela
[Umthombo]
From the book Geschichte des Christentums