Isonto LamaGreki Lobu-Orthodox—Inkolo Ehlukene
NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! EGREECE
KUBANTU abaqotho abathanda uNkulunkulu neqiniso nabakuhlonipha ngokujulile ukukhulekelwa kwakhe, isimo samanje eSontweni LamaGreki Lobu-Orthodox eGreece siyashaqisa ngempela. Ukuntuleka okudabukisayo kobunye, ukungqubuzana okunobudlova phakathi kwamahlelo esonto alwayo, igagasi lamahlazo okuziphatha, nokuhluleka ukunikeza isiqondiso esingokomoya kwenkolo—ezichaza ngokuthi “iwukuphela kwesonto leqiniso likaNkulunkulu”—kudumaza futhi kunenge amaGreki amaningi.
Lesi simo siyabakhungathekisa, sibathukuthelise ngisho nokubathukuthelisa abantu abavamile. Uprofesa othile waseyunivesithi, ebhala ephephandabeni laseGreece eliphambili, uyakhononda: “ISonto LaseGreece lihlukaniswa inhlekelele enkulu nehlala isikhathi eside kakhulu, eyenza ukuba igunya [lesonto] lingabazeke futhi ewohloza ukubaluleka okungokwemvelo kokuhlelwa kwalo. Ngeshwa umonakalo uyaqhubeka.”
Saqala kanjani lesi simo? Ingabe ubuhlobo obuseduze obujatshulelwa iSonto LamaGreki Lobu-Orthodox noHulumeni buye bazuzisa ngempela? Liyini ikusasa lalobu buhlobo beSonto noHulumeni? Ikuphi okunye ukukhetha abangakwenza abantu abafuna ibandla likaKristu leqiniso, elinobunye? Ake sihlole amaqiniso futhi sibone ukuthi iBhayibheli lithini ngalendaba.
Ukulwela Amandla
Lapho umbuso wobushiqela wezempi ubusa eGreece phakathi kuka-1967-74, wawugxambukela ezindabeni zeSonto LamaGreki Lobu-Orthodox ukuze uqinise amandla awo. Lapho uzama ukuthatha wonke amandla okubusa, lombuso wezempi wachitha iSigungu Esingcwele esasikhethwe ngaphambili—okuyindikimba ephethe ephakeme kunazo zonke yeSonto LamaGreki Lobu-Orthodox—futhi wamisa isigungu sawo, okwathiwa samiswa “ngokufanele.” Lapho kubuyiselwa umbuso wentando yeningi ngo-1974, indikimba yesonto ephethe yaphinde yakhethwa ngokuvumelana nesimiso salo esigunyaziwe. Ngenxa yalokho, ababhishobhi ababeyingxenye yesigungu esasikhethwe umbuso bagudluzwa futhi izikhundla zabo zathathwa abanye.
Nokho, umthetho kahulumeni owashaywa ngo-1990 wanikeza ababhishobhi abaxoshwa ilungelo lokufuna izikhundla zabo ngokufaka isikhalo ezinkantolo ezivamile futhi ekugcineni enkantolo ephethe ephakeme kunazo zonke, uMkhandlu KaHulumeni. Abathathu kulabo befundisi benza lokho kanye, futhi ekugcineni abathetha amacala abo. Ngenxa yalokho, namuhla izifunda zababhishobi ezintathu ezihlukene zobu-Orthodox eGreece ngasinye sinababhishobhi ababili—oyedwa oqashelwa ngokomthetho iSonto LamaGreki Lobu-Orthodox kuphela nomunye owamukelwa ngokomthetho uMkhandlu KaHulumeni.
“AmaKristu Alwayo”
Ababhishobhi ababegudluziwe ngaphambili sebezitholile futhi izikhundla zabo, futhi benqaba ngokuqinile ukuqaphela ukuba khona kwalaba abanye ababhishobhi abagcotshwe isonto elingokomthetho. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngamunye wabo uneqembu elikhulu “labashisekeli benkolo” abangabalandeli—njengoba iphephandaba elithile labachaza kanjalo—abakuveza ngentshiseko ukusekela kwabo inkambo yombhishobhi wabo. Ngakho lesi simo sabangela ukusabela okushubile njengoba ithelevishini kulo lonke izwe iveza izigcawu zobudlova, iveza izixuku zalawo “maKristu alwayo” zingena emasontweni ngendlov’iyangena, ziphahlaza izithombe zenkolo, futhi zihlasela abefundisi nabantu abavamile bamahlelo ahlukile. Kulezi zimo eziningi, kwadingeka ukuba amaphoyisa odweshu alamule ukuze kube nokuthula. Izenzakalo zafinyelela emvuthwandaba ngo-October nango-November 1993 emasontweni asedolobhaneni elinothile lase-Athens iKifisia, futhi kamuva ngo-July nango-December 1994 edolobheni laseLarissa, njengoba umphakathi waseGreece washaqiswa udweshu lokushisekela inkolo.
Ukulwa okunobudlova kunakho konke kwenzeka ngo-July 28, 1994, phakathi nokubekwa esihlalweni kuka-Ignatius, umbhishobhi waseLarissa owagcotshwa iSigungu Esingcwele. Iphephandaba i-Ethnos, ngaphansi kwesihloko esikhulu ekhasini lokuqala esithi “ILarissa Iba Inkundla Yempi Ngenxa Yombhishobhi Omusha—Ukuvuselelwa KweNkathi Yobumnyama,” labika: “Igama elilodwa kuphela elifanelekayo: iNkathi Yobumnyama. Iyiphi enye indlela umuntu abengachaza ngayo zonke izinto ezenzeke izolo eLarissa, . . . ukulwa emgwaqweni, izimpi zodweshu, ukulimala ngokomzimba?”
Emasontweni athile kamuva, abaphikisi bahlasela imoto yoMbhishobh’u-Ignatius “ngemishiza yensimbi nangezinduku, ngemva kokuyijaha kanzima.” Intatheli ethile yazibuza: “Kungenzeka yini umuntu avume ukuthi abashoshozeli abahilelekile bashoshozelwa imizwa yobuKristu kuyilapho ngesikhathi esifanayo intshiseko yabo eyeqisayo ibaholela ekwenzenzi izenzo ezifana nezamaqembu ezigebengu, izenzo zobudlova ezingabangela ukufa? . . . Futhi lezi zenzo zikhuthazwa futhi zivunyelwe abaholi besonto abavelele.”
Lesi simo saba sibi nakakhulu phakathi nenkathi kaKhisimusi. Libhekisela ezenzakalweni ezidabukisayo zango-December 23-26, 1994, eLarissa, iphephandaba i-Eleftherotipia labhala: “BekunguKhisimusi ohlazisayo eLarissa, lapho ingxabano yesikhathi eside iphinde yonakalisa khona [lomkhosi]. . . . Lapho izinsimbi zamasonto zimemezela ukuzalwa kukaKristu, izinduku zamaphoyisa beziqwaqwada ‘abalungile nabangalungile.’ Udweshu, izimpi, ukuhlambalaza, nokuboshwa kwabantu kwathatha indawo yezilokotho ezinhle zikaKhisimusi egcekeni leSonto likaSaint Constantine eLarissa. . . . Ukubhikishela [u-Ignatius] ngokushesha kwaphenduka ukuchapha ngenhlamba kwase kuba ukulwa namaphoyisa. . . . Kwaphendula igceke lesonto laba inkundla yempi.”
Abantu basabela kanjani kulokhu? Indoda ethile engumOrthodox yaphawula: “Angiqondi ukuthi abantu abazibiza ngokuthi bangamaKristu bangazishoshozela kanjani izenzo ezinjalo zobudlova ngesikhathi samaholide angcwele enkolo. Ngingaya kanjani esontweni lapho ngibhekene nengozi yokushaywa lapho?” Kanti owesifazane othile ongumOrthodox oshisekayo wathi: “Sengiyesaba ukuya esontweni ngemva kwazo zonke lezi zigigaba.”
Ngaphezu kwalokho, kukhona negagasi lezambulo eziphathelene namahlazo okuziphatha ahilela iSonto LamaGreki Lobu-Orthodox. Imithombo yezindaba iye yazembula ngokuphindaphindiwe izenzakalo eziphathelene nokuwohloka kokuziphatha kwabefundisi—abapristi abangongqingili nabanukubeza abantwana, ukukhwabanisa izimali, nokuhweba okungemthetho ngezinto zobuciko zasendulo. Lokhu kwamuva kubangelwa ukuthi abefundisi abaningi bangena bengagadiwe ezindaweni zokugcina izithombe zenkolo eziyigugu nezinye izinto zobuciko eziyigugu.
Yeka ukuthi lesi simo siwephula ngokuqondile kangakanani umyalo onamandla umphostoli uPawulu awunikeza amaKristu wokuba angabi abalandeli babantu ngoba lokhu kubangela “ukungezwani” kanye ‘nokuhlukana’!—1 Korinte 1:10-13; 3:1-4.
Ukuhlobana KweSonto NoHulumeni—Kunaliphi Ikusasa?
Selokhu kwamiswa uHulumeni waseGreece, iSonto LamaGreki Lobu-Orthodox liye lajabulela isikhundla esiphakeme sokuba isonto elivelele. EGreece, ayikabi bikho into ebizwa ngokuthi ukuhlukaniswa kweSonto noHulumeni. Wona kanye uMthetho-sisekelo usekela isikhundla seSonto LamaGreki Lobu-Orthodox ‘njengenkolo ebusayo’ eGreece. Lokhu kusho ukuthi iSonto LamaGreki Lobu-Orthodox lithonya yonke imikhakha yokuphila komphakathi, kuhlanganise nokuphathwa kwawo, isimiso sokwahlulela, amaphoyisa, imfundo yomphakathi, cishe nazo zonke ezinye izici zawo. Leli thonya lesonto liye labangela ukucindezelwa nobunzima obukhulu ezinkolweni ezincane eGreece. Nakuba uMthetho-sisekelo uyivikela inkululeko engokwenkolo, noma nini lapho iqembu elincane lenkolo lizama ukulwela amalungelo alo, cishe ngazo zonke izikhathi lizithola ligaselwa ubandlululo olungokwenkolo nokuphikiswa okuye kwabangelwa yilokhu kuhlobana kweSonto noHulumeni.
Kubonakala sengathi uMthetho-sisekelo uzohlaziywa ngokuqinisekile esikhathini esizayo esiseduze, ngakho-ke isikhalo esinamandla sokuba kuhlukaniswe iSonto noHulumeni kakade sesiyezwakala. Ochwepheshe abavelele nabahlaziyi bomthetho-sisekelo waseGreece badonsela ukunakekela ezinkingeni ezibangelwa yilobu budlelwane obuseduze phakathi kweSonto noHulumeni. Babonisa ukuthi okuwukuphela kwekhambi elingaphumelela kungaba ukuhlukaniswa ngokuphelele kwalamaqembu amabili.
Okwamanje, abaholi besonto bamelene nokuhlukaniswa okunjalo okuyokwenzeka ekugcineni. Uthinta indaba ebucayi, engathinteka kabi ngenxa yalolu shintsho ekuhlobaneni kweSonto noHulumeni, umbhishobhi othile ongumOrthodox wabhala: “Ngenxa yalokho, ingabe uHulumeni uyoyeka ukuholela abefundisi? . . . Lokho kuyosho ukuthi izifunda zababhishobhi eziningi ziyosala zingenabo abapristi.”—Qhathanisa noMathewu 6:33.
Omunye umphumela wobuhlobo obuseduze phakathi kweSonto noHulumeni eGreece ukuthi umthetho waseGreece—oshayisana ngokuqondile neziqondiso ze-European Union ne-Articles of the European Convention of Human Rights, eziyisibopho iGreece engaphansi kwaso—ufuna ukuba omazisi bazo zonke izakhamuzi zaseGreece babonise ukuthi isakhamuzi ngasinye sikuyiphi inkolo. Abantu abacabangayo bamelene ngokuqinile nalokhu ngenxa yokuthi amalungu ezinkolo ezincane ngokuvamile aba izisulu zokucwaswa. Intatheli ethile yathi: “Leli qiniso cishe lingaba nemiphumela engemihle uma kuziwa emalungelweni enkolo encane okusebenzisa inkululeko yayo engokwenkolo.” Liphawula ngalokhu, iphephandaba i-Ta Nea labhala: “UHulumeni kufanele enze izinqumo zakhe futhi ashaye imithetho ngaphandle kokucabangela izindlela ezicindezelayo nokusabela kwesonto ezindabeni ezinjengokubhaliswa okuyisibopho kwenkolo yomuntu kumazisi wakhe.”
Egcizelela isidingo esiphuthumayo salokhu kuhlukaniswa, uDimitris Tsatsos, uprofesa womthetho-sisekelo futhi oyilungu lePhalamende laseYurophu, wathi: “ISonto [laseGreece] kumelwe liyeke ukulawula ukuphila kwezenhlalo, kwezombangazwe, nokwezemfundo. Indlela iSonto LamaGreki elisebenza ngayo iyacindezela. Lingumashiqela obusa isimiso sethu semfundo nomphakathi wethu.” Ngesinye isikhathi lapho kuxoxwa naye loprofesa wathi: “Leli sonto linamandla asabekayo eGreece, ngeshwa angalinganiselwe ekudleni kwalo ngoludala okunonya, kodwa aye akwazi ngisho nokuthonya umkhakha othuthukayo womphakathi waseGreece. Mina ngokwami, ngifuna ukuba iSonto lihlukaniswe noHulumeni. Ngifuna ukuba amaGreki angama-Orthodox aphathwe ngendlela efanayo futhi alingane nabalandeli bezinye izinkolo eGreece.”
AmaKristu Eqiniso Anobunye
Ngempela kunzima ukuthola uphawu lobuKristu beqiniso eSontweni LamaGreki Lobu-Orthodox. UJesu wayengahlosile ukuba kube nokuhlukana noqhekeko ebuKristwini. Lapho ethandaza kuYise, wacela ukuba abafundi bakhe “bonke babe munye.” (Johane 17:21) Futhi laba bafundi kwakumelwe ‘babe nothando phakathi kwabo,’ njengoba lolu thando luwuphawu oluhlukanisa abalandeli bakaKristu beqiniso.—Johane 13:35.
Kubonakala iSonto LamaGreki Lobu-Orthodox lingabufinyeleli ubunye. Nokho, lesi akusona isimo esivame enkolweni ehleliwe kuphela namuhla. Kunalokho, simelela ukuhlukana okusezinkolweni zeLobukholwa.
Abathandi bakaNkulunkulu abaqotho bakuthola kunzima ukuvumelanisa lesi simo esidabukisayo namazwi omphostoli uPawulu kumaKristu eqiniso kweyoku-1 Korinte 1:10: “Manje ngiyanikhuthaza, bafowethu, ngegama leNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu ukuba nonke nikhulume ngokuvumelana, nokuba kungabi nakuhlukana phakathi kwenu, kodwa ukuba nihlangane ngokufanele emqondweni ofanayo nasendleleni efanayo yokucabanga.”
Yebo, abafundi bakaJesu beqiniso bajabulela ubunye obungenakuhlukaniswa phakathi kwabo. Ngenxa yokuthi bahlanganiswa isibopho sothando lobuKristu, abanakho ukungqubuzana kwezombangazwe, kwamahlelo, noma kwezimfundiso. UJesu wachaza ngokucacile ukuthi wonke umuntu wayeyokwazi ukubona abalandeli bakhe “ngezithelo zabo,” noma imisebenzi. (Mathewu 7:16) Abanyathelisi balomagazini bakumema ukuba uhlole ‘izithelo’ zoFakazi BakaJehova, abajabulela ubunye bobuKristu beqiniso eGreece nakuzo zonke ezinye izindawo emhlabeni.
[Isithombe ekhasini 18]
Abapristi balwa namaphoyisa
[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 15]
From the book The Pictorial History of the World