Ukulobolola kwa kwa Kristendomu mu Africa

ICILOTO ca kwa Charles Lavigerie ica kusangula Algeria ‘uluko lwa Bwina Kristu’ cashininkishiwe fye ukube fyo—iciloto. Ilelo, 99 peresenti uwa bekashi ba Algeria baba baShilamu, kabili Kristendomu alinakuka mu ciputulwa cikalamba ica North Africa. Lelo ni shani pa lwa mpanga iyashala?

“UbuKristu,” e fitunga Dr. J. H. Kane, muli A Concise History of the Christian World Mission, “bwalipange nsangu ishafulilako mu Africa wa bantu bafiita ukucila muli fyonse ifyashale Fyalo Fipina ukufibika pamo.” Nangu cibe ifyo, bushe aba bapilibuka mu cine cine Bena Kristu? “Ubusanso bumo bukalamba mwi calici lya cina Africa,” e fyasumina Dr. Kane, “Bwina Kristu bwa cisenshi.” Na kabili, inumbwilo yakwe “icalici lya cina Africa” lishiwi lyalubana. Kwalibako mu cituntulu amakana ya macalici ya cina Africa, limo limo ne nshila ya liko iya kupepelamo. Mulandu nshi?

Ukutande Mbuto sha Malekano

Imbuto sha malekano shalitandilwe nangu fye pa ntanshi bamishonari tabalaenda pali ba bemba ukuya ku Africa. Ba London Missionary Society bafumishe ifilundwa ukufuma mu macalici yalekanalekana, kabili ifikansa fya kafisha mutima ifya pa fifundisho fyalimine pa kati ka bamishonari ba pa bulendo bwa kuya ku kupeelwa kwabo ukwa mulimo. Ukukansana mu kushininkisha kwali no kubipilako pa numa babe nabekala ku fifulo ifyo batuminweko.

“Bamishonari,” e fyalemba Profesa Robert Rotberg mu citabo cakwe Christian Missionaries and the Creation of Northern Rhodesia 1880-1924, “balwishenye umo no munankwe apakalamba kabili ne ntungulushi shabo isha ku fyalo fya kutali, ilingi line ku bonaushi bwa mabuyo yabo aya bukabila. . . . Bamishonari bamoneke ukupoose nshita yalinganako bukulu na maka ku kulemba ifi fikansa na intu bapoosele ku kufwayo kupwishishisha ukupilibula abantu.”

Inshita shimo, ukuumana kwa bamishonari kwafuminemo ukupangwa kwa fifulo fyalelwishanya. Ififulo fya ba Katolika na ba Protestanti mu bukatu balelwila insangu. Uku kubulwo kwikatana kumo kwine kwashininkishiwe ukubelebeshiwa pa kati ka nsangu shabo. Mu kupita kwa nshita amamilioni ya bena Africa bashile amacalici ya abo baishile no kupanga amacalici yabo abene.

“Amacalici Yalubuka aya Africa,” e fyalemba kalemba wa lyashi lya kale mishonari Dr. Kane, “yali no kusangwa ukupulinkana Africa yonse . . . Yonse pamo kwalibako amabumba yamo amakana cinelubali ayapaatukana muli ici cakaniko.” Ukucimfyanya pa kati ka bamishonari aba fisumino fipinkana tacali e ca kulenga ceka ica ici. Mu citabo cakwe The Missionaries, Geoffrey Moorhouse alondololo kuti ica kulenga na cimbi ica “kwaluka kwa bafiita” cali “kukalifiwa ku kusumbuka kwa babuuta.”

Abena Kristu Nelyo Abena Europe ba Kapaatulula ka Nkanda?

“Bamishonari,” e fisumina Dr. Kane, “bakwete imibele ya kuininikisha.” “[Ba]sumine ukuti ubutotelo bwa Bwina Kristu bulingile ukwendela pamo ne ntambi sha cina Europe no butungulushi bwa cina Europe,” e fisosa Adrian Hastings mu citabo cakwe African Christianity.

Umwina France Charles Lavigerie aali ni imo intungulushi ya bumishonari uwaikatilile kuli iyi mimwene. Umbi aali ni John Philip, kabaka wa fifulo fya ba London Missionary Society mu Africa wabela ku kapinda ka kulyo. “Bamishonari besu,” e fyo aitakishe mu 1828, “[ba]letanununa amabuseko ya bena Britain, ukusonga kwa bena Britain, no bufumu bwa cina Britain. Konse uko mishonari abika ifipimo fyakwe pa mukowa ushatumpuluka, impatila shabo kuli kamfulumende wa bumwisa shilapwa; ukushintilila kwabo pa buteko bwa bumwisa kulengilishiwako pa kupangwa kwa fifwaikwa fyaelenganishiwa; . . . imilimo yateyanishiwa, ubukwebo, no kululumuka kwa fya bulimi; kabili uwapilibuka uuli onse uwa cine cine ukufuma muli bene . . . asanguka umunabo na cibusa wa kamfulumende wa bumwisa.”

Bushe ca kupapa ukuti amakamfulumende ya mu Europe yamwene bamishonari ba musango uyo pamo nge fibombelo fya kwaafwa ku kutanununa bumwisa? Ku lubali lwabo, bamishonari balisuminishe ukucimfya kwa bamwisa pali Africa. Nga fintu babilishe pa World Missionary Conference (Ibungano lya Calo Ilya Bamishonari) ilya mu 1910 mu Edinburgh: “Kuti . . . caba icishingacitikako lyonse ukushila umupelwa wa kulekanya pa kati ka buyo bwa kwa mishonari no buyo bwa Kamfulumende.”

Batekele nge Mfumu mu Africa

Pa kutuninkisho bulashi bwabo, bamishonari bamo bashintilile pa maka ya fita fya bumwisa. Amatauni ya mu lulamba lwa bemba inshita shimo yalebongololwa ku mato yakwete minshinga aya fita fya pa menshi fya cina Britain pantu abekalamishi balikeene ukupokelela ubulashi bwa bamishonari. Mu 1898, Dennis Kemp, mishonari wa buWesleyan ku West Africa, alumbulwile “ukushininwa kwakwe ukwakosa ukwa kuti Ifita fya ku mulundu ne Fya pa Menshi ifya cina Britain fibomfiwa na Lesa ilelo ku kupwishishisha imifwaile Yakwe.”

Pa numa ya kupanga ubwikalo, bamishonari limo limo balecandila amaka ya ku calo aya mfumu sha mikowa. “Bamishonari ba London,” e fyalemba Profesa Rotberg, “libili libili babomfeshe amaka ku kusungilila ifunde lyabo ilya teokratiki. Icibombelo catemwikwa ku co balelangilako ukufulwa kwabo cali cikoti, ica kufopwelako icitali icapangwa ku mpapa ya mfubu iyapishiwa mu muti. Kuli cene, abena Africa balelopolwa fye mupepi na pa mulandu onse fye unono.” “Uwapilibuka umo uwa cina Africa,” e filanda David Lamb mu citabo cakwe The Africans, “ebukisha mishonari wa ciAnglican mu Uganda uwaishibikwe nga Bwana Botri uyo libili libili aleikila ukufuma pa cisebele mu kati ka nshita ya mapepo ku kulopola abena Africa abalecelwa.”

Ukutulumushiwa ne ncitilo sha musango uyo, mishonari umo, James Mackay, atwele ukuilishanya ku ntungulushi sha London Missionary Society. “Mu cifulo ca kumonwa nga bantu babuuta abatwala kuli bene ilyashi lisuma ilya kutemwa kwa kwa Lesa,” e fyo asokele, “twalishibikwa kabili tulatiinwa.”

Inkondo sha Calo

“Pa mwanda wa myaka no kucilapo,” e fisose citabo The Missionaries, “[abena Africa] baali nabebwa mu kutwalilila na mu kukosa ukuti ulubuli ne fifyalilwa fyonse ifyakaluka fintu luletako fyaba mu nshila shonse ifishitwale fisabo kabili fya bubifi.” Lyene, mu 1914, Inkondo ya Calo ya I yalipukile pa kati ka shaleitwa inko sha Bwina Kristu isha mu Europe.

“Bamishonari aba mupepi na mu luko lonse balitintilwe mu Nkondo Ikalamba,” e filondolola Moorhouse. Ku kuisebanya kwabo, bamishonari bacincishe abapilibuka abena Africa ku kubimbwamo. Bamishonari bamo batungulwile fye ne milalo ya cina Africa mu bulwi. Ukwambukila kwa nkondo kwalumbululwa bwino na Profesa Stephen Neill mu citabo cakwe History of Christian Missions ati: “Inko sha ku Europe, no kutunga kwabo ukwapongomoka ku bwine bwa buKristu no kutumpuluka, balibutukila bupofu bupofu kabili mu kupelenganishiwa mu nkondo ya bana calo iyali no kubasha abakuba mu fya bunonshi kabili ababula akabufungau ka mibele isuma.” “Inkondo ya Calo ya Cibili,” e fyatwalilila Neill, “yasondwelele fye cintu iya ntanshi yali naipwilikisha kale. Ukuituntumba pa lwa mibele isuma ukwa ba ku Masamba kwalangilwe ukubo kwa bufi; ‘Kristendomu’ alisansalikwe ngo waba fye ulushimi. Tacali na kabili icingacitikako ukulanda ulwa ‘Amasamba ya Bena Kristu.’”

Mu kumfwika, bumwaluka bwa bantu bafiita bwalisumbene pa numa ya Nkondo ya Calo iya I. Lelo ni shani pa lwa bena Africa abakakatiile ku macalici ya Kristendomu? Bushe pa numa balisambilishiwe icine ukufuma muli Baibolo?

Ifisumino fya Fikolwe Ifya Bena Africa

Bamishonari ba Kristendomu basenwike ifibelesho fya mabutotelo fya cina Africa, pamo nga ukuya ku wa kubuka ku kutalalika ifikolwe fyabo ifyafwa. Pa nshita imo ine, bamishonari bapampamine pa kuti abantunse bonse bakwato mweo wa bumunshifwa. Na kabili basumbwile ukucindikisha Maria na “batakatifu.” Ifi fisambilisho fyakoseshe icisumino ca bena Africa ukuti ifikolwe fyabo ifyafwa baliba abomi. Na kabili, ku kucindikisha ifipasho fya butotelo, pamo ngo musalaba, bamishonari bapeele nsambu ku kubomfya kwa cina Africa ukwa mpinga pamo nge nshila ya kuicingililamo ku mipashi ibifi.

Profesa C. G. Baēta alondolola mu citabo cakwe Christianity in Tropical Africa ati: “Kuti cacitika ku mwina Africa ukwimba mu kucincimuka mwi Calici, ‘Nshakwata cubo cimbi’, ilintu nalyo line nabafwale mpinga ku ncende imo iya mubili, nelyo ukufuma fye mwi Calici apo pene ukuya ku wa kubuka, ukwabulo kuyumfwa ukuti alepondokela icishinte icili conse.”—Linganyeniko Amalango 18:10-12 na 1 Yohane 5:21.

Bamishonari abengi baebele abena Africa ukuti bashibo abasenshi balelungulushiwa mu mulilo wa helo no kuti ishamo limo line likabaponena nga ca kuti bakana ififundisho fya bamishonari. Lelo icisambilisho ca kulunguluka kwa ciyayaya cilapinkana no kulanda kwaumfwika ukwa Baibolo ine intu bamishonari babombeshe pa kupilibwila mu ndimi sha cina Africa.—Ukutendeka 3:19; Yeremia 19:5; Abena Roma 6:23.

Na kuba, Baibolo ilanda ukuti imyeo ya bantunse ababembu ilafwa no kuti “abafwa bantu abashaishiba kantu nangu kamo.” (Lukala Milandu 9:5, 10; Esekiele 18:4) Ukukuma ku bena Africa abashakwete ishuko lya kumfwako icine ca Baibolo, balikwata icilolelo ca kusanshiwamo mu kuleiso “kwima ku bafwa kwa balungama na bashalungama.” (Imilimo 24:15) Abakabuushiwa ba musango uyo bakasambilishiwa ulwa kupayanya kwa kwa Lesa ukwe pusukilo. Lyene, nga bakaankulako mu kutesekesha ku kutemwa kwa kwa Lesa, bakalambulwa mu kuba no bumi bwa ciyayaya pe sonde lya paradise.—Amalumbo 37:29; Luka 23:43; Yohane 3:16.

Mu cifulo ca kusambilisha ici cine ca kusungusha ica mu Baibolo, Kristendomu alilufya abena Africa ne fisambilisho fya bufi no bumbimunda bwa butotelo. Cine cine, ulubali ulwabombwa na bamishonari ba Kristendomu mu kucimfiwa kwa bumwisa ukwa Africa talusanga ukwafwilisha muli Baibolo. Mu kupusanako, Yesu atile Ubufumu bwakwe “te bwa pano isonde” no kuti abakonshi bakwe nabo bene tabali no kuba “ba pano isonde.” (Yohane 15:19; 18:36) Abena Kristu ba mu kubangilila bali ni nkombe sha kwa Yesu Kristu, te sha makamfulumende ya ku calo.—2 Abena Korinti 5:20.

E co, ukulobolola kwa kwa Kristendomu ukwa mu Africa onse kwaba kwa bulanda, ukwaishibikilwa ku malekano ya kutulumusha, ukukanacetekelana, no “Bwina Kristu bwa cisenshi.” Ulukaakala ulwaishibisha imbali sha “Bwina Kristu” ishingi isha Africa mu cine cine talwaba mu kumfwana ne fisambilisho fya kwa “Cilolo wa mutende.” (Esaya 9:6) Ifisabo fya mulimo wa kwa Kristendomu mu Africa fipusana umupwilapo na mashiwi ya kwa Yesu pa lwa bakonshi bakwe aba cine. Mwi pepo kuli Wishi wa ku mulu, Yesu alombele ukuti “babe abafikapo muli buumo, ukuleka aba pano isonde beshibe ukuti ni mwe mwantumine.”—Yohane 17:20, 23; 1 Abena Korinti 1:10.

Bushe ici cilepilibulo kuti umulimo onse uwa bamishonari mu Africa waba wa fye? Nakalya. Ifisabo fisuma ifya mulimo wa bumishonari bwa Bwina Kristu bwa cine mu Africa no kupulinkane calo fyalalandwapo mu fipande fitendekele pe bula 10.

[Icikope pe bula 6]

Intungulushi sha bumishonari isha mwanda wa myaka wapita, pamo nga John Philip, basumine ukuti ukutumpuluka kwa cina Europe no BuKristu fyali fye cintu cimo cine

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Cape Archives M450

[Icikope pe bula 7]

Bamishonari ba mu Kristendomu bakoseleshe ifisumino fya fikolwe ifya cina Africa pa kwananya ifisambilisho fishili fya mu Baibolo, pamo nga bumunshifwa bwa mweo

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Mu kuba no kusuminisha kwa Africana Museum, Johannesburg