Zotuta za Chikristu Chadziko mu Afirika

CHIKHUMBO cha Charles Lavigerie cha kutembenuza Algeria kukhala “mtundu Wachikristu” chinatsimikizira kukhala chopanda phindu​—loto chabe. Lerolino, 99 peresenti ya chiŵerengero cha anthu a ku Algeria ali Asilamu, ndipo Chikristu Chadziko chafooka m’mbali zambiri za Kumpoto kwa Afirika. Koma kodi bwanji za mbali yotsala ya kontinenti?

“Chikristu,” akutero Dr. J. H. Kane, mu A Concise History of the Christian World Mission, “chapeza otembenuka ambiri Akuda a mu Afirika koposa m’mbali yonse yotsala ya Maiko Osatukuka.” Komabe, kodi otembenuka ameneŵa alidi Akristu? “Ngozi imodzi yaikulu m’tchalitchi cha mu Afirika,” akuvomereza motero Dr. Kane, “ndiyo mgwirizano wa Chikristu ndi chikunja.” Ndiponso, mawu ake akuti “tchalitchi cha mu Afirika” ngolakwika. Pali matchalitchi a mu Afirika zikwi zenizeni, chirichonse chikumakhala ndi njira yakeyake ya kulambira. Chifukwa ninji?

Kuwoka Mbewu za Kusagwirizana

Mbewu za kusagwirizana zinawokedwa ngakhale amishonalewo asanayambe kuyenda panyanja kudza kuno ku Afirika. Tchalitchi cha London Missionary Society chinapeza ziŵalo m’matchalitchi ena, ndipo mikangano yopsetsana mtima ya ziphunzitso inachitika pakati pa amishonalewo ali paulendo womka ku magawo awo. Mkangano unali wotsimikizirika kuwonjezereka atakhazikika kumamishoni awo.

“Amishonale,” akulemba motero Profesala Robert Rotberg m’bukhu lake lakuti Christian Missionaries and the Creation of Northern Rhodesia 1880-1924, “anamenyana kowopsa okhaokha ndiponso ndi atsogoleri awo a kutsidya kwanyanja, kaŵirikaŵiri zikumaika paupandu zolinga zawo zaulaliki. . . . Amishonalewo anawonekera kukhala akuthera nthaŵi yochuluka ndi nyonga pakulemba za mikangano imeneyi koposa mmene anachitira pa kufunafuna kukwaniritsa ntchito yotembenuza anthu.”

Nthaŵi zina, mikangano ya amishonale imeneyi inapangitsa kupangidwa kwa mamishoni otsutsana. Mamishoni Achikatolika ndi Achiprotestanti anapikisana kowopsa kuti apeze otembenuza. Kusagwirizana kofananaku kunali kotsimikizirika kuwonekera mwa otembenuzidwa awo. M’kupita kwanthaŵi nzika za mu Afirika mamiliyoni ambiri zinasiya matchalitchi amishoniwo nizinayamba matchalitchi awoawo.

“Matchalitchi Odziimira a mu Afirika,” akulemba motero wolemba mbiri yaumishonale Dr. Kane, “akupezeka mu Afirika yense . . . Tonse pamodzi pali timagulu tolekana zikwi zisanu ndi ziŵiri mumpangidwe umenewu.” Mpikisano wa pakati pa amishonale limodzi ndi zikhulupiriro zowombana sindizo zimene zinali chochititsa chokha cha zimenezi. M’bukhu lake lakuti The Missionaries, Geoffrey Moorhouse akufotokoza kuti chochititsa china cha “kukonzanso kwa akuda” chinali “kutsutsa kudzikweza kwa azungu.”

Akristu Kodi Kapena Azungu Autundu?

“Amishonale,” akuvomereza motero Dr. Kane, “anali odzikweza.” Iwo “anakhulupirira kuti chipembedzo Chachikristu chiyenera kugwirizana ndi mwambo wa Azungu ndi utsogoleri wa Azungu,” akutero Adrian Hastings m’bukhu lake lakuti African Christianity.

Charles Lavigerie wa ku Falansa anali mtsogoleri wa amishonale amene anali ndi lingaliro limeneli. Wina anali John Philip, woyang’anira mamishoni a London Missionary Society cha kummwera kwa Afirika. “Amishonale athu,” anadzitama motero mu 1828, “ali . . . kufutukula zokomera Briteni, zisonkhezero za Briteni, ndi ulamuliro wa Briteni. Kulikonse kumene mmishonale anakhazikitsa miyezo yake mwa mafuko opulukira, kutsutsa kwawo boma la atsamunda kumatha; kudalira kwawo pa utsamunda kumawonjezereka mwa kuyambitsidwa kwa zokhumbidwa zopekedwa; . . . indasitale, zamalonda ndi zaulimi zimayamba mwadzidzidzi; ndipo wotembenuzidwa wowona aliyense pakati pawo . . . amafikira kukhala mnzawo ndi bwenzi la boma la atsamunda.”

Kodi nzodabwitsa kuti maboma a ku Ulaya anawona amishonale oterowo kukhala nthumwi zofunika kwambiri zofutukulira utsamunda? Kwa iwo, amishonalewo anavomereza kugonjetsa Afirika kwa atsamundawo. Monga momwe iwo analengezera pa Msonkhano wa Amishonale a Padziko Lonse wa mu 1910 mu Edinburgh kuti: “Kunali . . . kosatheka nthaŵi zonse kusiyanitsa cholinga cha mmishonale ndi cholinga cha Boma.”

Analamulira Monga Mafumu mu Afirika

Kuti atsimikizire ulamuliro wawo, amishonale ena anadalira pa mphamvu ya magulu ankhondo a atsamunda. Mizinda ya m’mbali mwanyanja nthaŵi zina inawonongedwa ndi zombo zankhondo zapamadzi za Briteni chifukwa chakuti a m’mudzimo anakana kuvomereza ulamuliro wa amishonale. Mu 1898, Dennis Kemp, mmishonale wotsatira Wesley wotumidwa ku West Africa, analankhula za kukhala kwake ndi “chikhulupiriro champhamvu chakuti Magulu Ankhondo a ku Briteni ndi Ankhondo Apamadzi lerolino akugwiritsiridwa ntchito ndi Mulungu kuti akwaniritse chifuno Chake.”

Atakhazikika, amishonalewo nthaŵi zina analanda mphamvu za dziko za mafumu. “Amishonale a London,” akulemba motero Profesala Rotberg, “kaŵirikaŵiri anagwiritsira ntchito mphamvu kusungitsa lamulo lawo lateokratiki. Chida chokondedwa chimene anasonyezera mkwiyo wawo chinali chikoti, mkwapulo wautali wa mchira wa mvuwu wofukutidwa. Mosazengeleza, nzika za mu Afirika zinkakwapulidwa pafupifupi kaamba ka chifukwa chirichonse.” “Wotembenuka wina wa mu Afirika,” akulemba motero David Lamb m’bukhu lake lakuti The Africans, “akukumbukira mmishonale wina wa Anglican mu Uganda wodziŵika monga Bwana Botri amene ankatsika kaŵirikaŵiri pagome ulaliki uli mkati kuti akakwapule Akuda ofika mochedwa.”

Ataipidwa ndi machitidwe oterowo, mmishonale wina, James Mackay, anapereka chidandaulo kwa otsogoza a London Missionary Society. “Mmalo mwa kuwonedwa monga azungu obweretsa uthenga wabwino wa chikondi cha Mulungu,” iye anachenjeza motero, “ife timadziŵidwa ndi kuwopedwa.”

Nkhondo Zadziko

“Kwazaka zana limodzi ndi kuposerapo,” likufotokoza motero bukhulo The Missionaries, “[Nzika za Afirika] zinkauzidwa mogogomezera ndi mwamphamvu kuti kumenyana ndi zikhoterero zonse zauchinyama zimene kunapereka zinali ponse paŵiri zopanda phindu ndi zoipa.” Ndiyeno, mu 1914, Nkhondo Yadziko I inaulika pakati pa mitundu yotchedwa kuti Yachikristu ya ku Ulaya.

“Amishonale a pafupifupi dziko lirilonse anakakamizidwa kuphatikizidwa m’Nkhondo Yaikuluyo,” akufotokoza motero Moorhouse. Mwachisoni, amishonale anakakamiza otembenuzidwa awo a mu Afirika kutenga mbali. Amishonale ena anatsogoleradi magulu ankhondo a nzika za mu Afirika kuloŵa m’nkhondo. Chiyambukiro cha nkhondoyo chafotokozedwa bwino lomwe ndi Profesala Stephen Neill m’bukhu lake lakuti History of Christian Missions kuti: “Mitundu ya ku Ulaya, yodzinenera mwamphamvu kukhala eni Chikristu ndi kutsungula, inafulumira kuloŵa mwakhungu ndi mosokonezeka maganizo m’nkhondo yachiweniweni imene inali kudzawasiya ali amphaŵi m’zachuma ndi opandiratu ubwino.” “Nkhondo Yadziko Yachiŵiri,” akupitirizabe Neill, “inangotsiriza kokha zimene yoyamba inali itakwaniritsa kale. Mikhalidwe yachiphamaso ya Azungu inadziŵika kukhala chinyengo; ‘Chikristu Chadziko’ chinavumbulidwa kukhala chosasiyana ndi nthanthi wamba. Sikunalinso kotheka kulankhula za ‘Chikristu cha Azungu.’”

Momvetsetseka, kupanduka kwa akuda kunawonjezereka pambuyo pa Nkhondo Yadziko I. Koma bwanji za nzika za Afirika zimene zinaumirira ku matchalitchi a Chikristu Chadziko? Kodi izo pambuyo pake zinaphunzitsidwa chowonadi cha m’Baibulo?

Kukhulupirira Mizimu ya Makolo kwa mu Afirika

Amishonale a Chikristu Chadziko anatsutsa zizolowezi zachipembedzo za nzika za Afirika, zonga kufunsira owombeza kutonthoza mizimu ya makolo. Panthaŵi imodzimodziyo, amishonalewo anaumirira kuti anthu onse ali ndi moyo wosakhoza kufa. Iwo anapititsa patsogolo kulambiridwa kwa Mariya ndi “oyera mtima.” Ziphunzitso zimenezi zinalimbikitsa chikhulupiriro cha mu Afirika chakuti mizimu ya makolo awo inali yamoyobe. Ndiponso, mwa kulambira mafano achipembedzo, onga mtanda, amishonalewo anapereka chodzikhululukira kunzika za mu Afirika cha kugwiritsiridwa ntchito kwa njirisi monga njira zodzitetezerera kumizimu yoipa.

Profesala C. G. Baëta akufotokoza m’bukhu lake lakuti Christianity in Tropical Africa kuti: “Nkotheka kwa nzika ya mu Afirika kuimba motenthedwa maganizo m’Tchalitchi kuti, ‘Pothaŵirapo pena ndiribe’, pamene ikupitirizabe kunyamula njirisi pathupi pake, kapena kukhala yokhoza kuchoka m’Tchalitchi ndi kupita molunjika kwa wowombeza popanda kulingalira kuti iye akuswa lamulo lamakhalidwe lirilonse.”​—Yerekezerani ndi Deuteronomo 18:10-12 ndi 1 Yohane 5:21.

Amishonale ambiri anauza nzika za mu Afirika kuti makolo awo akunjawo anali kuzunzidwa m’helo wamoto ndi kuti tsoka lofananalo lingawagwere ngati iwo akana kuvomereza ziphunzitso za amishonale. Koma chiphunzitso cha chizunzo chamuyaya chimawombana ndi mawu omvekera bwino a Baibulo lenilenilo limene iwo anavutikira kwambiri kulitembenuzira m’zinenero za mu Afirika.​—Genesis 3:19; Yeremiya 19:5; Aroma 6:23.

Kunena zowona, Baibulo limafotokoza kuti miyoyo yochimwa imafa ndi kuti “akufa sadziŵa kanthu bi.” (Mlaliki 9:5, 10; Ezekieli 18:4) Ponena za nzika za mu Afirika zimene sizinapeze mwaŵi wa kumva chowonadi Chabaibulo, izo ziri ndi chiyembekezo cha kudzaphatikizidwa mu “kuuka kwa olungama ndi osalungama.” (Machitidwe 24:15) Oukitsidwa oterowo adzaphunzitsidwa za makonzedwe a Mulungu a chipulumutso. Pamenepo, ngati alabadira moyamikira chikondi cha Mulungu, iwo adzafupidwa ndi moyo wamuyaya padziko lapansi laparadaiso.​—Salmo 37:29; Luka 23:43; Yohane 3:16.

Mmalo mwa kuphunzitsa chowonadi chodabwitsa Chabaibulo chimenechi, Chikristu Chadziko chasokeretsa nzika za mu Afirika ndi ziphunzitso zonama ndi chinyengo chachipembedzo. Ndithudi, ntchito yochitidwa ndi amishonale a Chikristu Chadziko m’kugonjetsa Afirika kwa atsamunda simachirikizidwa ndi Baibulo. Mmalo mwake, Yesu ananena kuti Ufumu wake “suuli wa dziko lino lapansi” ndi kuti otsatira ake owona mofananamo ‘sakakhala mbali ya dziko lapansi.’ (Yohane 15:19; 18:36) Akristu oyambirira anali nthumwi za Yesu Kristu, osati za maboma adziko.​—2 Akorinto 5:20.

Chotero, zimene Chikristu Chadziko chikututa mu Afirika zonse pamodzi nzosakondweretsa, zosonyezedwa ndi kusagwirizana koipitsitsa, kunyumwirana, ndi “Chikristu chachikunja.” Ndithudi chiwawa chimene chasonyezedwa m’mbali “Zachikristu” zambiri za Afirika mwachiwonekere sichiri chogwirizana ndi ziphunzitso za “Kalonga wa Mtendere.” (Yesaya 9:6) Chipatso cha ntchito ya Chikristu Chadziko mu Afirika nchosiyana kotheratu ndi mawu a Yesu onena za atsatiri ake owona. M’pemphero kwa Atate wake wakumwamba, Yesu anapempha kuti “akhale angwiro mwa mmodzi; kuti dziko lapansi lizindikire kuti inu munandituma ine.”​—Yohane 17:20, 23; 1 Akorinto 1:10.

Kodi zimenezi zikutanthauza kuti ntchito yaumishonale yonse mu Afirika yalephera? Kutalitali. Chipatso chabwino cha ntchito ya umishonale wowona Wachikristu mu Afirika ndi kuzungulira padziko lonse chidzapendedwa m’nkhani zoyambira patsamba 10.

[Chithunzi patsamba 6]

Atsogoleri a amishonale a m’zaka za zana lapita, onga John Philip, anakhulupirira kuti kutsungula kwa ku Ulaya ndi Chikristu zinali chinthu chimodzi ndi zofanana

[Mawu a Chithunzi]

Cape Archives M450

[Chithunzi patsamba 7]

Amishonale a Chikristu Chadziko analimbikitsa kukhulupirira mizimu ya makolo kwa mu Afirika mwa kuwanditsa ziphunzitso zosakhala za m’Baibulo, zonga ngati kusakhoza kufa kwa moyo

[Mawu a Chithunzi]

Mwachilolezo cha Africana Museum, Johannesburg