Mmene Dziko Lachikristu Linakhalira Mbali ya Dzikoli

MKUPITA kwa nthaŵi, ulamuliro wa Roma, mmene Chikristu choyambirira chinabadwira, unagwa. Olemba mbiri ambiri amanena kuti nthaŵi ya kugwayo inalinso ya chipambano chotheratu cha Chikristu pa zochitika zachikunja. Pofotokoza mfundo yosiyana, bishopu wa Anglican E. W. Barnes analemba kuti: “Pamene kutsungula kwakale kunagwa, Chikristu chinaleka kukhala chipembedzo cholemekezeka cha Yesu wotchedwa Kristu: chinangokhala chipembedzo chogwirizanitsira anthu m’dziko logaŵanika.”​—The Rise of Christianity.

Kugwa kumeneko kusanachitike, mkati mwa zaka za zana lachiŵiri, lachitatu, ndi lachinayi C.E., mbiri imasimba kuti awo amene anadzinenera kukhala otsatira Yesu anadzilekanitsa m’njira zambiri ndi dziko la Aroma. Komanso imasonyezanso kuyambika kwa mpatuko m’chiphunzitso, mayendedwe, ndi m’kulinganiza gulu, monga momwe Yesu ndi atumwi ake ananeneratu. (Mateyu 13:36-43; Machitidwe 20:29, 30; 2 Atesalonika 2:3-12; 2 Timoteo 2:16-18; 2 Petro 2:1-3, 10-22) Potsirizira pake panakhala kulolera molakwa dziko la Agiriki ndi Aroma, ndipo anthu ena amene ananena kuti anali Akristu anachitanso zinthu zachikunja (monga ngati mapwando ake ndi kulambira kwake mulungu wachikazi ndi mulungu wa utatu), nthanthi yake (monga ngati kukhulupirira kusafa kwa moyo), ndi kulinganiza kwake koyang’anira zinthu (kowonekera mwa kupangidwa kwa kagulu ka atsogoleri achipembedzo). Unali mpangidwe wolakwika wa Chikristu umenewu umene unakopa makamu a anthu achikunja ndipo anafikira kukhala gulu limene mafumu Achiroma poyamba anayesa kuchotsa komano pambuyo pake analivomereza nayamba kuligwiritsira ntchito kaamba ka zifuno zawo.

 Chogonjetsedwa ndi Dziko

Wolemba mbiri ya tchalitchi Augustus Neander anasonyeza maupandu ophatikizidwa muunansi umenewu watsopano pakati pa “Chikristu” ndi dziko. Ngati Akristu analepa kulekana kwawo ndi dziko, “chotulukapo chake chikakhala kusokonezedwa kwa tchalitchi ndi dziko . . . kumene tchalitchi chikataya chiyero chake, ndipo, pamene chikawonekera ngati kuti chikugonjetsa, icho chenichenicho chikagonjetsedwa,” iye analemba motero.​—General History of the Christian Religion and Church, Voliyumu 2, tsamba 161.

Izi nzimene zinachitika. Kuchiyambiyambi kwa zaka za zana lachinayi, mfumu Yachiroma Constantine inayesa kugwiritsira ntchito chipembedzo “Chachikristu” cha m’nthaŵi yake kugwirizanitsa ufumu wake womagaŵanikawo. Ndi cholinga chimenechi, anapatsa ufulu Akristu odzinenerawo ndi kusamutsira mautumiki ena a ansembe achikunja kukagulu kawo ka atsogoleri achipembedzo. The New Encyclopædia Britannica imati: “Constantine anatayitsa tchalitchi kaimidwe kake kolekana ndi dziko ndi kuchipangitsa kulandira mathayo a m’chitaganya ndipo anathandiza anthu achikunja kugwirizana ndi tchalitchi.”

Chipembedzo cha Boma

Pambuyo pa Constantine, Mfumu Julian (361-363 C.E.) anayesayesa kutsutsa Chikristu ndi kubwezeretsa chikunja. Koma iyeyu analephera, ndipo zaka 20 pambuyo pake, Mfumu Theodosius I analetsa chikunja nalamulira kuti “Chikristu” cha Utatu chikhale chipembedzo cha Boma cha ulamuliro wa Roma. Molondola kwambiri, wolemba mbiri wa ku Falansa Henri Marrou analemba kuti: “Podzafika kumapeto kwa ulamuliro wa Theodosius, Chikristu, kapena tinene molunjika kuti, Chikatolika chosunga njira zachikale, chinakhala chipembedzo chololedwa ndi lamulo cha dziko lonse la Aroma.” Chikatolika chosunga njira zachikale chinaloŵa mmalo mwa Chikristu chowona ndipo chinakhala “mbali ya dziko.” Chipembedzo cha Boma chimenechi chinali chosiyana kwambiri ndi chipembedzo cha otsatira a Yesu oyambirira, kwa amene iye anati: “Simuli mbali ya dziko.”​—Yohane 15:19, NW.

Wolemba mbiri ndi wanthanthi wa ku Falansa Louis Rougier analemba kuti: “Pamene chinali kufalikira, Chikristu chinaloŵa m’kusintha kosiyanasiyana kufikira pakusazindikiridwa bwino. . . . Tchalitchi choyambirira cha anthu osauka akumidzi, chimene chinathandiza anthu, chinakhala tchalitchi cholimbanira kugonjetsa chimene chinagwirizana ndi maulamuliro adziko pamene chinali chosakhoza kuwalamulira.”

Kuchiyambiyambi kwa zaka za zana lachisanu C.E., “Woyera Mtima” Augustine wa Roma Katolika analemba m’buku lake lalikulu lakuti The City of God. Mmenemo anafotokoza za mizinda iŵiri, “wa Mulungu ndi wa dziko.” Kodi buku limeneli linagogomezera kusiyana kumene kulipo pa Akatolika ndi dziko? Osati kwenikweni. Profesa Latourette akunena kuti: “Mosabisa Augustine anazindikira [kuti] mizinda iŵiriyo, wa padziko lapansi ndi wa kumwamba, njogwirizana.” Augustine anaphunzitsa kuti “Ufumu wa Mulungu wayamba kale kulamulira m’dzikoli kupyolera mwa tchalitchi cha [Katolika].” (The New Encyclopædia Britannica, Macropædia, Voliyumu 4, tsamba 506) Motero, mulimonse mmene chifuno choyambirira cha Augustine chinaliri, nthanthi zake zinali ndi chiyambukiro chomiza kwambiri Tchalitchi cha Katolika m’nkhani za ndale za dziko lino.

Ulamuliro Wogaŵanika

Mu 395 C.E., pamene Theodosius I anafa, ulamuliro wa Roma unagaŵidwa paŵiri. Ulamuliro wa Kummaŵa kapena Byzantium, unali ndi malikulu ake ku Constantinople (amene kale anali Byzantium, tsopano wotchedwa Istanbul), ndipo ulamuliro wa Kumadzulo unali ndi malikulu ake (pambuyo pa 402 C.E.) ku Ravenna, mu Italy. Chotero, Dziko Lachikristu linakhala logaŵanika m’ndale ndiponso m’chipembedzo. Ponena za unansi umene unalipo pakati pa Tchalitchi ndi Boma, tchalitchi cha ulamuliro wa Kummaŵa chinatsatira nthanthi ya Eusebius wa ku Kaisareya (wokhala m’nyengo ya Constantine Wamkulu). Ponyalanyaza lamulo la mkhalidwe Wachikristu la kulekana ndi dziko, Eusebius anafotokoza kuti ngati mfumu ndi ulamuliro zinakhala Zachikristu,  Tchalitchi ndi Boma zikakhala chitaganya chimodzi Chachikristu, mfumu ikumachita monga woimira Mulungu wa padziko lapansi. Kwakukulukulu, unansi umenewu wa Tchalitchi ndi Boma walondoledwa kwa zaka mazana ambiri ndi matchalitchi a Eastern Orthodox. Timothy Ware, bishopu wa Orthodox, m’buku lake lakuti The Orthodox Church, anasonyeza chotulukapo chake: “Utundu wakhala chinthu chowononga Orthodox kwa zaka mazama khumi zapitazo.”

Kumadzulo, mfumu yotsiriza Yachiroma inagwetsedwa paulamuliro mu 476 C.E. ndi mafuko olanda dziko Achijeremani. Awa ndiwo anali mapeto a ulamuliro wa Roma wa Kumadzulo. Ponena za mkhalidwe wa kusakhalapo kwa ndale umene unatsatirapo, The New Encyclopædia Britannica imati: “Ulamuliro watsopano unaumbidwa: Tchalitchi cha Roma, tchalitchi cha bishopu wa Roma. Tchalitchi chimenechi chinadzikhulupirira kukhala woloŵa mmalo wa ulamuliro wa Roma wakuthawo.” Insaikulopediya imeneyi imapitiriza kunena kuti: “Apapa Achiroma . . . anawonjezera tanthauzo la mawu akuti boma la tchalitchi kuposa kungokhala boma ndi tchalitchi nayambitsa nthanthi ya malupanga aŵiri, akumanena kuti Kristu anapatsa papa osati kokha mphamvu yauzimu patchalitchi komanso mphamvu yolamulira dziko pamaufumu adziko.”

Matchalitchi a Mtundu Achiprotestanti

Mkati monse mwa Nyengo Zapakati, zipembedzo za Orthodox ndi Roma Katolika zinapitirizabe kuloŵerera kwambiri m’ndale za dziko, kuchita ziwembu kwaudziko, ndi nkhondo. Kodi Kukonzanso kwa Aprotestanti kochitika m’zaka za zana la 16 kunasonyeza  kubwereranso ku Chikristu chowona, cholekana ndi dziko?

Ayi. Mu The New Encyclopædia Britannica timaŵerenga kuti: “Okonzanso Achiprotestanti a zipembedzo za Lutheran, Calvinist, ndi Anglican . . . anaumirirabe malingaliro a Augustine, amene anamlingalira kuti nthanthi yake inali yokopa mwapadera. . . . Zipembedzo zazikulu zonse zitatu Zachiprotestanti mu Ulaya wa m’zaka za zana la 16 . . . zinachirikizidwa ndi maboma adziko ku Saxony [pakati pa Jeremani], Switzerland, ndi Mangalande ndi kukhala mumkhalidwe umodzimodziwo umene boma linali nawo m’tchalitchi cha m’nthaŵi zapakati.”

Mmalo mwakubwezeretsa Chikristu chowona, Kukonzansoko kunadzetsa unyinji wa matchalitchi autundu ndi amaiko kumene kunapangitsa kuyanjana ndi maboma a ndale za dziko ndi kuwachirikiza mokangalika munkhondo zawo. Kwenikweni, ponse paŵiri matchalitchi a Akatolika ndi Aprotestanti asonkhezera nkhondo zachipembedzo. Arnold Toynbee m’buku lake lakuti An Historian’s Approach to Religion, analemba ponena za nkhondo zotero kuti: “Zimasonyeza Akatolika ndi Aprotestanti ku Falansa, Netherlands, Jeremani, ndi Ireland, ndi timagulu tachipembedzo Tachiprotestanti m’Mangalande ndi Scotland, m’machitidwe ankhalwe oyesa kutsenderezana mwankhondo.” Kumenyana kumene kulipo kumene kukugaŵanitsa Ireland ndi dziko limene kale linali Yugoslavia kumasonyeza kuti matchalitchi a Roma Katolika, Orthodox, ndi Achiprotestanti akali oloŵererabe kwambiri m’nkhani za dziko.

Kodi zonsezi zimatanthauza kuti Chikristu chowona, cholekana ndi dziko, palibe padziko lapansili? Nkhani yotsatirayo idzayankha funso limenelo.

[Bokosi/​Chithunzi pamasamba 10, 11]

MMENE “CHIKRISTU” CHINAKHALIRA CHIPEMBEDZO CHA BOMA

CHIKRISTU sichinalinganizidwe kukhala mbali ya dziko. (Mateyu 24:3, 9; Yohane 17:16) Komabe, mabuku a mbiri amatiuza kuti m’zaka za zana lachinayi C.E., “Chikristu” chinakhala chipembedzo chachikulu cha Boma mu ulamuliro wa Roma. Kodi zimenezi zinachitika motani?

Kuyambira pa Nero (54-68 C.E.) kufikira m’zaka za zana lachitatu C.E., mafumu onse a Roma anazunza Akristu mwachindunji kapena kulola kuti azunzidwe. Gallienus (253-268 C.E.) anali mfumu Yachiroma yoyamba kulengeza zoleka kuwazunza. Komabe ngakhale panthaŵiyo, Chikristu chinali chipembedzo choletsedwa muufumu wonsewo. Gallienus atachoka, chizunzo chinapitirizabe, ndipo pansi pa Diocletian (284-305 C.E.) ndi amene anamloŵa mmalo, mpamenenso chinakula kwambiri.

Zinthu zinadzasintha kuchiyambiyambi kwa zaka za zana lachinayi ndi kumene kunatchedwa kuti kutembenuzidwira Kuchikristu kwa Mfumu Constantine I. Ponena za “kutembenuzidwa” kumeneku, buku la Chifalansa lotchedwa Théo​—Nouvelle encyclopédie catholique (Théo​—Insaikulopediya Yatsopano Yachikatolika) limati: “Constantine ananena kuti anali mfumu Yachikristu. Komatu kwenikweni, iyeyo anabatizidwa pamene anali kufa.” Komabe, mu 313 C.E., Constantine ndi mfumu inzake yotchedwa Licinius, anapereka lamulo limene linapereka ufulu wachipembedzo kwa Akristu ndi akunja omwe. New Catholic Encyclopedia imati: “Kuperekedwa kwa ufulu wa kulambira kwa Akristu kochitidwa ndi Constantine, kumene kumatanthauza kuti Chikristu chinaonedwa mwalamulo kukhala religio licita [chipembedzo chololedwa] kuwonjezera a chikunja, kunali mchitidwe waukulu wosintha zinthu.”

Komabe, The New Encyclopædia Britannica imati: “Iyeyo [Constantine] sanapange Chikristu kukhala chipembedzo cha ufumuwo.” Wolemba mbiri Wachifalansa Jean-Rémy Palanque, chiŵalo cha Institute of France, akulemba kuti: “Komabe, Boma Lachiroma . . . linakhalabe lachikunja mwalamulo. Ndipo Constantine, pochirikiza chipembedzo cha Kristu, sanathetse mkhalidwe umenewo.” M’buku lake lakuti The Legacy of Rome, Profesa Ernest Barker anati: “[Chipambano cha Constantine] sichinachititse panthaŵi yomweyo kukhazikitsidwa kwa Chikristu kukhala chipembedzo cha Boma. Constantine anali wokhutira ndi kulingalira Chikristu kukhala chimodzi cha zipembedzo za anthu a muulamulirowo. Kwa zaka makumi asanu ndi aŵiri zotsatirapo miyambo yakale yachikunja inachitidwa mololedwa ndi lamulo mu Roma.”

Chotero panthaŵiyo “Chikristu” chinali chipembedzo chololedwa ndi lamulo mu ulamuliro wa Roma. Kodi kwenikweni, ndiliti pamene chinakhala chipembedzo cha Boma chololedwa? Mu New Catholic Encyclopedia timaŵerenga kuti: “Njira [ya Constantine] inapitirizidwa ndi omloŵa mmalo ake kupatulapo Julian [361-363 C.E.], amene kuzunza kwake Chikristu kunatha ndi imfa yake. Potsirizira, m’nusu lomaliza la zaka za zana la 4, Theodosius Wamkulu [379-395 C.E.] anapanga Chikristu kukhala chipembedzo chololedwa ndi lamulo cha Ulamulirowo ndi kupondereza kulambiridwa kwa zinthu zachikunja.”

Potsimikiziritsa zimenezi ndi kusonyeza zimene kwenikweni chipembedzo cha Boma chimenechi chinali, katswiri wa Baibulo ndi wolemba mbiri F. J. Foakes Jackson analemba kuti: “Chikristu ndi ufumu wa Roma zinali paubwenzi pansi pa Constantine. Koma pansi pa Theodosius zinagwirizanitsidwa pamodzi. . . . Kuyambira pamenepo kumka mtsogolo liwu laulemu lakuti Chikatolika linafunikira kusungidwira awo amene amalambira Atate, Mwana, ndi Mzukwa Woyera okhala ndi ulemu wofanana. Njira yonse ya chipembedzo ya ufumu umenewu inali ndi cholinga chimenechi, ndipo inachititsa Chipembedzo cha Katolika kukhala chipembedzo cha Aroma chololedwa ndi lamulo.”

Jean-Rémy Palanque analemba kuti: “Theodosius, pamene anali kulimbana ndi chikunja, anayanjidwanso ndi Tchalitchi cha [Katolika] chololedwa; lamulo lake la mu 380 C.E. linauza nzika zake zonse kukhulupirira chiphunzitso cha Papa Damasus ndi bishopu wa ku Alexandria [wokhulupirira Utatu] ndi kumana zigaluka ufulu wa kulambira. Upo waukulu wa ku Constantinople (mu 381) kachiŵirinso unatsutsa onse okana lingaliro limeneli, ndipo mfumuyo inatsimikizira kuti palibe bishopu amene ayenera kuchirikiza otsutsa amenewo. Chikristu cha [Utatu] ku Nicaea chinakhaladi chipembedzo cha Boma . . . Tchalitchi chinagwirizana kwambiri ndi Boma ndipo chinachirikizidwa kotheratu.”

Motero, sichinali Chikristu choyera cha m’masiku a atumwi chimene chinakhala chipembedzo cha Boma la ufumu wa Roma. Chinali Chikatolika Chautatu cha m’zaka za zana lachinayi, choumirizidwa pa anthu ndi Mfumu Theodosius I ndi chochitidwa ndi Tchalitchi cha Roma Katolika, chimene tsopano lino mofanana ndi kale, chilidi mbali ya dzikoli.

[Mawu a Chithunzi]

Mfumu Theodosius I: Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid (Foto Oronoz)

[Mawu a Chithunzi patsamba 8]

Scala/​Art Resource, N.Y.