Ukubhapathizwa Kwezinsana—Isizathu Sokuba Abanye Abapristi Bakwenqabe
UALAN noSonia babemane befuna ukuba umntwana wabo abhapathizwe. Ngakho-ke bashaqeka lapho umpristi wabo waseSheshi engenqabi nje kuphela ukwenza lowomcikilisho kodwa futhi enezela ngokuthi: “Zenzeleni nina.” Sasiyini isizathu? UAlan noSonia babengayi njalo esontweni.—The Christian Century, June 3-10, 1981.
Muva nje imibhangqwana eminingana iye yahlangabezana nokwenqaba okunjalo—okuwuphawu olusobala lokuthi amanye amasonto aguqula umbono wawo ngokubhapathizwa kwezinsana. Cabangela iSonto lamaRoma Katolika. Ngemva komkhandlu weVatican II, isonto labuyekeza imicikilisho yalo yokubhapathizwa kwezinsana. Yebo, isonto lisazibhapathiza izingane, kodwa manje abazali okokuqala kumelwe banikeze isiqinisekiso sokuthi ingane bazoyikhulisa njengomKatolika. IVatican yamemezela: “Uma bengazimisele ngalesisiqinisekiso kungase kube nezisekelo zokunganikezwa njalo isakramente; futhi uma zingekho ngempela isakramente kumelwe linganikezwa nokunikezwa.”—L’Osservatore Romano, “Instruction on Infant Baptism,” December 1, 1980.
Lesi isikhalo esidala esaqala ezinsukwini lapho, ngokompristi ongumKatolika uJoseph M. Champlin, “izithunywa zevangeli ezishisekayo [za]zibhapathiza izingane ezingamaqaba ezishiywe emgwaqweni,” futhi abapristi “baxwayisa abazali ukuba basheshe ukuBhapathiza izinsana ingapheli inyanga zingaphansi kwesijeziso sesono sokufa.”
Yini ebangela izimo ezinjalo ezishintshile? Enye into ukuthi, abanye abaholi besonto bayaqaphela manje ukuthi ukubhapathizwa akwenzi umuntu abe umKristu. Inani eliphansi lababa khona emasontweni kanye nokuntuleka okuvamile kokuzinikela phakathi kwamaKatolika abhapathiziwe kuye kwaba umthombo wangempela wokukhathazeka. “Kungani isonto kumelwe landise inkinga ngokubhapathiza izingane okuqinisekwa ngokuthi zizoba abantu abadala abangenandaba nesonto?” kusho isihloko kuU.S. Catholic.
Nokho, lomthetho omusha onzima ngobhapathizo uveza futhi ukwahlukana okungathi sína phakathi kwabefundisi. Njengoba umlobi ongumKatolika uJoseph Martos ephawula, abefundisi abaningi bamane abakholelwa ukuthi ukubhapathizwa kwezinsana ‘kuwumcikilisho ongumlilo onemiphumela engabonakali emphefumlweni.’ Kubona umbono onjalo uyisidala.
Khona-ke, akumangalisi ukuthi amaKatolika amaningi aqotho adidekile. Isonto belingafundisi yini sonke lesikhathi ukuthi izinsana ezingabhapathiziwe zingagcina esihogweni somlilo noma zihlale esihlanzweni? Abanye bayabuza ukuthi, uma lokhu kuyiqiniso ubhapathizo lunganqatshelwani ngaphansi kwanoma iziphi izimo? Lena imibuzo ebalulekile. Njengoba umpristi ongumKatolika uVincent Wilkin aphawula, isamba salabo abafa bengabhapathiziwe “ngempela siyisibalo esikhulu nesingenakubaleka, kulula ukusicabangela ngokuhlanganisa zonke izinhlanga zesintu.”
Ngakho-ke ake sicabangele kafushane ukubhapathizwa kwezinsana—okungokomlando nokungokweBhayibheli.