Ama-Cathari—Ingabe Ayengabafel’ Ukholo AbangamaKristu?

“BABULALENI bonke; uNkulunkulu uyabazi abakhe.” Ngalolo suku lwasehlobo lika-1209, abantu baseBéziers, eFrance eseningizimu, baqothulwa. Indela u-Arnold Amalric, owayemiswe njengesithunywa sikapapa ukuba abe umholi wamabutho enkolo amaKatolika, akazange abonise isihe. Lapho amabutho akhe ebuza ukuthi ayeyowahlukanisa kanjani amaKatolika nezihlubuki, kubikwa ukuthi wanikeza impendulo eshaqisayo ecashunwe ngenhla. Izazi-mlando zamaKatolika ziyayilulaza zithi isho ukuthi: “Ningakhathazeki. Ngikholelwa ukuthi zimbalwa kakhulu [izihlubuki] eziyoguqulwa.” Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi impendulo yakhe yayiqonde ukuthini, umphumela waba ukubulawa kwamadoda, abesifazane, nezingane okungenani abangu-20 000 bebulawa amabutho enkolo angaba ngu-300 000, ayeholwa yizikhulu zeSonto LamaKatolika.

Yini eyabangela lokhu kuqothulwa? Kwakumane kuyisiqalo seMpi Yenkolo Yama-Albigenses uPapa Innocent III ayiqala emelene nalabo okwakuthiwa izihlubuki esifundazweni saseLanguedoc, eningizimu emaphakathi neFrance. Ngaphambi kokuba iphele, eminyakeni engaba ngu-20 kamuva, kwase kufe abantu abacishe babe yisigidi—ama-Cathari, ama-Waldenses, ngisho namaKatolika amaningi.

Ukungavumelani Okungokwenkolo EYurophu Yenkathi Ephakathi

Ukwanda ngokushesha kokuhwebelana ngekhulu le-11 C.E. kwaletha izinguquko ezinkulu kwezenhlalo nakwezomnotho eYurophu yenkathi ephakathi. Kwaba khona amadolobha okuhlalisa abantu abaningi abanamakhono emisebenzi nabanini-zitolo. Lokhu kwavula amathuba emiqondo emisha. Ukungavumelani okungokwenkolo kwaya kugxila eLanguedoc, lapho impucuko ephawulekayo nethuthukisiwe yayichuma khona kunanoma iyiphi enye indawo eYurophu. Idolobha laseToulouse eLanguedoc lingelesithathu emadolobheni amakhulu acebe kakhulu eYurophu. Kwakuyizwe okwakugcwele abahlabeleli bezosha kulo, abathile babo izosha zabo eziye zathinta abashisekeli bezombangazwe nenkolo.

Ichaza isimo esingokwenkolo ngekhulu le-11 nele-12, i-Revue d’histoire et de philosophie religieuses ithi: “Ngekhulu le-12, njengoba kwakunjalo nangekhulu elalandulele, imikhuba yabefundisi yokuziphatha, ukuceba kwabo, ukufumbathiswa kwabo, nokuziphatha kwabo okubi, kwaqhubeka kungatshazwa, kodwa ngokuyinhloko kwakugxekwa ingcebo namandla abo, ukuvumelana kwabo ngasese neziphathimandla zezwe, nokukhonza kwabo ngenjongo yokuzuza okuthile.”

Abashumayeli Abajikelezayo

Ngisho noPapa Innocent III waqaphela ukuthi ukonakala okwakugcwele esontweni yikhona okwakubangele ukwanda kwamanani abashumayeli ababengavumelani ababejikeleza eYurophu, ikakhulukazi eFrance eseningizimu nase-Italy esenyakatho. Iningi lalaba kwakungama-Cathari noma ama-Waldenses. Wasola abapristi ngokungafundisi abantu, ethi: “Abantwana badinga isinkwa eningafuni ukubahlephulela sona.” Nokho, esikhundleni sokuyisa imfundo yeBhayibheli kubantu, u-Innocent wathi “imfundo enjalo iwukujula komBhalo waphezulu, okungebona abantu abavamile nabangafundile kuphela abangakufanelekeli ngokugcwele ukuzama ukuyiqonda, kodwa ngisho nabahlakaniphile nabafundile.” Ukufundwa kweBhayibheli kwavinjelwa kubo bonke abantu ngaphandle kwabefundisi, futhi ngaleso sikhathi lalivunyelwe ukuba libe khona ngesiLatini kuphela.

Ukuze amelane nokushunyayelwa kwemibono engavumelani okwakujikeleziswa, upapa wagunyaza ukumiswa koMthetho Wabashumayeli Abayizindela, noma Izindela ZikaDominic. Ngokungafani nabefundisi bamaKatolika abacebile, lezi zindela kwakufanele zibe abashumayeli abajikelezayo ababelwe ukuvikela imfundiso engaguquki yamaKatolika “ezihlubukini” eFrance eseningizimu. Upapa naye wathumela izithunywa zakhe ukuba ziyobonisana nama-Cathari futhi zizame ukuwaphindisela esibayeni samaKatolika. Njengoba lemizamo yehluleka, futhi kwabulawa esinye sezithunywa zakhe, okucatshangwa ukuthi sabulawa isihlubuki, u-Innocent III waphaka iMpi Yenkolo Yama-Albigenses ngo-1209. I-Albi kwakungelinye lamadolobha lapho ama-Cathari ayemaningi khona, ngakho abalobi bemilando yesonto baye babhekisela kuma-Cathari ngokuthi ama-Albigenses (ngesiFulentshi, Albigeois) futhi baye basebenzisa leligama ukubiza zonke “izihlubuki” kuleyo ndawo, kuhlanganise nama-Waldenses. (Bheka ibhokisi ngezansi.)

Ayengobani Ama-Cathari?

Igama elithi “cathar” livela egameni lesiGreki elithi ka·tha·rosʹ, elisho “ubumsulwa.” Kusukela ngekhulu le-11 kuya kwele-14, ubu-Cathari ngokuyinhloko basakazekela eLombardy, e-Italy esenyakatho, naseLanguedoc. Izinkolelo zama-Cathari zaziyinhlanganisela yemfundiso yaseMpumalanga yezici ezimbili eziphikisanayo neyama-Gnostic, mhlawumbe ezalethwa abahwebi nezithunywa zevangeli zakwamanye amazwe. I-Encyclopedia of Religion ichaza imibono yama-Cathari yezici ezimbili eziphikisanayo ngokuthi ukukholelwa “ezimisweni ezimbili: esihle, esibusa konke okwakungokomoya, nesibi, esibhekene nezwe esilibonayo, kuhlanganise nomzimba womuntu.” Ama-Cathari ayekholelwa ukuthi uSathane wadala izwe elibonakalayo, ngokungenakushintshwa elalahlelwa ekubhujisweni. Ayenethemba lokubaleka ezweni elibi esilibonayo.

Ama-Cathari ayeyizigaba ezimbili, abaphelele namakholwa. Abaphelele babeqala ngomkhuba wobhapathizo olungokomoya, olubizwa ngokuthi i-consolamentum. Lwalwenziwa ngokubeka izandla, ngemva kokuvivinywa isikhathi esingangonyaka. Lomkhuba kwakucatshangwa ukuthi ukhulula umuntu ovivinywayo ekubusweni uSathane, umhlambulule kuzo zonke izono, futhi umnike umoya ongcwele. Lokhu kuye kwaholela esiqwini esithi “abaphelele,” esasisetshenziswa eqenjini elincane ngokuqhathaniswa elalinamandla elalikhonza njengabefundisi phezu kwamakholwa. Abaphelele babenza isifungo sokuyeka uphuzo oludakayo, sobumsulwa, nesobumpofu. Uma eshadile, ophelele kwakudingeka ashiye umngane wakhe womshado, njengoba ama-Cathari ayekholelwa ukuthi ukuhlangana ngokobulili kwakuyisono sokuqala.

Amakholwa kwakungabantu okwakuthi, nakuba ayengayamukeli indlela yokuphila yokuzincisha ngokweqile, kodwa azamukele izimfundiso zama-Cathari. Lapho liguqa lihlonipha ophelele ngokomkhuba okuthiwa i-melioramentum, ikholwa lalicela ukuthethelelwa nesibusiso. Ukuze azenze akwazi ukuphila ukuphila okuvamile, amakholwa ayenza i-convenenza noma isivumelwano nophelele, elungiselela ukuba anikezwe ubhapathizo olungokomoya, noma i-consolamentum okhukhweni lokufa.

Isimo Sengqondo NgeBhayibheli

Nakuba ama-Cathari ayecaphuna kakhulu eBhayibhelini, ayelibheka ngokuyinhloko njengomthombo wezindaba ezingokomfanekiso nezinganekwane. Ayecabanga ukuthi ingxenye enkulu yemiBhalo YesiHeberu yavela kuDeveli. Ayesebenzisa izingxenye zemiBhalo YesiGreki, njengemibhalo eqhathanisa inyama nomoya, ukuze asekele ifilosofi yawo yezici ezimbili eziphikisanayo. EMthandazweni weNkosi, ayethandazela “isinkwa esingalé kwesibonakalayo,” (okusho ukuthi “isinkwa esingokomoya”), kunokuba kube “isinkwa sethu semihla ngemihla,” ngokombono wawo isinkwa esibonakalayo siwububi obudingekayo.

Izimfundiso eziningi zama-Cathari zaziphikisana ngokuqondile neBhayibheli. Ngokwesibonelo, ayekholelwa ekungafini komphefumulo nokuphindukuzalwa. (Qhathanisa nomShumayeli 9:5, 10; Hezekeli 18:4, 20.) Futhi ayesekela izinkolelo zawo ezincwadini ezingengcwele. Noma kunjalo, ngenxa yokuhumushela kwama-Cathari izingxenye ezithile zemiBhalo olimini lwabomdabu, ngezinga elithile enza iBhayibheli laba incwadi eyaziwayo ngeNkathi Ephakathi.

Ayengewona AmaKristu

Abaphelele babezibheka njengabalandela ngokufanelekile abaphostoli esikhundleni, futhi ngenxa yalokho, babezibiza ngokuthi “amaKristu,” lokhu ekugcizelela ngokunezela ukuthi “eqiniso” noma “amahle.” Nokho, empeleni izinkolelo eziningi zama-Cathari zazingaziwa ebuKristwini. Nakuba ama-Cathari ayebheka uJesu njengeNdodana kaNkulunkulu, ayekwenqaba ukuthi wake weza enyameni futhi enqaba nomhlatshelo wakhe ohlawulelayo. Echaza ngokungeyikho ukulahla kweBhayibheli inyama nezwe, ayebheka konke okubonakalayo njengokuvela ebubini. Ngakho-ke ayecabanga ukuthi kumelwe ukuba uJesu wayenomzimba ongokomoya kuphela nokuthi lapho esemhlabeni wamane wabonakala njengokungathi wayenomzimba wenyama. Njengezihlubuki zekhulu lokuqala, ama-Cathari ‘ayengabantu abangavumi ukuthi uJesu Kristu weza enyameni.’—2 Johane 7.

Encwadini yakhe ethi Medieval Heresy, uM. D. Lambert ubhala ukuthi ubu-Cathari “bafaka ukuzincisha ngokweqile okuphoqelelwayo esikhundleni sokuziphatha kobuKristu, . . . bulahla isihlengo ngokwenqaba ukuvuma amandla asindisayo [okufa kukaKristu].” Ucabanga ukuthi “abafana ngempela nabaphelele abafundisi baseMpumalanga ababezincisha ngokweqile, izindela ezingamaBuddha nezindela zamaHindu ezijikelezayo zaseChina noma eNdiya, izingcweti zezimfihlakalo zika-Orpheus, noma abafundisi bobu-Gnostic.” Ngokwenkolelo yama-Cathari, insindiso yayingaxhomekanga emhlatshelweni wesihlengo kaJesu Kristu, kodwa kunalokho kuyi-consolamentum, noma ukubhapathizelwa emoyeni ongcwele. Kulabo abahlanjululwe ngaleyo ndlela, ukufa kuletha ukukhululeka ezintweni ezibonakalayo.

IMpi Yenkolo Engengcwele

Abantu abavamile, abase bekhathele izimfuno ezeqisayo zabefundisi nokonakala okusakazekile, bakhangwa indlela yokuphila yama-Cathari. Abaphelele bachaza iSonto LamaKatolika nesigaba salo sabefundisi ngokuthi ‘isinagoge likaSathane’ nokuthi “unina wezifebe” wesAmbulo 3:9 no- 17:5. Ubu-Cathari babuchuma futhi buthatha isikhundla sesonto eFrance eseningizimu. UPapa Innocent III wasabela ngokuvivisa nokusekela ngokwezimali lokho okuthiwa iMpi Yenkolo Yama-Albigenses, impi yokuqala yenkolo eyahlelwa phakathi kweLobukholwa ngokumelene nabantu ababezibiza ngokuthi bangamaKristu.

Ngezincwadi nezithunywa, upapa wahlukumeza amakhosi angamaKatolika, abantu abahlonishwayo, ama-duke, nama-knight angamaKatolika aseYurophu. Wabathembisa intethelelo yezono nengcebo yaseLanguedoc bonke ababeyokulwela “ngazo zonke izindlela” ukuba kuqedwe ukuhlubuka. Ukunxusa kwakhe kwezwakala. Iholwa abefundisi nezindela zamaKatolika, impi eyayixubile yamabutho enkolo aseFrance esenyakatho, eFlanders, naseJalimane yaqonda eningizimu idabula esiGodini SaseRhône.

Ukubhujiswa kweBéziers kwaphawula ukuqala kwempi yokunqoba eyaqothula iLanguedoc ekubulaweni ngokweqile kwabantu ngomlilo nokuchitha igazi. I-Albi, iCarcassonne, iCastres, iFoix, iNarbonne, iTermes, neToulouse zanqotshwa amabutho enkolo omele igazi. Ezindaweni ama-Cathari ayemaningi kuzo njengaseCassès, eMinerve, naseLavaur, amakhulu abaphelele ashiswa esigxotsheni. Ngokusho kombhali wezomlando oyindela uPierre des Vaux-de-Cernay, lamabutho enkolo ‘ashisa abaphelele bephila, ejabula ezinhliziyweni zawo.’ Ngo-1229, ngemva kweminyaka engu-20 yokulwa nokucekela phansi, iLanguedoc yaba ngaphansi kukaHulumeni waseFrance. Kodwa ukubulawa kwabantu kwakungakapheli.

Ukuqulwa Kwamacala Ezihlubuki Kuletha Ukufa

Ngo-1231, uPapa Gregory IX wamisa Ukuqulwa Kwamacala Ezihlubuki okwakwenziwa upapa ukuze asekele impi yezikhali.a Isimiso sokuqulwa kwamacala ezihlubuki ekuqaleni sasisekelwe ekuqalekiseni nasekuvinjelweni, futhi kamuva, ekuhlushweni okuhleliwe. Injongo yako yayiwukuqeda lokho inkemba eyayingakwazanga ukukubhubhisa. Abahluleli ababequla amacala ezihlubuki—iningi labo kuyizindela zikaDominic noFrancis—kwakumelwe balandise kupapa kuphela. Ukufa ngokushiswa kwakuyisijeziso esingokomthetho sokuhlubuka. Kwakunjalo ukushisekela inkolo ngokweqile nonya lwabaquli bamacala ezihlubuki lapho kuqubuka ukuvukela, phakathi kwezinye izindawo, e-Albi naseToulouse. E-Avignonet, wonke amalungu esigungu sokuQulwa Kwamacala Ezihlubuki abulawa ngonya.

Ukunikelwa kwenqaba eyayisentabeni yaseMontségur ngo-1244, isiphephelo sokugcina sabaphelele abaningana, kwasho ukufa kobu-Cathari. Amadoda nabesifazane abacishe babe ngu-200 bafa lapho kushiswa abaningi esigxotsheni kanyekanye. Phakathi neminyaka, Ukuqulwa Kwamacala Ezihlubuki kwawaveza obala ama-Cathari ayesasele. Kubikwa ukuthi owokugcina kuma-Cathari washiselwa esigxotsheni eLanguedoc ngo-1330. Incwadi ethi Medieval Heresy iyaphawula: “Ukuphela kobu-Cathari kwaba yinto ephawuleka kakhulu eyafezwa Ukuqulwa Kwamacala Ezihlubuki.”

Ama-Cathari ayengewona neze amaKristu eqiniso. Kodwa ingabe ukugxekwa kwawo yiSonto LamaKatolika kuyizaba zokuthethelela ukuqothulwa kwawo yilabo okuthiwa amaKristu? Abashushisi nababulali bawo abangamaKatolika nabo bamhlambalaza uNkulunkulu noKristu futhi babumelela kabi ubuKristu beqiniso njengoba babehlupha futhi bebulala amashumi ezinkulungwane zalabo ababengavumelani nabo.

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AMA-WALDENSES

Ngasekupheleni kwekhulu le-12 C.E., uPierre Valdès, noma uPeter Waldo, umhwebi ocebile waseLyons, wasekela ngokwezimali ukuhunyushelwa kokuqala kwezingxenye ezithile zeBhayibheli ezilimini ezihlukahlukene zesigodi ezisuselwa olimini lwesiProvençal, okuwulimi lwabomdabu olukhulunywa eFrance eseningizimu nasempumalanga eseningizimu yeFrance. UmKatolika oqotho, washiya ibhizinisi lakhe, futhi wazinikela ekushumayeleni iVangeli. Ecasukile ngenxa yabefundisi abonakele, amanye amaKatolika amaningi amlandela futhi aba abashumayeli abajikelezayo.

Ngokushesha uWaldo wahlangabezana nenzondo yabefundisi bendawo, abashoshozela upapa ukuba avimbele ukufakaza kwakhe obala. Impendulo yakhe eyabikwa yathi: “Kumelwe silalele uNkulunkulu kunabantu.” (Qhathanisa nezEnzo 5:29.) Ngenxa yokuphikelela kwakhe, uWaldo wanqunywa ebandleni. Abalandeli bakhe, ababebizwa ngokuthi ama-Waldenses, noma Abantu Abampofu BaseLyons, bakulwela ngentshiseko ukulandela isibonelo sakhe, beshumayela ngababili emizini yabantu. Lokhu kwaphumela ekusakazweni ngokushesha kwezimfundiso zabo kuzo zonke izingxenye eziseningizimu, empumalanga, nezingxenye zaseFrance esenyakatho, kanye nase-Italy esenyakatho.

Ngokuyinhloko, babezimisele ukuphindela ezimfundisweni nasemikhubeni yobuKristu bokuqala. Phakathi kwezinye izimfundiso, baye bamelana nesihlanzo, ukuthandazela abafile, ukukhulekelwa kukaMariya, ukuthandaza “kosanta,” ukuhlonishwa kwesiphambano, intethelelo, i-Eucharist, nokubhapathizwa kwezinsana.b

Izimfundiso zama-Waldenses zazihluke ngokuphelele ezimfundisweni ezisekelwe emfundisweni yezici ezimbili eziphikisanayo engebona ubuKristu yama-Cathari, ngokuvamile abawadidanisa nawo. Lokhu kudideka ngokuyinhloko kwabangelwa abahlaseli abangamaKatolika ngamabomu ababezama ukufanisa ukushumayela kwama-Waldenses nezimfundiso zama-Albigenses, noma ama-Cathari.

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Kwafa izinkulungwane ezingu-7 eSontweni LaseSt. Mary Magdalene eBéziers, lapho amabutho enkolo aqothula khona amadoda, abesifazane, nezingane abangu-20 000