Ebyafaayo n'okubuulira kwa John Calvin

John Calvin yazaalibwa nga 10 July 1509 mu Noyon, ekibuga eky’essinzizo mu ssaza ery’e Picardy mu Bufaransa. Kitaawe, Gérard Cauvin, yali omukungu w’amateeka eyaweerezanga omulabirizi w’ekitundu, omusajja ow’okwegomba okunene, eyategeka omwana we owookubiri ow’ebirabo abeere kabona, oluvannyuma, ng’okwegomba kwe kukyuse, akwate omulimu ogw’amateeka ogugagawaza ennyo. Enteekateeka zombi tezaalowoozaako Katonda, eyanditwala Omufaransa ono omwegendereza, akkakkamu, era omwagazi w’ebitabo, n’amutuuza wakati ddala mu Okuzza Obuggya — si ng’omuntu aleeta oluyoogaano naye ng’omusomesa waakwo omugumiikiriza, omusajja, okusinga abalala bonna, eyawa ekitongole kino amagezi. Buli kimu Calvin kye yafuuka kikuŋŋaanyizibwa mu kigambo kye yeetwalira ne kye yateeka ku kabonero ke: omukono oguwanika omutima oguliko omuliro.

Omutima gwange nkuwaayo ggwe, Ai Mukama, mangu era n’omutima omulamu.

— John Calvin, ekigambo kye eky’obwannannyini

Omuyivu Eyakyusibwa Ekkubo

Ng’aweerezebwa mu Paris ng’akyali omuvubuka nga alina emyaka nga kkumi na ena, Calvin yayita mu Collège de la Marche ne mu Collège de Montaigu eky’obukalubo, n’afuna diguli ye eya master ng’akyali mu myaka gye egy’obuvubuka. Yali, okusinziira ku buli muntu, omuyizi ow’amaanyi — nga yeefuga okutuuka ku kukaluba, ow’amangu, era nga bamusomesa be baamulaba nga wa njawulo dda. Kitaawe bwe yayomba n’ab’essinzizo e Noyon, amangu ago n’akyusa omwana we okuva mu by’okusoma Katonda okudda mu mateeka, Calvin n’agenda okusomera e Orléans n’oluvannyuma e Bourges wansi w’abanoonyereza b’amateeka abasinga obulungi mu Bufaransa. Eyo era gye yanywera ennyo ku kuyiga okuggya okwa humanist, nga yeeyigiriza Oluyonaani n’Olwebbulaniya, n’asoma ebitabo eby’edda n’Abakadde b’Ekkanisa mu nnimi zaabwe. Ekitabo kye ekyasooka tekyali kya ddiini n’akatono, wabula kyali kya kunnyonnyola ekya bwannannyini ku mugezigezi Omuruumi Seneca. Yalabika ng’ali ku kkubo ery’obulamu obw’akakkalukkalu obw’omusajja ow’ebiwandiiko mu kiseera kya Renaissance.

Naye Bufaransa mu ntandikwa y’emyaka gya 1530 kyali kifo kya kabi okulowooza ku Katonda mu ddembe. Ebirowoozo eby’enjiri ebyali biva mu Bugirimaani byali biyingira ku nsalo, era Calvin, ng’atambulira mu bibinja eby’abaagala okuzza obuggya mu Paris, yalaba ettaka nga likyukakyuka wansi w’ebigere bye. Teyawandiika bingi ku kulwana kw’emmeeme ye — yali yeetoowaza nnyo okukola ekyo — naye mu kifo ekimu we yaleka olutimbe ne luggulwa, mu bubaka obw’olubereberye obw’ennyingizo ye ku Zabbuli, yannyonnyola ekyaliwo mu sentensi emu, etayinza kwerabirwa.

Katonda, olw’okukyuka okw’amangu, yakkakkanya n’aleeta ebirowoozo byange mu mbeera eyeegomba okuyigirizibwa, nga byali bikakanyavu mu bintu ng’ebyo okusinga bwe kyandisuubirwa ku muntu ali mu myaka gyange egy’obuto.

— John Calvin, ennyingizo ku Commentary on the Psalms

Tatubuulira kigambo ku mbeera — tewali lunaku, tewali kifo, tewali kwolesebwa. Atubuulira kyokka eyakikola. Katonda yamukkakkanya. Omuyivu ow’amalala, eyeefuga, yawangulwa, era bwe yamala okuwangulwa teyayinza kudda mabega. Ng’okuyigganyizibwa kw’abaagala enjiri kweyongera obungi mu Bufaransa, Calvin n’adduka, ng’atambulira mu mannya ag’obulimba okuva mu kibuga ekimu okudda mu kirala, era mu 1535 n’abeera akaseera mu Basel. Eyo, ng’akyali mu myaka gye egy’amakumi abiri mu wakati, n’awandiika ekitabo ekisooka ekyandimutwalidde obulamu bwe obwabulayo: Institutes of the Christian Religion, ennyonnyola entegeke era ennambulukufu ey’okukkiriza okw’enjiri, ng’akiwaayo ekitundu ng’okwewolereza ku lwa banne abaayigganyizibwanga mu maaso ga kabaka w’e Bufaransa. Kyatandika ng’akatabo akatono. Mu myaka amakumi abiri mu esatu egyaddirira n’akiddamu n’akigaziya emirundi n’emirundi okutuusa, mu ngeri yaakyo ey’enkomerero eya 1559, bwe kyayimirira ng’ennyanjula esinga obujjuvu n’obuyinza ku njigiriza ya Reformed eyali ewandiikiddwa.

Eyawambibwa olwa Geneva

Calvin yayagala obulamu bw’omuyivu — emmeeza, ebitabo bye, n’akasirise. Katonda yamwagaliza mu Geneva. Mu ttoggo lya 1536, ng’ateekedde kusula kiro kimu kyokka mu kibuga ng’ali ku lugendo e Strasbourg, n’ategeerwa. Omuzzi w’obuggya ow’omuliro Guillaume Farel, eyali agguddeko Geneva ku Rooma naye nga taalina birabo bya kuzimba ekyo ekyali kiteekwa okudda mu kifo kyakyo, yajja mu nnyumba y’abagenyi n’eegayirira Calvin abeereewo amuyambe. Calvin yagaana; yeewolereza olw’okuyiga kwe, empisa ye, n’okwetaaga kwe emirembe. Awo Farel, mu kaseera Calvin ke yaterabira, n’afuuka nnabbi n’aboggola nti Katonda yandikolimidde okuyiga kwa Calvin n’akasirise ke singa yadduka omulimu gwe yayitibwa mu bwerufu. Calvin n’akwatibwa. Yatwala ebigambo ebyo eby’entiisa ng’eddoboozi lya Katonda yennyini, era n’asigala.

Ku ntandikwa kyagenda bubi. Calvin ne Farel baawaliriza enkyukakyuka n’empisa ekibuga kye kyali tekinnaba kwaniriza, era mu 1538 abaami b’ekibuga ne babagoba bombi. Eri Calvin obuwaŋŋanguse bwawulikika si ng’obuwanguzi bwe baamuwangula wabula ng’obununuzi — yasobola okudda eri ebitabo bye. Yagenda e Strasbourg n’amala emyaka esatu egiyinza okuba nga gye gyasinga okusanyusa mu bulamu bwe, ng’alunda ekkuŋŋaaniro ery’abanoonyi b’obubudamu Abafaransa wansi w’omukono gw’omuzzi w’obuggya omukkakkamu Martin Bucer, ng’asomesa, era ng’ayiga engeri ekkanisa gy’eteekwa okuddukanyizibwamu. Eyo era gye yawasiza. Mu Agasito 1540 n’awasa Idelette de Bure, nnamwandu w’Omwanabaptist eyakyuka, omukazi ow’amaanyi ag’akasirise eyaleeta abaana babiri mu bufumbo, era n’afuuka, mu kigambo kya Calvin kennyini, omuyambi omwesigwa mu buweereza bwe.

Awo Geneva, ng’etabusetabuse awatali ye, n’emuyita akomewo. Buli kimu mu Calvin kyawakanya — yawandiika nti yandisinga okufa emirundi kikumi okusinga okuddamu okwetikka omusaalaba ogwo. Naye ng’apima okuyitibwa okw’obwerufu okwa Katonda ng’akwepimya n’okwegomba kwe emirembe, n’akkiriza okwewaayo. Omutima ogwali mu mukono ogw’asaamiridde tegwali kigambo kyereere; gwali omulimu ogwasinga obuzibu mu bulamu bwe.

Omusumba w’e Geneva

Calvin teyalina bufuzi mu Geneva era teyafuuka mutuuze okutuusa okumpi n’enkomerero. Yali, mu bumpi, omusumba n’omusomesa, era obuyinza bwe bwali buyinza bwa luteeko lw’okubuulira n’Ekigambo. Yabuulira bulijjo — emirundi mingi buli lunaku, ng’ayita mu bitabo bya Bayibuli olunyiriri ku lunyiriri — n’asomesa, n’awandiika ennyonnyola ku kumpi Ebyawandiikibwa byonna, era n’akola empandiika nnene ennyo eyatuuka ku Bakristaayo Abapolotesitanti abaayigganyizibwanga mu Bulaaya. Yakola nnyo okutegeka ekkanisa ng’ekifaananyi kye yasanga mu Ndagaano Empya: abasumba okubuulira, abasomesa okuyigiriza, abakadde okukuuma, n’abadiyakoni okulabirira abaavu n’ekibinja ky’abanoonyi b’obubudamu abaali bayiwa mu kibuga. Mu 1559 n’asaanikira omulimu ng’atandikawo Academy of Geneva, essomero n’ettendekero eryaddiza abababuulizi abaatendekebwa okudda mu Bufaransa, Scotland, Netherlands, n’ebweru, olwo akabuga ako ne kafuuka, mu kigambo kya John Knox, essomero lya Kristo erisinga obutuukirivu okuva ku batume.

Emyaka gye eyo tegyali gya mirembe. Yalwana entalo enkambwe n’amaka ag’amaanyi ag’e Geneva agaanyiiga empisa y’ekkanisa, era okumala ekiseera ekiwanvu yalabika ng’omuwangule. Era mu 1553 ne kijja ekintu ekibadde kisiikirizza erinnya lye okuva mu kiseera ekyo: okukwatibwa, okusalirwa omusango, n’okwokebwa kwa Michael Servetus, eyali eegaanyi Obusatu (Trinity) era eyanyiiganga Calvin okumala emyaka. Calvin yanoonya okumusalira omusango n’akkiriza okufa kwe — ensala eyagabanwa abakulembeze abasinga obungi ab’omu kiseera ekyo eky’obukambwe, Abakatuliki n’Abapolotesitanti, naye nga kintu kya nnaku okuteeka ku njiri ey’ekisa Calvin gye yabuulira. Tekimuyamba kukikweka. Omusajja omu eyawandiika mu ngeri ekwata ku mutima ku bukwatampola bwa Katonda, yayinza okuba omukalubo, era yakimanya.

Okusaba, Omulimu Omukulu ogw’Okukkiriza

Newankubadde ng’eyalina obuzito bw’enjigiriza n’obufuzi bwe yeetikka, omutima gwennyini ogw’eddiini ya Calvin gwali kussa kimu ne Katonda mu kusaba. Mu ssuula esinga obuwanvu ey’Institutes, yayigiriza nti okusaba si kirala wabula gwe mulimu omukulu ogw’okukkiriza, engeri eya buli lunaku abakkiriza gye basimula eby’obugagga Katonda bye yasuubiza mu njiri. Kyali si nsonga ya kulowoozaako gyokka gyali. Yaggalanga buli kimu ku bibiina bye eby’Endagaano Enkadde n’okusaba okumpi, okutali kutegekere, abawulizi be kwe baawandiikanga ng’ayogera — ebikumi byako bikyaliwo, era kwe kussa mu maaso okw’omuntu ow’olukale, nga kwolesebwa mu bwereere.

Wa, Ai Katonda Ayinzabyonna, nga bw’osanyukira okutukubiriza buli lunaku okwenenya, era nga tosalira kibonerezo kyo amangu ku ffe, bwe tutyo tuleme okuvumagganya okugumiikiriza kwo kuno.

— John Calvin, okusaba okw’enkomerero okuva mu masomo ge ku Bannabbi Abato

Amaka ge gaamanya ennaku. Omwana omulenzi omu Idelette gwe yamuzaalira, Jacques, yazaalibwa ku ntandikwa ya 1542 n’awangaala ennaku ntono zokka; tewaali baana balala abaawonawo. Era mu Marisi 1549 Idelette yennyini n’afa, oluvannyuma lw’okuggwaamu amaanyi okuwanvu. Calvin, eyakuuma enneewulira ze mu buyinza obungi bwe, n’aleka olunyiriri lumu olw’ennaku ye mu bbaluwa gye yawandiikira munne, era kikwata ku mutima okusingawo olw’obwetoowaze bwakyo.

Newankubadde ng’okufa kwa mukyala wange kumbadde kwa bulumi bungi nnyo, kyokka nfuga ennaku yange nga bwe nsobola.

— John Calvin, ebbaluwa eri Pierre Viret, 1549

Okutuusa Ddi, Ai Mukama

Omubiri gwa Calvin gwali tegukoze maanyi, era enkola y’omulimu ey’amaanyi n’agumenya mangu. Yatawaanyizibwa okumala emyaka omutwe okuluma, omusujja, endwadde y’amagumba (gout), amayinja mu nsigo, n’endwadde y’amawuggwe eyakomekkereza n’ekutula omusuwa gw’omusaayi ng’afuba okubuulira. Yabuulira okubuulira kwe okw’enkomerero mu Feburuwali 1564. Mu Apuli n’akuŋŋaanya abasumba b’e Geneva ku kitanda kye n’abasiibula mu bwerufu obutaakweka kintu — ng’abajjukiza engeri ebyali bitono bwe yasooka okujja, engeri okulwana bwe kwali okukambwe, n’abasaba okusonyiwa olw’obukambwe bwonna endwadde ye bwe yamuggyamu.

Yafa nga 27 May 1564, nga tannaweza myaka amakumi ataano mu etaano, ng’akooye ddala mu buweereza bwe yali tayagadde era bwe yali tavuddemu. Ku kwewaliriza kwe yaziikibwa mu ntaana etaliiko kabonero, waleme okubaawo ekifo kya kussaamu ekitiibwa ekiyinza okukuŋŋaana ku magumba ge; ne kaakano tewali amanyi ekifo ddala. Yamala amaanyi ge mu bwama ku bwannakyewa, ng’ayagala kyokka nti Katonda agulumizibwe, ye yeerabirwe. Ebigambo bye eby’enkomerero banne bye baawandiika tebyali bibye wabula bya mulanzi wa Zabbuli eby’edda eby’okwegomba — Okutuusa Ddi, Ai Mukama — okusaba okw’omutima ogwali, ku nkomerero ddala, nga tegukyalina kya kuwaayo okuggyako gwokka, mangu era n’omutima omulamu, mu mikono gya Katonda.