Ingabe Isonto Lokuqala Lafundisa Ukuthi UNkulunkulu UnguZiqu-zintathu?

INgxenye 4—Yaqala Nini Futhi Kanjani Imfundiso KaZiqu-zintathu?

Izihloko zokuqala ezintathu zaloluchungechunge zabonisa ukuthi imfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu ayizange ifundiswe uJesu nabafundi bakhe kanye noFata beSonto lokuqala. (INqabayokulinda kaNovember 1, 1991; kaFebruary 1, 1992; neka-April 1, 1992) Lesihloko sokugcina sizoxoxa ngendlela lemfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu eyaqala ngayo nokuthi iyiphi indima eyafezwa uMkhandlu waseNicaea ngo-325 C.E.

NGONYAKA ka-325 C.E., umbusi wamaRoma uConstantine wabiza umkhandlu wababhishobhi edolobheni laseNicaea eAsia Minor. Injongo yakhe kwakuwukuxazulula izimpikiswano eziqhubekayo ezingokwenkolo ngobuhlobo beNdodana kaNkulunkulu noNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke. Ngokuphathelene nemiphumela yalowomkhandlu, iEncyclopædia Britannica ithi:

“UConstantine ngokwakhe wengamela, wahola ngenkuthalo izingxoxo, futhi wawusikisela ngokwakhe . . . umklamo owujuqu ochaza ubuhlobo bukaKristu kuNkulunkulu esivumweni sokholo esakhishwa yilomkhandlu, ‘sokuthi unesimo esifana [ho·mo·ouʹsi·os] nesikaYise.’ . . . Beqhaqhazeliswa yilombusi, ababhishobhi, ngaphandle kwababili kuphela, basisayina lesosivumo sokholo, abaningi babo benza bengathandisisi.”⁠¹

Ingabe lombusi oyiqaba wangenela ngenxa yezinkolelo zakhe ezingokweBhayibheli? Cha. IShort History of Christian Doctrine iyaphawula: “UConstantine ngokuyisisekelo wayengayiqondi nhlobo imibuzo eyayibuzwa emfundisweni yenkolo yamaGreki.”⁠² Ayekuqonda kwakuwukuthi izimpikiswano ezingokwenkolo zazisongela ubunye bombuso wakhe, futhi wayefuna zixazululwe.

Ingabe Wamisa Imfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu?

Ingabe uMkhandlu waseNicaea wamisa, noma waqinisa, uZiqu-zintathu njengemfundiso yeLobukholwa? Abaningi bacabanga ukuthi kwaba njalo. Kodwa amaqiniso abonisa okuphambene.

Isivumo sokholo esamenyezelwa yilowomkhandlu sazigcizelela ezinye izinto ngeNdodana kaNkulunkulu ezaziyovumela ukuba abanye abefundisi bambheke njengolingana noNkulunkulu uYise ngandlela-thile. Kodwa, kuvula ingqondo ukubona lokho iSivumo Sokholo saseNicaea esingazange sikusho. Njengoba sasinyatheliswe ngaphambili, sesisonke lesivumo sokholo saphawula: “Sikholelwa kuNkulunkulu oyedwa, uYise umninimandla, umenzi wazo zonke izinto ezibonakalayo nezingabonakali;

“NaseNkosini eyodwa uJesu Kristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu, ezelwe uYise, ezelwe yodwa, okungukuthi, ngesimo sikaYise, uNkulunkulu ovela kuNkulunkulu, ukukhanya okuvela ekukhanyeni, uNkulunkulu weqiniso ovela kuNkulunkulu weqiniso, ezelwe engenziwanga, onesimo esifana nesikaYise, okungaYe izinto zonke zaba khona, izinto ezisezulwini nezisemhlabeni, Lowo ngenxa yethu thina bantu nangenxa yensindiso yethu owehla waphindukuzalwa, waba umuntu, wahlupheka futhi wavuka ngosuku lwesithathu, wenyukela emazulwini, futhi oyobuya azokwahlulela abaphilayo nabafileyo;

“NakuMoya Ongcwele.”⁠³

Ingabe lesivumo sokholo siyasho ukuthi uYise, iNdodana, nomoya ongcwele bangabantu abathathu kuNkulunkulu oyedwa? Ingabe siyasho ukuthi lokhu okuthathu kuyalingana ngobuphakade, amandla, isikhundla, nokuhlakanipha? Cha, asisho. Awukho umklamo wabathathu koyedwa lapha. ISivumo Sokholo sokuqala saseNicaea asizange sisungule noma siqinisekise uZiqu-zintathu.

Lesosivumo sokholo, okungenani, silinganisa iNdodana noYise ngokuthi “banesimo esisodwa.” Kodwa asisho noma yini efana naleyo ngomoya ongcwele. Esikushoyo nje ukuthi “sikholelwa . . . kuMoya Ongcwele.” Lena akuyona imfundiso yeLobukholwa kaZiqu-zintathu.

Ngisho namazwi ayinhloko athi “banesimo esisodwa” (ho·mo·ouʹsi·os) ayengasho ngempela ukuthi umkhandlu wawukholelwa ekutheni uYise neNdodana bayingqikithi eyodwa. INew Catholic Encyclopedia iyaphawula:

“Ukuthi uMkhandlu wawuhlose ukuqinisekisa ukuba ingqikithi eyodwa kwesimo sikaYise neNdodana kuyangabazisa.”⁠⁴

Uma lomkhandlu wawusho ukuthi iNdodana noYise bayinto eyodwa, bekuyolokhu kungeyena uZiqu-zintathu. Bekuyoba nje uNkulunkulu ongumbil’ emunye, hhayi umthath’ emunye njengoba kufunwa imfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu.

“Umbono Wabambalwa”

ENicaea, ingabe ababhishobhi bebonke babekholelwa ukuthi iNdodana yayilingana noYise? Cha, kwakunemibono ephikisanayo. Ngokwesibonelo, omunye wawumelelwe uArius, owayefundisa ukuthi iNdodana yaba nesiqalo esithile futhi ngalesosizathu yayingalingani noNkulunkulu kodwa yayingaphansi ngazo zonke izici. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uAthanasius wayekholelwa ukuthi iNdodana yayilingana noNkulunkulu ngandlela-thile. Futhi kwakuneminye imibono.

Ngokuqondene nesinqumo somkhandlu sokubheka iNdodana njengenesimo esifana nesikaNkulunkulu, uMartin Marty uyaphawula: “INicaea empeleni yayimelela umbono wabambalwa; lesinqumo sasinzima futhi sasingemukeleki kwabaningi ababengabheki izinto ngendlela ka-Arius.”⁠⁵ Ngokufanayo, incwadi ethi A Select Library of Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church iphawula ukuthi “imfundiso eklanywe ngokusobala ephikisana nemfundiso ka-Arius yamukelwa abambalwa kuphela, nakuba laba abambalwa baphumelela ekufezeni injongo yabo.”⁠⁶ Futhi iShort History of Christian Doctrine iyaphawula:

“Okwakubonakala kungathandeki ngokukhethekile kubabhishobhi abaningi nezazi zezenkolo zaseMpumalanga kwakungumqondo owafakwa uConstantine ngokwakhe esivumweni sokholo, ihomoousios [“ukuba isimo esisodwa”], okwaphikiswana ngawo embangweni owalandela phakathi kwabadla ngoludala namambuka.”⁠⁷

Ngemva kwalomkhandlu, ukuphikisana kwaqhubeka amashumi eminyaka. Labo ababesekela umbono wokuthi iNdodana ilingana noNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke bazondwa ngisho nokuzondwa isikhathi esithile. Ngokwesibonelo, uMartin Marty uthi ngoAthanasius: “Udumo lwakhe lwaphakama lwabuye lwaphela futhi wayedingiswa njalo [eminyakeni yangemva komkhandlu] kangangokuthi ekugcineni wafana nesihambi.”⁠⁸ UAthanasius wachitha iminyaka eminingi ekudingisweni ngenxa yokuthi izikhulu zezombangazwe nezesonto zaziphikisana nemibono yakhe yokuthi iNdodana ilingana noNkulunkulu.

Ngakho ukugomela ngokuthi uMkhandlu waseNicaea ngo-325 C.E. wasungula noma waqinisekisa imfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu akulona iqiniso. Lokho kamuva okwaba yimfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu kwakungekho ngalesosikhathi. Umqondo wokuthi uYise, iNdodana, nomoya ongcwele ngakunye kunguNkulunkulu weqiniso futhi kuyalingana ngobuphakade, amandla, isikhundla, nokuhlakanipha, nokho kunguNkulunkulu oyedwa—uNkulunkulu ongumthath’ emunye—awuzange usungulwe yilowomkhandlu noma oFata beSonto bakuqala. Njengoba iChurch of the First Three Centuries iphawula:

“Imfundiso yanamuhla ethandwayo kaZiqu-zintathu . . . ayisekelwe emibhalweni kaJustin [Martyr]: futhi ukukuqaphela lokhu kungase kudlulele kubo bonke oFata bangaPhambi KoMkhandlu WaseNicaea; okusho ukuthi, kubo bonke abalobi abangamaKristu emakhulwini amathathu eminyaka ngemva kokuzalwa kukaKristu. Kuyiqiniso, bayakhuluma ngoBaba, iNdodana, nangokuprofethayo noma uMoya ongcwele, kodwa hhayi njengabalinganayo, abanesimo esisodwa ngenani, aBantu Abathathu koYedwa, nanganoma imuphi umqondo manje owamukelwa abakholelwa kuZiqu-zintathu. Iqiniso lingokuphambene kakhulu nalokhu. Imfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu, njengoba ichazwa yilaboFata, ngokuyisisekelo yayihlukile emfundisweni yanamuhla. Lokhu sikusho njengeqiniso njengobufakazi obungenakuguquka njenganoma iliphi iqiniso emlandweni wemibono yesintu.”

“Sibekela noma ubani inselele yokuba aveze umlobi oyedwa ovelele, phakathi namakhulu amathathu eminyaka, owayekholelwa kulemfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu ngomqondo wamanje.”⁠⁹

Nokho, eNicaea lwenzeka ushintsho oluphawulekayo. Lwavula indlela yokwamukelwa ngokomthetho kweNdodana njengelingana noYise, futhi lokho kwacabela umqondo wakamuva kaZiqu-zintathu indlela. Incwadi ethi Second Century Orthodoxy, kaJ. A. Buckley, iyaphawula:

“ISonto lendawo yonke lahlala limunye emqondweni owodwa oyisisekelo, okungenani kwaze kwaba sekupheleni kwekhulu lesibili leminyaka; bonke bamukela ubukhulu bukaYise. Bonke bamukela uYise njengophakeme ukwedlula bonke. Bonke babebheka uNkulunkulu uYise uMninimandla onke njengokuphela komuntu ophakeme, ongenakuguqulwa, ongenakuchazeka nongenasiqalo.  . . .

“Lapho labobabhali nabaholi bekhulu lesibili leminyaka befa, iSonto lazithola . . . lisondela kancane kancane ngokuphikelela eqophelweni . . . lapho eMkhandlwini waseNicaea kwafinyelelwa khona umvuthwandaba wakho konke lokhu kukhukhulwa kokholo lwakuqala. Lapho, iqembu elincane labavukeli, laphoqelela inkolelo yalo ephambene kwabaningi abangovuma zonke, futhi lisekelwa iziphathimandla zezombangazwe, lacindezela, lakhohlisa futhi lesabisa labo ababelwela ukulondoloza ubumsulwa bakuqala bokholo lwabo.”⁠¹⁰

UMkhandlu WaseConstantinople

Ngo-381 C.E., uMkhandlu waseConstantinople waqinisa iSivumo Sokholo saseNicaea. Futhi wanezela okuthile. Wabiza umoya ongcwele ngokuthi “Nkosi” nangokuthi “mniki-kuphila.” Isivumo sokholo esandisiwe sango-381 C.E. (esisetshenziswa kakhulu emasontweni namuhla futhi esibizwa ngokuthi “iSivumo Sokholo saseNicaea”) sibonisa ukuthi eLobukholwa lase lisonqenqemeni lokuklama imfundiso eqinile kaZiqu-zintathu. Nokho, ngisho nalomkhandlu awuzange uyiphelelise lemfundiso. INew Catholic Encyclopedia iyavuma:

“Kuyathakazelisa ukuthi eminyakeni engu-60 ngemva kweNicaea I uMkhandlu waseConstantinople I [381 C.E.] wamgwema uhomoousios encazelweni yawo yobunkulunkulu boMoya Ongcwele.”⁠¹¹

“Izazi ziye zamangazwa ubumnene obusobala bamazwi alesivumo sokholo; ngokwesibonelo, ukwehluleka kwaso, ukusebenzisa igama elithi homoousios kuMoya Ongcwele njengonesimo sikaYise neNdodana.”⁠¹²

Iencyclopedia efanayo iyavuma: “Uhomoousios akaveli emiBhalweni.”⁠¹³ Cha, iBhayibheli alilisebenzisi lelogama kumoya ongcwele noma eNdodaneni njengabanesimo sikaNkulunkulu. Laliyigama elingelona eleBhayibheli elasiza ekuholeleni emfundisweni kaZiqu-zintathu okungeyona imfundiso yeBhayibheli, eqinisweni, elwisana neBhayibheli.

Ngisho nangemva kwaseConstantinople, kwathatha amakhulu eminyaka ngaphambi kokuba imfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu yamukelwe kulo lonke eLobukholwa. INew Catholic Encyclopedia ithi: “ENtshonalanga . . . kubonakala kunokuthula okuvamile ngokuqondene neConstantinople I nesivumo sayo sokholo.”⁠¹⁴ Lencwadi ibonisa ukuthi isivumo sokholo somkhandlu sasingakaqashelwa kabanzi eNtshonalanga kwaze kwaba sekhulwini lekhombisa noma lesishiyagalombili leminyaka.

Izazi ziyavuma futhi ukuthi iSivumo Sokholo sika-Athanasius, kaningi esicashunwa njengencazelo eyindinganiso nesisekela uZiqu-zintathu, asizange sibhalwe uAthanasius kodwa sabhalwa umbhali ongaziwa esikhathini eside kamuva. INew Encyclopædia Britannica iyaphawula:

“Lesivumo sokholo sasingaziwa eSontweni laseMpumalanga kwaze kwaba sekhulwini le-12 leminyaka. Kusukela ekhulwini le-17 leminyaka, izazi ziye zavuma cishe zonke ukuthi iSivumo Sokholo sika-Athanasius asibhalwanga uAthanasius (owafa ngo-373) kodwa ngokunokwenzeka saqanjwa eningizimu yeFrance phakathi nekhulu lesihlanu leminyaka. . . . Ithonya lalesivumo sokholo kubonakala sengathi liye laba ngokuyinhloko seningizimu yeFrance naseSpain ekhulwini lesithupha nelesi-7 leminyaka. Sasisetshenziswa emikhubeni yesonto eJalimane ekhulwini lesi-9 leminyaka cishe nakamuva eRoma.”⁠¹⁵

Indlela Eyaqala Ngayo

Lemfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu yaqala ukwakheka kancane kancane phakathi namakhulu eminyaka. Imiqondo kaziqu-zintathu yezazi zefilosofi ezingamaGreki njengoPlato, owayephila emakhulwini ambalwa eminyaka ngaphambi kukaKristu, yangena kancane kancane ezimfundisweni zesonto. Njengoba iChurch of the First Three Centuries isho:

“Sikholelwa ukuthi imfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu yaqala kancane kancane futhi ingeyamuva ngokuqhathaniswa; ukuthi yavela emthonjeni ongekho ngokuphelele emiBhalweni yamaJuda namaKristu; ukuthi yakhula, futhi yafakwa ebuKristwini, ngezandla zoFata abalingisa uPlato; ukuthi esikhathini sikaJustin, futhi esikhathini eside kamuva, ukuba ohlukile nokuba phansi kweNdodana kwakufundiswe emhlabeni wonke; nokuthi kwakukhona umbono wokuqala ofiphele kuphela kaZiqu-zintathu ngalesosikhathi.”⁠¹⁶

Ngaphambi kukaPlato, oziqu-zintathu babevamile eBabiloni naseGibithe. Futhi imizamo yabantu besonto yokudonsela abangakholwa ezweni laseRoma yaholela ekubeni kancane kancane ezinye zalezimfundiso zingeniswe ebuKristwini. Lokhu ekugcineni kwaholela ekwamukelweni kwenkolelo yokuthi iNdodana nomoya ongcwele kuyalingana noYise.a

Ngisho negama elithi “Ziqu-zintathu” lamane lemukelwa kancane kancane. Kwakungasekupheleni kwengxenye yokugcina yekhulu lesibili leminyaka lapho uTheophilus, umbhishobhi waseAntioch eSyria, abhala khona ngesiGreki futhi waveza igama elithi tri·asʹ, elisho “uziqu-zintathu.” Kamuva umbhali wesiLatini uTertullian eCarthage, eNyakatho Afrika, wafaka emibhalweni yakhe igama elithi trinitas, elisho “uziqu-zintathu,”b Kodwa igama elithi tri·asʹ alitholakali emiBhalweni YamaKristu YesiGreki ephefumlelwe, negama elithi trinitas alitholakali enguqulweni yesiLatini yeBhayibheli okuthiwa iVulgate. Ayikho kulezinkulumo eyayingokomBhalo. Kodwa igama elithi “Ziqu-zintathu,” elisekelwe emicabangweni yobuqaba, langena ezincwadini zamasonto futhi ngemva kwekhulu lesine leminyaka laba ingxenye yemfundiso yawo.

Ngakho, kwakungekhona ukuthi izazi zazihlolisise iBhayibheli ukuze zibone ukuthi imfundiso enjalo yake yafundiswa kulo noma cha. Kunalokho, ezombangazwe zezwe nezesonto ziye zanquma ngezinga elikhulu ukuba khona kwalemfundiso. Encwadini ethi The Christian Tradition, umbhali uJaroslav Pelikan udonsela ukunakekela “ezicini ezingezona ezenkolo kulenkulumo-mpikiswano, eziningi zazo ezase zibonakala ngokuphindaphindiwe zikulungele ukunquma umphumela wayo, ezamane nje zaphikiswa ezinye izici ezibaluleke ngokulinganayo. Ngokuvamile lemfundiso yayibonakala iyisisulu—noma umkhiqizo—sezombangazwe zesonto nokungqubuzana kobuntu.”⁠¹⁷ Uprofesa waseYale uE. Washburn Hopkins wakubeka ngalendlela: “Incazelo yokugcina yokudla ngoludala kaziqu-zintathu ngokuyinhloko yayiyindaba yezombangazwe zesonto.”⁠¹⁸

Yeka ukuthi ayinangqondo kanjani imfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu uma iqhathaniswa nemfundiso elula yeBhayibheli yokuthi uNkulunkulu uphakeme futhi akekho olingana naye! Njengoba uNkulunkulu esho, “niyakungifanisa nobani, ningilinganise nobani, ningiqhathanise nobani ukuba sifanane na?”—Isaya 46:5.

Lokho Akumelela

Yini eyayimelelwa ukwakheka kancane kancane komqondo kaZiqu-zintathu? Kwakuyingxenye yokuhlubuka ebuKristwini beqiniso okwabikezelwa uJesu. (Mathewu 13:24-43) Umphostoli uPawulu ngokufanayo wayebikezele ngokuhlubuka okwakuza:

“Isikhathi siyeza lapho, benganelisiwe neze imfundiso enengqondo, abantu bayohahela izindaba ezintsha eziqanjiwe futhi bazibuthele abafundisi abaningi ngokuzithandela kwabo; bese kuthi, esikhundleni sokulalela iqiniso, baphendukele ezinganekwaneni.”—2 Thimothewu 4:3, 4, iJerusalem Bible yamaKatolika.

Enye yalezozinganekwane kwakuyimfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu. Ezinye izinganekwane ezihlobene nobuKristu nazo ezakheka kancane kancane yelezi: ukungafi komphefumulo womuntu okuzuzwe ngefa, isihlanzo, iLimbo, nokuhlushwa phakade esihogweni somlilo.

Ngakho, iyini imfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu? Empeleni iyimfundiso yobuqaba ebonakala sengathi ingeyobuKristu. Yathuthukiswa uSathane ukuze akhohlise abantu, ukuze enze uNkulunkulu abe ngoxakile noyimfihlakalo kubo. Lokhu kuphumela ekubeni nabo bafise ngokwengeziwe ukwamukela eminye imiqondo yenkolo engamanga nemikhuba emibi.

“Ngezithelo Zabo”

KuMathewu 7:15-19, uJesu wathi ungakwazi ukuhlukanisa inkolo yamanga enkolweni yeqiniso ngalendlela:

“Xwayani abaprofethi bamanga abeza kini bembathisé okwezimvu, kepha ngaphakathi bayizimpisi eziphangayo. Niyakubazi ngezithelo zabo. Kungakhiwa yini izithelo zomvini emeveni noma amakhiwane ekhakhasini na? Kanjalo yilowo nalowomuthi omuhle uthela izithelo ezinhle, kepha umuthi omubi uthela izithelo ezimbi . . . Yilowo nalowomuthi ongatheli izithelo ezinhle uyanqunywa, uphonswe emlilweni.”

Cabangela isibonelo esisodwa. UJesu wathi encwadini kaJohane 13:35: “Ngalokho bonke bayakukwazi ukuthi ningabafundi bami, uma nithandana.” Futhi, kweyoku-1 Johane 4:20 no-21, iZwi likaNkulunkulu eliphefumlelwe liyasho:

“Uma umuntu esho ukuthi: Ngiyamthanda uNkulunkulu, kepha ezonda umzalwane wakhe, ungumqambimanga; ngokuba ongathandi umzalwane wakhe ambonileyo angemthande uNkulunkulu angambonanga. Yebo lomyalo sinawo, uvela kuNkulunkulu, wokuthi othanda uNkulunkulu makathande nomzalwane wakhe.”

Sebenzisa isimiso esiyisisekelo sokuthi amaKristu eqiniso kumelwe athandane kulokho okwenzeka kuzo zombili izimpi zezwe zalelikhulu leminyaka, kuhlanganise nakwezinye izimpi. Abantu bezinkolo ezifanayo zeLobukholwa baye bahlangana ezinkundleni zempi futhi babulalana ngenxa yezingxabano zobuzwe. Uhlangothi ngalunye lwaluthi lungolobuKristu, futhi uhlangothi ngalunye lwalusekelwa umfundisi walo, owayethi uNkulunkulu ungasohlangothini lwabo. Lokho kubulala “komKristu” omunye “umKristu” kuyizithelo ezibolile. Kuwukonakalisa uthando lobuKristu, ukwenqaba imithetho kaNkulunkulu.—Bheka neyoku-1 Johane 3:10-12.

Usuku Lokwahlulela

Ngakho, ukuhlubuka ebuKristwini akuzange kuholele nje kuphela ezinkolelweni zokungamesabi uNkulunkulu, njengemfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu, kodwa nasemikhubeni yokungamesabi uNkulunkulu. Khona-ke, kunosuku lokwahlulela oluzayo, ngoba uJesu wathi: “Yilowo nalowomuthi ongatheli izithelo ezinhle uyanqunywa, uphonswe emlilweni.” Kungakho iZwi likaNkulunkulu linxusa:

‘Phumani kuyo [inkolo yamanga], bantu bami, ukuze ningahlanganyeli nalo izono zayo, nokuba ningamukeli okwezinhlupho zayo, ngokuba izono zayo zifinyelele ezulwini, noNkulunkulu wakhumbula ukungalungi kwayo.’—IsAmbulo 18:4, 5.

Ngokushesha uNkulunkulu ‘uzokufaka ezinhliziyweni’ zeziphathimandla zezombangazwe ukuba ziyiphendukele inkolo yamanga. ‘Ziyoyenza incithakalo zidle inyama yayo, ziyishise ngomlilo, ziyiqede.’ (IsAmbulo 17:16, 17) Inkolo yamanga iyobe isibhujiswe phakade kanye namafilosofi ayo obuqaba ngoNkulunkulu. Eqinisweni, uNkulunkulu uyosho kwabaqhuba inkolo yamanga njengoba uJesu asho ngosuku lwakhe: “Indlu yenu isisala nani.”—Mathewu 23:38.

Inkolo yeqiniso iyosinda ezahlulelweni zikaNkulunkulu, ukuze ekugcineni, lonke udumo nenkazimulo lunikezwe Lowo uJesu athi “ukuphela kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso.” UyiLowo owachazwa umhubi owamemezela: Wena “ogama lakho linguJehova; ungoPhezukonke emhlabeni wonke.”—Johane 17:3, NW; IHubo 83:18.

Izikhombo:

1. Encyclopædia Britannica, 1971, uMqulu 6, ikhasi 386.

2. A Short History of Christian Doctrine, kaBernhard Lohse, 1963, ikhasi 51.

3. Ibid., amakhasi 52-3.

4. New Catholic Encyclopedia, 1967, uMqulu VII, ikhasi 115.

5. A Short History of Christianity, kaMartin E. Marty, 1959, ikhasi 91.

6. A Select Library of Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, kaPhilip Schaff noHenry Wace, 1892, uMqulu IV, ikhasi xvii.

7. A Short History of Christian Doctrine, ikhasi 53.

8. A Short History of Christianity, ikhasi 91.

9. The Church of the First Three Centuries, ka-Alvan Lamson, 1869, amakhasi 75-6, 341.

10. Second Century Orthodoxy, kaJ. A. Buckley, 1978, amakhasi 114-15.

11. New Catholic Encyclopedia, 1967, Umqulu VII, ikhasi 115.

12. Ibid., uMqulu IV, ikhasi 436.

13. Ibid., ikhasi 251.

14. Ibid., ikhasi 436.

15. The New Encyclopædia Britannica, 1985, uHlelo lwe-15, Micropædia, uMqulu 1, ikhasi 665.

16. The Church of the First Three Centuries, ikhasi 52.

17. The Christian Tradition, kaJaroslav Pelikan, 1971, ikhasi 173.

18. Origin and Evolution of Religion, kaE. Washburn Hopkins, 1923, ikhasi 339.

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