Ngaba AmaBhunga Eetyalike Amkelekile KuThixo?

IGAMA elithi “ibhunga” lizisa engqondweni inkalo eyaziwa kakuhle yorhulumente wasekuhlaleni. Amabinzana anjengelithi “ibhunga lesixeko” okanye “ibhunga ledolophu” aqondwa ngoko nangoko. Noko ke, kusenokuba ibinzana elingaqhelekanga kangako lelithi, “ibhunga letyalike” okanye “ibhunga lecawa.” Ibhunga lecawa elilolo hlobo liye lachazwa “njengendibano yabameli becawa abanegunya elinyanzelisayo yaye ngokufuthi elingokomthetho kwimibandela yokholo, yokuziphatha, noqeqesho lwasecaweni.”

Kumabhunga etyalike amaninzi aye abonwa ebudeni beenkulungwane, iCawa yamaRoma Katolika igqala angama-21 njengamanyanisa izimvo zecawa yaye la mabhunga asusela kwiBhunga laseNicaea ngowama-325 C.E. ukusa kwiBhunga Lesibini laseVatican lowe-1962-65. NgokweThe Encyclopedia Americana, “amabhunga omanyano amiseIwa ngupopu, owongamelayo, ogqiba ngezinto eziza kuxutyushwa kwintlanganiso, ovala ibhunga, aze abhengeze imimiselo yalo. . . . Likunye nopopu ibhunga elimanyanisa izimvo zabantu zecawa liliqumrhu lecawa elinegunya, yaye ngokumanyene naye limela igunya lemfundiso yecawa engenakuphosisa kwimicimbi yokholo nokuziphatha.”—Umqulu 8, iphepha 85.

Ukukhangela Imvelaphi Yawo

Iinkokeli ezininzi zecawa zikholelwa kwelokuba amabhunga eetyalike zeNgqobhoko ayafana nentlanganiso yabapostile namadoda amakhulu eYerusalem kwinkulungwane yokuqala. Ngaloo ndlela, kuthiwa amabhunga amva ecawa anegunya elifanayo lokwenza isigqibo ngemicimbi yokholo nokuziphatha. (IZenzo 15:2, 6, 22) Kodwa ngaba amabhunga eetyalike anjalo aye agunyaziswa nguThixo? Ngaba uye wakholiswa ngawo?

Okubangel’ umdla kukuba, kuMarko 3:6 ibinzana elithi ‘benza ibhunga’ livela kwigama lesiGrike elithetha ‘intlanganiso yabantu abavakalisa iimbono nesiluleko sabo.’ Kuloo ndinyana, sifunda ukuba abaFarisi ‘benza ibhunga’ neqela labalandeli bakaHerode ukuze batshabalalise uYesu. Ngokuqinisekileyo uThixo akazange akholiswe lelo bhunga! Ibe uYesu wabalumkisa abafundi bakhe ngokuthembela kubantu abalolo hlobo. (Marko 8:15) Ngaba ukungathembeli okufanayo kugunyazisiwe kwimeko yamabhunga eetyalike zeNgqobhoko?

UYesu wakwathi: “Nobaqonda ngeziqhamo zabo.” (Mateyu 7:20) Ngoko ke, makhe sihlolisise iziqhamo zamabhunga awahlukahlukeneyo ecawa.

Alawulwa Yintoni?

NgokweThe Encyclopedia Americana, amabhunga enqila asisixhobo sokulungelelanisa iicawa zamaKatolika eSpeyin, eBritani, nakwezinye iindawo “ayedla ngokumiselwa aze alawulwe ligunya lasekuhlaleni.” Amabhunga aqhelekileyo eenkokeli zeetyalike kubo bonke ubukhosi baseRoma “ayengaziwa ngaphambi kweBhunga laseNicaea (ngowama-325 A.D.),” elamiselwa nguMlawuli uConstantine. Umbhali-mbali waseBritani uH. G. Wells wathi uConstantine wangenisa ubupolitika nenkqubo yorhulumente olawulwa ngumntu omnye kwiNgqobhoko eyayisele yahlulelene ngokunzulu. UWells wabhala oku: “Asikuphela nje kwebhunga laseNicaea elamiselwa nguConstantine Omkhulu, kodwa onke amabhunga amakhulu, amabini aseConstantinople (ngowama-381 nowama-553), elase-Efese (ngowama-431) nelaseChalcedon (ngowama-451) amiselwa kunye ligunya lomlawuli.” Kodwa uThixo wayenokukwamkela njani oko, ekubeni amaKristu okwenyaniso engazami ukudibanisa unqulo lwawo nobupolitika kodwa, kunoko, elondoloza ubundilele obungqongqo?—Yohane 17:16; Yakobi 1:27.

IThe Encyclopedia Americana yalek’ umsundulo isithi: “Kamva amabhunga aqhelekileyo ayesonganyelwa ngokufuthi ligunya lobupolitika lecawa nosukuzwano olungemimandla emikhulu elawulwa ngubhishophu okanye ubhishophu omkhulu.” Ekubeni amabhunga ecawa anjalo aphawulwa bubukho bezobupolitika nalusukuzwano lwecawa, akazange abe neziqhamo zomoya kaThixo ezinjengothando noxolo. Kunoko, onakaliswa yimisebenzi yenyama eyaquka “intiyo, iinkani, amakhwele, . . . amayelenqe, iimbambaniso, izahlukano.” Ngokubhekisele kwimisebenzi yenyama, umpostile uPawulos walumkisa wathi: “Abazenzayo izinto ezinjalo abayi kubudla ilifa ubukumkani bukaThixo.” (Galati 5:19-23) Ngoko ke, kunokutshiwo njani ukuba amabhunga eecawa zeNgqobhoko amkelekile kuThixo?

Izinto Ezimbi Ezothusayo!

UH. G. Wells wabona ukuba umoya kaConstantine wawulawula imicimbi yecawa, waza wathi: “Ingcamango yokushenxisa yonke impikiswano neyantlukwano, ukushenxisa yonke ingcinga, ngokumisela ummiselo omnye wemfundiso kuwo onke amakholwa, . . . yingcamango yomntu omnye onoluvo lokuba ukuze akwenze konke oko umele akhululeke kwinkcaso nasekugxekweni. Ngoko ke imbali yeCawa phantsi kwempembelelo [kaConstantine] ngoku iba yimbali yemizabalazo enogonyamelo eyayifanele ukulandela emva kwemimiselo yakhe yequbuliso nekhawulezileyo yokuba kumanyanise. Ngokuphuma kuye iCawa yaba negunya elingathandatyuzwayo lokuvelisa intlangano ephambili neyayiza kuhambisana nolawulo.”

Izityholo zokuqhekeka zangqineka zilicebo lenkohlakalo lokushenxisa abachasi ekwakunokwenzeka ukuba bawasingela phantsi amabhunga eecawa zeNgqobhoko. Nabaphi na abavakalisa iimbono ezahlukileyo okanye abade bazama ukunikela ubungqina obungokweZibhalo obubhebhetha iimfundiso nemithetho yecawa yaloo mabhunga bafaniswa nabaqhekeki.

Uzimiselo lokushenxisa abachasi lwakhokelela kwizinto ezimbi ezoyikekayo. Inkoliso yabo bavakaliswa benetyala lokuqhekeka kwimfundiso ethandwayo yebhunga yatshiswa emthini, isiva intlungu yokufa ngokuthe ngcembe esidlangalaleni—kusithiwa oko kwenziwa egameni likaKristu!

Ngokomzekelo, iBhunga laseConstance (1414-18) lapheliswa kuxanjuliswana ngokuba ngubani na upopu ofanelekileyo nokuqhubana nabaqhekeki bakaWycliffe noHus. Kuthiwa amahashe angamashumi amathathu amawaka ayethwele abantu besiya eConstance kwesi siganeko sikhulu. Ebudeni belo bhunga, uJohn Hus wagwetywa, waza wasiwa kumagunya asekuhlaleni waza watshiswa emthini.

Kuthekani Ngemfundiso?

Kuyinyaniso ukuba onke amaKristu okwenyaniso ‘athetha nto-nye.’ Kodwa oku akungengenxa yengcinezelo yecawa engavelisi siqhamo. Kunoko, kungenxa yokuba iinkolelo nezinto aziqheliselayo zisekelwe ngokupheleleyo eLizwini likaThixo eliphefumlelweyo. (1 Korinte 1:10; IZenzo 17:10, 11; 2 Timoti 3:16, 17) Kanti, amabhunga ecawa aqhuba njani xa siqwalasela izigqibo zawo zemfundiso?

Nangona amabhunga ecawa esenokunconywa njengenze inkqubela kwiimfundiso zecawa, kwiingqondo zabantu abaninzi aye angabulalayo natshabalalisa iimfundiso ezinyulu zamaKristu. Ukuzekelisa: Ngowe-325 C.E. iBhunga laseNicaea lavelisa imfundiso yokuVela Ngokutsha kukaKristu, okanye uThixo ongumntu. Oku kukhanyelwa kwento yokuba ngokwenene uYesu wayengumntu kwaba yenye yezona mfundiso zilahlekisayo zeNgqobhoko. (Thelekisa eyesi-2 kaYohane 7.) Ewe, iye yatyekisa izigidi zabantu kude noYehova uThixo ibatyekisela kuBathathu Emnye odidayo! Akukho nalinye ibhunga kumabhunga awabonwayo emva koko elazama ukwenza nawuphi na umzamo ukulungisa le mpazamo. Kanti imfundiso kaBathathu Emnye ngokucacileyo ayikho ngokweZibhalo, kuba uYesu wathi: “UBawo mkhulu kunam.” (Yohane 14:28) Ngaba kwakunokwenzeka ngoThixo ukuba akholiswe lilo naliphi na ibhunga elasitha inyaniso engokufaniswa kwakhe naleyo engoNyana wakhe?

Imfundiso eyaveliswa lelinye ibhunga yayisenokukatyiswa lelinye. Ngokomzekelo, njengokuba kuboniswe kwisicangca esilapha, ukusetyenziswa kwemifanekiso ekunquleni kwakuchaswa ebudeni bebhunga laseConstantinople ngowama-730 C.E. Kodwa ukusetyenziswa kwayo kwaphinda kwaveliswa lelinye ibhunga elalandelayo. Kakade ke, iBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba ukwenza nokusebenzisa imifanekiso engokonqulo kukunqula izithixo yaye akuvumelani nobuKristu.—Eksodus 20:4-6; 1 Yohane 5:21.

Kwanjengokuba kuboniswe kwisicangca, enye imfundiso ephakathi kweemfundiso ezixhaswa ngamabhunga eecawa zeNgqobhoko yileyo yokubhaptizwa kweentsana, ukungatshati kwabefundisi okwamiselwa ngegunya nokufunekayo, intlambululo-miphefumlo, nesihogo somlilo. Noko ke, iZibhalo azikuxhasi ukubhaptizwa kweentsana, ukungatshati kwabefundisi nesihogo somlilo, zingathethi nento le ngentlambululo-miphefumlo. (Mateyu 28:19, 20; 1 Timoti 4:1-3; Yobhi 14:13) Ekubeni abo banqwenela inkoliseko kaYehova bemele bamnqule “ngomoya nangenyaniso,” unokukholiswa njani ngamabhunga akhuthaza imfundiso yobuxoki?—Yohane 4:23, 24.

Intlanganiso YaseYerusalem

Ngokubhekisele kumabhunga eetyalike, uOtto Karrer wabhala oku: “Ngaphandle koko kwakubizwa ngokuba liBhunga Labapostile [lowama-49 C.E.], elalinesigqibo esiyinxalenye yomyalelo wabapostile ongokobuthixo, onke amabhunga avela kwibandla lasemva kwabapostile. Akazange amiselwe ngexesha lokusekwa kwebandla.”—The Councils of the Church.

Alithandabuzeki elokuba, onke amabhunga eecawa zeNgqobhoko aye ahluka kakhulu kwintlanganiso yabapostile namadoda amakhulu eyayiseYerusalem ngenkulungwane yokuqala. Ngelo xesha kwakungekho befundisi balambele igunya lokubeka iidyokhwe ezinzima ezintanyeni zabanye okanye baphembe imililo yokutshisa abantu. Kunoko, kwakubonakaliswa isiqhamo somoya kaThixo. Iingxubusho zazisalathiswa ngumoya yaye zazivisisana neLizwi likaThixo. Ibe lo mzekelo wokucombulula iimbambano ezingokweZibhalo ulandelwa liQumrhu Elilawulayo lamaNgqina kaYehova namhlanje.

Incwadi abapostile namadoda amakhulu aseYerusalem awayithumela kumakholwa angoowabo yayisithi ngokuyinxenye: “Kuba kwabonakala kulungile kuye uMoya oyiNgcwele, nakuthi, ukuba kungabekwa phezu kwenu mthwalo ungaphezu kwezi ndawo zifunekayo: zokuba nizile izinto ezibingelelwe kwizithixo, negazi, nento ekrwitshiweyo, nombulo.” (IZenzo 15:22-29) Le yayingeyomithetho nje eyayivela ebantwini kodwa kwakuziimfuneko ezazisekelwe kwimimiselo yangaphambili yoMniki-Bomi Omkhulu.—Genesis 9:3, 4; Duteronomi 5:8-10, 18; Isaya 33:22.

Loo ntlanganiso yenkulungwane yokuqala yabapostile namadoda amakhulu eYerusalem yayamkelekile kuYehova uThixo, kuba izigqibo zayo zazinentsikelelo yakhe, yaye yahambisela phambili umsebenzi wokushumayela uBukumkani owangenisa iintlanga ezininzi kwibandla lamaKristu. Noko ke, izibakala zembali zinika ubungqina obucacileyo bokuba amabhunga eecawa zeNgqobhoko akazange akha amkeleka kuThixo.

[Itshati ekwiphepha 26]

IMFUNDISO EVUNYIWEYO IBHUNGA UMHLA

Ukubhaptizwa Kweentsana Carthage 253 C.E.

Ukungatshati Kwabefundisi Trent 1545 C.E.

Uqhawulo-mtshato Ngenxa

Yokukrexezaa Arles 314 C.E.

Uqhawulo-mtshato Lwalelwe Trent 1545 C.E.

Isihogo Somlilo Lyons 1274 C.E.

Florence 1573 C.E.

Imifanekiso Eqingqiweyo Ichasiweb Constantinople 730 C.E.

Imifanekiso Eqingqiweyo

Iphinde Yamkelwa Constantinople 842 C.E.

Nicaea 787 C.E.

Ukuzalwa KukaMariya Engenasono Avignon 1457 C.E.

Ukuvela Ngokutsha KukaKristu Nicaea 325 C.E.

Chalcedon 451 C.E.

Ukungashumayeli Kwama

rhamente Epulpitini Constantinople 681 C.E.

Intlambululo-miphefumlo Florence 1573 C.E.

Trent 1545 C.E.

UBathathu Emnye Nicaea 325 C.E.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]