AmaCollegiant—Ukutadisha IBhayibheli Kwawenza Ahluka

Ingabe wake wezwa ngamaCollegiant?

Leli qenjana lenkolo laseNetherlands langekhulu le-17 leminyaka lalihlukile emasontweni azinzile angaleso sikhathi. Kanjani, futhi yini esingayifunda kulo? Ukuze sithole, ake sibuyele emuva kuleso sikhathi.

NGO-1587, uJacobus Arminius (noma, uJacob Harmensen) wafika edolobheni lase-Amsterdam. Akazange abe nenkinga ekutholeni umsebenzi, ngoba wayenomlando ohlaba umxhwele ngokwezomsebenzi. Lapho eneminyaka engu-21 ubudala, wathweswa iziqu e-Leiden University yaseHolland. Ngemva kwalokho, wahlala eSwitzerland iminyaka eyisithupha, etadisha izimfundiso zenkolo ngaphansi kukaThéodore de Bèze, owalandela uJohn Calvin uMgqugquzeli Wenguquko ongumProthestani. Akumangalisi ukuthi amaProthestani ase-Amsterdam ammisa ngenjabulo u-Arminius owayeneminyaka engu-27 ubudala njengomunye wabefundisi bawo! Nokho, ngemva kweminyaka embalwa, amalungu amaningi esonto azisola ngalokho kukhetha kwawo. Ngani?

Udaba Lokunqunyelwa Kusengaphambili

Ngemva nje kokuba u-Arminius emiswe njengomfundisi, kwaphakama impikiswano phakathi kwamaProthestani ase-Amsterdam ngokuphathelene nemfundiso yokunqunyelwa kusengaphambili. Lena kwakuyimfundiso eyisisekelo yeNkolo KaCalvin, kodwa amanye amalungu esonto ayenomuzwa wokuthi uNkulunkulu owanquma kusengaphambili ukuthi abanye bazosindiswa abanye balahlwe wayelukhuni futhi engenabulungisa. Abalandeli beNkolo KaCalvin babelindele ukuthi u-Arminius wayezoqondisa labo baphikisi njengoba ayengumfundi kaBèze. Nokho, kunalokho u-Arminius waba sohlangothini lwabaphikisi, okwenza abalandeli benkolo kaCalvin bashaqeka. Ngo-1593 leyo mpikiswano yayisishube kangangokuthi yahlukanisa amaProthestani akulelo dolobha aba amaqembu amabili—kwaba yilawo asekela leyo mfundiso nalawo ayenqabayo, angeqisi.

Ngeminyaka embalwa nje, le mpikiswano yakuleyo ndawo yayisidale ukwahlukana phakathi kwamaProthestani ezweni lonke. Ekugcineni, ngo-November 1618 lolo daba lwasingathwa. Abalandeli beNkolo KaCalvin, besekelwa ibutho kanye nomphakathi, babizela abaphikisi (ngaleso sikhathi ababebizwa ngokuthi amaRemonstranta) emkhandlwini kazwe-lonke, uMkhandlu Wabefundisi BamaProthestani WaseDordrecht. Esiphethweni somhlangano, bonke abefundisi abangamaRemonstrant kwathiwa bakhethe: Basayine isithembiso sokuthi ngeke baphinde bashumayele, noma baphume kulelo lizwe. Abaningi bakhetha ukuya ekudingisweni. Abalandeli beNkolo KaCalvin abangaguquki bathatha izikhundla zabefundisi abangamaRemonstrant abase behambile. INkolo KaCalvin yanqoba—noma, umkhandlu wabefundisi wawuthemba kanjalo.

Ukuvela Nokukhula KwamaCollegiant

Njengakwezinye izindawo, ibandla lamaRemonstrant edolobhaneni laseWarmond, eduze naseLeiden, lalahlekelwa umfundisi walo. Nokho, ngokungafani nakwezinye izindawo, leli bandla alizange limamukele lowo owayemiswe umkhandlu wabefundisi ukuba athathe leso sikhundla. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lapho umfundisi ongumRemonstrant efaka ukuphila kwakhe engozini ebuyela eWarmond ngo-1620 ukuze anakekele ibandla, amanye amalungu ebandla amenqaba naye. Lawa malungu ayeseqale ukuqhuba imihlangano yawo yenkolo ngasese ngaphandle kosizo lomfundisi. Kamuva, le mihlangano yabizwa ngokuthi amakolishi futhi labo ababeba khona kuyo kwathiwa amaCollegiant.

Nakuba amaCollegiant avela ngokuyinhloko ngenxa yezimo hhayi ngenxa yesimiso esithile, ngokushesha leso simo sashintsha. Ilungu lebandla uGijsbert van der Kodde lagomela ngokuthi ngokuhlangana ngaphandle komfundisi, leli qembu lalivumelana ngokuseduze kakhulu neBhayibheli nendlela yamaKristu okuqala kunokuvumelana namasonto azinzile. Lathi isigaba sabefundisi sasisungulwe ngemva kokufa kwabaphostoli ukuze kwakhiwe imisebenzi ezokwenziwa amadoda angathandi ukufunda amakhono.

Ngo-1621, uVan der Kodde namalungu anomqondo ofana nowakhe bathuthela imihlangano yabo edolobhaneni laseRijnsburg eliseduze nalapho.b Ngemva kweminyaka ethile, lapho sekunokubekezelelana esikhundleni soshushiso olungokwenkolo, idumela lemihlangano yamaCollegiant lasakazeka ezweni lonke futhi isazi-mlando uSiegfried Zilverberg sithi yaheha “abantu abanezizinda ezihlukahlukene.” KwakunamaRemonstrant, amaMennonite, amaSocinian ngisho nezazi zemfundiso yenkolo. Abanye babengabalimi. Abanye beyizimbongi, abanyathelisi, odokotela nabantu bamakhono. Isazi sefilosofi uSpinoza (uBenedictus de Spinoza) nomfundisi uJohann Amos Comenius (noma, uJan Komenský), kanye nomdwebi odumile uRembrandt van Rijn, bazwelana nale nhlangano. Imibono ehlukahlukene eyeza nalaba bantu abahlonipha uNkulunkulu yakuthonya ukuthuthuka kwezinkolelo zamaCollegiant.

Ngemva kuka-1640 leli qembu elinamandla lakhula ngokushesha. Kwaba namakolishi eRotterdam, e-Amsterdam, eLeeuwarden nakwamanye amadolobha. Uprofesa wezomlando u-Andrew C. Fix uphawula ukuthi phakathi nonyaka ka-1650 no-1700, “amaCollegiant . . . akhula aba enye yezinkolo ezibalulekile nezinethonya kakhulu ngekhulu leshumi nesikhombisa leminyaka eHolland.”

Izinkolelo ZamaCollegiant

Njengoba ukubonisana ngokuhluzekile, ukubekezelelana nokukhuluma ngokukhululekile kwakuyizici eziphawulekayo enhlanganweni yamaCollegiant, amaCollegiant ngamanye ayekhululekile ukuba nezinkolelo ezihlukile. Nokho, ayehlanganiswa ndawonye izinkolelo ezithile ezifanayo. Ngokwesibonelo, wonke amaCollegiant ayekuqaphela ukubaluleka kokuba umuntu ngamunye azitadishele iBhayibheli. Omunye wamaCollegiant wabhala ukuthi ilungu ngalinye kufanele “lizihlolele futhi lingamazi ngomunye umuntu uNkulunkulu.” Ayenze njalo. Ngokwesazi-mlando sesonto sangekhulu le-19 leminyaka uJacobus C. van Slee, kwatholakala ulwazi lweBhayibheli olwengeziwe phakathi kwamaCollegiant kunakwamanye amaqembu enkolo angaleso sikhathi. Ngisho nabaphikisi bawancoma amaCollegiant ngokukwazi kwawo ukusebenzisa iBhayibheli ngekhono.

Nokho, njengoba amaCollegiant ayeqhubeka efunda iBhayibheli, ayeya ngokuya eba nezinkolelo ezihlukile kwezamasonto ayezinzile. Imithombo esuka ekhulwini le-17 kuya kwelama-20 leminyaka ichaza ezinye zezinkolelo zawo:

Isonto Lokuqala. Omunye wamaCollegiant oyisazi sezimfundiso zenkolo u-Adam Boreel wabhala ngo-1644 ukuthi lapho isonto lokuqala lihileleka kwezombangazwe ngesikhathi soMbusi uConstantine, laphula isivumelwano salo noKristu futhi alibange lisaphefumulelwa ngomoya ongcwele. Wanezela ukuthi ngenxa yalokho, kwanda izimfundiso zamanga futhi zaqhubeka kwaze kwaba usuku lwakhe.

IZinguquko. IZinguquko zekhulu le-16 leminyaka ezaziqondiswa uLuther, uCalvin nabanye azizange zenze okungako ekuguquleni isonto. Kunalokho, ngokomunye wamaCollegiant aholayo nongudokotela uGalenus Abrahamsz (1622-1706), iZinguquko zenza isimo senkolo saba sibi nakakhulu ngokubangela ingxabano nenzondo. Ukuguquka kwangempela kufanele kushintshe inhliziyo, okuyilokho iZinguquko ezahluleka ukukwenza.

Isonto Nabefundisi. Amasonto azinzile onakele, anezinto zezwe futhi awanalo igunya laphezulu. Noma ngubani othatha inkolo ngokungathi sína uyobe wenza kahle ukulishiya isonto akulo ukuze angabi umsekeli wezono zalo. AmaCollegiant ayethi isikhundla sabefundisi siphambene nemiBhalo futhi “siyingozi enhlalakahleni engokomoya yebandla lamaKristu.”

UMbuso Nepharadesi. Omunye wabasunguli bekolishi lase-Amsterdam, uDaniel de Breen (1594-1664), wabhala ukuthi uMbuso kaKristu wawungewona umbuso ongokomoya ohlala enhliziyweni yomuntu. Uthisha uJacob Ostens, omunye wamaCollegiant aseRotterdam, wathi “izinzalamizi zazibheke phambili ezithembisweni zasemhlabeni.” Ngokufanayo, amaCollegiant ayelindele isikhathi lapho umhlaba uyoguqulwa khona ube ipharadesi.

UZiqu-zintathu. Amanye amaCollegiant aholayo, ethonywe izinkolelo zamaSocinian, amenqaba uZiqu-zintathu.c Ngokwesibonelo, uDaniel Zwicker (1621-78) wabhala ukuthi noma iyiphi imfundiso engenangqondo, njengoZiqu-zintathu, ‘yayingenakwenzeka futhi yayingamanga.’ Ngo-1694 kwanyatheliswa inguqulo yeBhayibheli eyayihunyushwe omunye wamaCollegiant uReijnier Rooleeuw. Yayihumusha ingxenye yokugcina kaJohane 1:1 ngokuthi: “Futhi ulizwi wayengunkulunkulu” kunangendlela evamile ethi: “Futhi ulizwi wayenguNkulunkulu.”d

Imihlangano Yamasonto Onke

Nakuba kwakungewona wonke amaCollegiant ayevumelana ngokwezinkolelo, amakolishi awo ayesemadolobheni ahlukahlukene ayesebenza ngendlela ethi ayifane. Isazi-mlando uVan Slee sibika ukuthi ekuqaleni kwenhlangano yamaCollegiant, imihlangano yayingalungiselelwa kusengaphambili. Ngokusekelwe emazwini omphostoli uPawulu aphathelene nesidingo ‘sokuprofetha,’ amaCollegiant ayenomuzwa wokuthi wonke amalungu esilisa angakhuluma ngenkululeko ekolishi. (1 Korinte 14:1, 3, 26) Ngenxa yalokho, imihlangano yayivame ukuqhubeka kuze kube sebusuku kakhulu futhi abanye kwababeba khona babeze “bahuqe ubuthongo.”

Kamuva, imihlangano yahleleka ngokwengeziwe. AmaCollegiant ayengahlangani ngamaSonto kuphela kodwa naphakathi nesonto kusihlwa. Ukuze isikhulumi nebandla bayilungiselele kusengaphambili yonke imihlangano yalowo nyaka, isimiso esinyathelisiwe sasinikeza uhlu lwamavesi eBhayibheli azocatshangelwa kanye nezinhlamvu zokuqala zamagama ezikhulumi. Ngemva kokuba umhlangano uvulwe ngengoma nomthandazo, isikhulumi sasichaza amavesi eBhayibheli. Lapho sesiqedile, sasicela abesilisa ukuba baphefumule ngokuphathelene nesihloko okusanda kuxoxwa ngaso. Isikhulumi sesibili sasibe sesibonisa indlela lawo mavesi asebenza ngayo. Umhlangano wawuvalwa ngomthandazo nengoma.

AmaCollegiant asedolobheni laseHarlingen, esifundeni saseFriesland, ayenendlela engavamile yokugcina imihlangano yawo ihamba ngesikhathi esihleliwe. Isikhulumi esasikhuluma isikhathi eside kunesifanele kwakudingeka sikhokhe inhlawulo encane.

Imihlangano Yezwe

AmaCollegiant aphinde abona kunesidingo sokuba nemibuthano emikhudlwana. Ngakho, kusukela ngo-1640, amaCollegiant avela ezweni lonke ayehamba kabili ngonyaka (entwasahlobo nasehlobo) aye eRijnsburg. Isazi-mlando uFix sithi le mibuthano yayenza “ajwayelane nemibono, imizwa, izinkolelo nemisebenzi yabafowabo abakuyo yonke indawo.”

Amanye amaCollegiant avakashile ayeqasha amakamelo ezakhamuzini zakulelo dolobhana kuyilapho amanye ayehlala e-Groote Huis, noma eNdlini Enkulu, eyayinamagumbi angu-30 yamaCollegiant. Kwakulungiselelwa ukudla kwabantu abangu-60 kuya kwabangu-70 lapho. Ngemva kokudla kwasemini, izivakashi zazingahambahamba engadini enkulu yaleyo ndlu zijabulela ‘imisebenzi kaNkulunkulu, ingxoxo ezothile noma isikhathi sokucabanga.’

Nakuba kungewona wonke amaCollegiant ayenomuzwa wokuthi ubhapathizo lwaludingekile, amaningi ayenalowo muzwa. Ngakho, ubhapathizo lwaba isici semibuthano emikhulu. Isazi-mlando uVan Slee sithi leso senzakalo sasivame ukuba ngoMgqibelo ekuseni. Ingoma nomthandazo kwakulandelwa inkulumo ebonisa isidingo sokucwiliswa. Isikhulumi sasibe sesimema labo bantu abadala abafuna ukubhapathizwa ukuba bavume ukholo lwabo, njengokuthi, “Ngiyakholelwa ukuthi uJesu Kristu uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu ophilayo.” Ngemva kokuba inkulumo iphethwe ngomthandazo, bonke abakhona babeya echibini lokubhapathiza beyobona abesilisa nabesifazane beguqa echibini, ukuze amanzi afinyelele emahlombe abo. Obhapathizayo wayebe eselisunduzela phambili kancane kancane ikhanda lalowo owayesanda kukholwa, lingene ngaphansi kwamanzi. Ngemva kwaleso senzakalo, bonke babephindela ezihlalweni zabo ukuze bathamele inkulumo elandelayo.

NgoMgqibelo ngo–5:00 ntambama, umhlangano wangempela wawuqala ngokufundwa kweBhayibheli okufushane nengoma nomthandazo. Ukuze kuqinisekiswe ukuthi kuhlala kunesikhulumi, ikolishi laseRotterdam, eLeiden, e-Amsterdam nelaseNyakatho Holland ayeshintshana ngokulungiselela izikhulumi zomhlangano ngamunye. Usuku lwangeSonto ekuseni lwalugcinelwa ukugubha iSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa. Ngemva kwenkulumo, umthandazo nengoma, kwakuqala abesilisa kulandele abesifazane bahlanganyele ekudleni isinkwa newayini. Kwakulandela izinkulumo ezengeziwe ngeSonto kusihlwa, bese kuthi ngoMsombuluko ekuseni bonke bahlangane ndawonye ukuze bathamele inkulumo yokuphetha. UVan Slee uthi eziningi zezinkulumo ezazinikelwa kule mihlangano emikhulu zazingezisebenza ekuphileni, zigcizelela indlela lokho okukhulunywa ngakho okusebenza ngayo kunokugcizelela izincazelo.

Idolobhana laseRijnsburg lalikujabulela ukuba nale mihlangano. Enye ingqapheli yekhulu le-18 leminyaka yabhala ukuthi ukuthutheleka kwezihambi, ezazisebenzisa imali ethé xaxa ekudleni naseziphuzweni, kwakulilethela inzuzo enhle leli dolobhana. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngemva komhlangano omkhulu ngamunye amaCollegiant ayenikelela abampofu baseRijnsburg isamba esithile semali. Akungabazeki ukuthi leli dolobhana lakuzwa ukulahlekelwa lapho le mihlangano iyekwa ngo-1787. Ngemva kwalokho inhlangano yamaCollegiant yashabalala. Kungani?

Okwenza Ashabalala

Ngasekupheleni kwekhulu le-17 leminyaka, kwase kuqubuke impikiswano ngokuphathelene nendima yokubonisana ngokuhluzekile enkolweni. Amanye amaCollegiant ayenomuzwa wokuthi ukucabanga kwabantu kwakufanele kuze kuqala kunezambulo zaphezulu, kodwa amanye engavumelani nalokho. Ekugcineni, leyo mpikiswano yayihlukanisa yonke inhlangano yamaCollegiant. Kwaba ngemva kokufa kwamashoshozela ezinhlangothi zombili zempikiswano lapho amaCollegiant aphinde ahlangana khona. Noma kunjalo, ngemva kwalokhu kuhlukana, isazi-mlando uFix sithi le nhlangano “ayiphindanga yafana nakuqala.”

Ukwanda kokubekezelelana phakathi kwamasonto amaProthestani ekhulu le-18 leminyaka nakho kwaba nengxenye ekuncipheni kwamaCollegiant. Njengoba izimiso zamaCollegiant zokubonisana ngokuhluzekile nokubekezelelana zaziya ngokuya zamukelwa umphakathi kabanzi, “ilambu lobuCollegiant elalike lama lodwa lahlangana nokukhanya okuqhakazile okwakuwukuvela kweNkathi Yokukhanyiselwa.” Ngasekupheleni kwekhulu le-18 leminyaka, amaCollegiant amaningi ayesengene kumaMennonite namanye amaqembu enkolo.

Njengoba amaCollegiant engazange abe nomgomo wokuba nomqondo ofanayo enhlanganweni yawo, kwakunemibono elingana namaCollegiant ngokwawo. Ayekuqaphela lokho, ngakho, awazange athi ‘ahlangene endleleni efanayo yokucabanga,’ njengoba umphostoli uPawulu anxusa amaKristu ukuba abe njalo. (1 Korinte 1:10) Nokho, ngesikhathi esifanayo, amaCollegiant ayebheke phambili esikhathini lapho izinkolelo ezisemqoka zamaKristu, njengokuba nobunye ekucabangeni, kwakuyoba yinto engokoqobo.

Lapho sicabangela iqiniso lokuthi ulwazi lweqiniso lwalungakabi luningi ngezinsuku zamaCollegiant, abeka isibonelo izinkolo eziningi zanamuhla ezingasiphawula. (Qhathanisa noDaniyeli 12:4.) Ukugcizelela kwawo isidingo sokutadisha iBhayibheli kwakuvumelana neseluleko somphostoli uPawulu esithi: “Qinisekani ngazo zonke izinto.” (1 Thesalonika 5:21) Ukutadisha iBhayibheli ngokomuntu siqu kwafundisa uJacobus Arminius nabanye ukuthi izimfundiso nemikhuba yenkolo okwase kunesikhathi eside kukholelwa kukho kwakungasekelwe nakancane eBhayibhelini. Lapho beqaphela lokhu, baba nesibindi sokuhluka enkolweni ezinzile. Ingabe wawuyokwenza okufanayo?

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 24]

URembrandt van Rijn

[Izithombe ekhasini 26]

Idolobhana laseWarmond okwaqala kulo amaCollegiant, noMfula iDe Vliet okwakubhapathizelwa kuwo

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 23]

Background: Courtesy of the American Bible Society Library, New York