How the Trinity Became a Church Doctrine

Chiphunzitso cha Utatu sichinali chodziwika kwa Atumwi ndi mipingo yoyambirira ya zaka za 1st ndi 2nd. Mawu akuti utatu sapezeka m'Mawu a Mulungu. Koma podzafika m’zaka za zana lachitatu mpingo wachikristu unayamba kulamulira, mazunzo achikunja anali ataleka, ndipo achikunja ambiri anafuna kuloŵa m’tchalitchi, atanyamula zikhulupiriro zawo zachikunja za milungu yambiri.

Kuchokera mu Bible Study Monthly ya ku England tatenga cholembedwa chambiri chotsatira pa Utatu:

“Kwa zaka zambiri achikunja anali kuzoloŵerana ndi zikhulupiriro za Utatu za Kum’maŵa, zikhulupiriro zimene zinawonekera mwamphamvu m’zaumulungu zocholoŵana za Chihindu ndi Chibrahman. Ndiko kulemekeza milungu itatu yaikulu ya Brahman, Shiva, Vishnu, ndi Brahma, kuti nyimbo yoyambirira kwambiri ya utatu inapezedwa. Pafupifupi zaka zana Kristu asanabwere, Kalidasa, mmodzi wa olemba ndakatulo akuluakulu a ku India, analemba kuti:

‘Mwa Anthu atatuwo Mulungu mmodzi anasonyezedwa

Aliyense woyamba m'malo, aliyense womaliza - osati yekha;

Wa Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, aliyense akhoza kukhala

Yoyamba, yachiwiri, yachitatu, mwa atatu odalitsika.

Kufanana kwa mawu amenewo ndi chiphunzitso chapambuyo pake cha utatu monga momwe chalongosoledwera m’Chikhulupiriro cha Athanasius n’choonekeratu. Munali m’zaka za m’ma 400 AD, pafupifupi zaka 500 Kalidasa atalemba nyimbo yake, mkangano umene unali ukuchitika m’tchalitchicho unafika pachimake.”

Panthaŵiyi tchalitchi chinapanga chiphunzitso chakuti mkati mwa Mulungu woona mmodzi mulidi anthu atatu. Chotero mawuwo anafika ponena kuti pali “anthu atatu a Umulungu.” Okhulupirira Utatu agwiritsa ntchito matanthauzo osiyanasiyana kuti amvetsetse Utatu. Tanthauzo limodzi lotere ndi lakuti Mulungu Atate, Mulungu Mwana, ndi Mulungu Mzimu Woyera ali onse ofanana ndi amuyaya monga Mulungu woona mmodzi. Ngakhale okhulupirira Utatu amavomereza kuti n’zovuta kumvetsa, udakali maziko enieni a chikhulupiriro cha mipingo yambiri yachikristu yamakono.

Arius, pafupifupi 318 AD, anayamba kutsutsa chiphunzitso cha Utatu. Iye anali ndi udindo woyambitsa mkangano umene ulipobe mpaka pano. Kachiŵirinso kumagwira mawu kuchokera pamwambapo: “Arius anali nkhalamba. Athanasius, wachichepere wodziŵa bwino kwambiri nzeru za anthu ndi mabuku, ndipo ndi luso lake ndi nyonga zake, anatsogolera Bungwelo kusankha mochirikiza chifuno chake chakuti chiphunzitso cha Utatu chilengezedwe kukhala chiphunzitso cha Tchalitchi. Mabishopu aŵiri okha, Thomas wa ku Marmarica ndi Secundus wa ku Ptolemais, anachirikiza Arius. Arius, pokhala atagonjetsedwa motero, anachotsedwa ndi kuthamangitsidwa, ndipo mabuku ake analamulidwa kuti awotchedwe. Ngakhale zinali choncho, mbali yaikulu ya Matchalitchi Achikristu poyamba inakana kuvomereza chiphunzitsocho. Zaka mazana angapo zinapita Utatu usanakhazikitsidwe mwamphamvu monga chiphunzitso chachikristu chovomerezedwa ndi anthu ambiri.”

Kwa zaka zoposa 1200 kunalibe kuphunzira Malemba. Panthaŵiyo kumasulira Malemba konse kunapangidwa ndi chiphunzitso ndi zikhulupiriro za Atumwi Bishopu amene ankatsogolera zikhulupiriro za Tchalitchi. Masiku ameneŵa ankatchedwa Nyengo Zamdima popeza kuti kuunika kwa Uthenga Wabwino kunali pafupi kuzimitsidwa, Mawu a Mulungu sanali kupezeka kwa anthu wamba, koma osungidwira atsogoleri achipembedzo okha.

Tikufuna kuti tikusonyezeni malemba oposa 60 amene amatsutsa chiphunzitso cha Utatu. Malemba amatilangiza kuti ‘tiyese zinthu zonse, ndi gwiritsitsani chimene chili chabwino. Tikukhulupirira kuti mwavomera.

The doctrine of the Trinity was unknown to the Apostles and the early churches of the 1st and 2nd centuries. The word trinity is not found in God’s Word. But by the 3rd century the Christian Church was rising to power, pagan persecutions had ceased, and many pagans sought entrance into the church, carrying with them their heathen beliefs of many gods.

From the Bible Study Monthly of England we have extracted the following historical note on the Trinity:

“For many years pagans had been familiar with the trinitarian beliefs of the East, beliefs which found their strongest expression in the complicated theology of Hinduism and Brahmanism. It is in honor of the three chief Brahman deities, Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma, that a very early hymn to the trinity was composed. Nearly a hundred years before Christ, Kalidasa, one of the greatest of Indian poets, wrote:

‘In those three Persons the one God was shown

Each first in place, each last – not one alone;

Of Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, each may be

First, second, third, among the blessed Three.’

The similarity of those words to the later doctrine of the trinity as defined in the Athanasian Creed is obvious. It was in the 4th century AD, nearly 500 years after Kalidasa wrote his hymn, that the controversy which had been gathering force in the church came to a head.”

At this time the church formulated a doctrine that within the one true God there are actually three persons. Thus the expression came about that there are “three persons of the Godhead.” Trinitarians have used various definitions in order to have the Trinity understood. One such definition is that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are each co-equal and co-eternal as the one true God. Though even Trinitarians admit it is difficult to comprehend, it still remains the very foundation belief of the majority of present-day Christian churches.

Arius, in approximately 318 AD, began to raise objections to the Trinity teaching. He was responsible for starting a controversy that still exists today. Again quoting from the above source: “Arius was an old man. Athanasius, a younger man well versed in philosophy and literature, and with his ability and energy, led the Council to decide in favor of his demand that the doctrine of the Trinity be declared the teaching of the Church. Only two bishops, Thomas of Marmarica and Secundus of Ptolemais, supported Arius. Arius, being thus defeated, was excommunicated and banished, and his books ordered to be burnt. Even so, a considerable portion of Christendom refused, at first, to accept the doctrine. Several centuries elapsed before the Trinity was firmly established as a generally accepted Christian doctrine.”

For over 12 centuries there was practically no study of Scriptures. During that time all Scriptural interpretations were formulated by the teaching and creeds of the Apostolic Bishops who directed the beliefs of the Church. These days were called the Dark Ages since the Gospel light was almost quenched, God’s Word not being available to the common man, but reserved only for the clergy.

We would like to point out to you more than 60 texts that challenge the Trinity doctrine. The Scriptures admonish us to “prove all things and hold fast to that which is good.” We hope that you accept the challenge.