教會唯一的根基

《教會根基歌》（），又譯教會唯一的根基或教會獨一的根基，是一首由撒母耳·約翰·斯通撰寫的基督教聖詩。

這詩歌直接回應首任納塔爾主教約翰·威廉·哥倫素當時被認為偏離正道的教導，他在南非聖公會製造了內部紛爭。歌詞第四段「雖她受盡了困難，旁人嘲笑譏評，內爭分裂了她身，異端叛道離經」(普天頌讚版)點出了這主題。哥倫素主教因他的教導而被撤職，但他向英格蘭的更高教會機構上訴。

就在這時，約翰·斯通被牽涉入爭辯當中。這啟發了他1866年撰寫了以使徒信經為基礎的一套詩歌。他為詩歌命名為「Lyra Fidelium；使徒信經十二節的十二首詩歌」，《教會唯一的根基》就是根據第九節「神聖大公教會；聖徒相通」創作的。

歌譜通常是撒母耳·薩巴士田·衛斯理選定的「Aurelia」。

歌詞

1 The Church's one foundation
Is Jesus Christ her Lord,
She is His new creation
By water and the Word.
From heaven He came and sought her
To be His holy bride;
With His own blood He bought her
And for her life He died.

2 She is from every nation,
Yet one o'er all the earth;
Her charter of salvation,
One Lord, one faith, one birth;
One holy Name she blesses,
Partakes one Holy Food,
And to one Hope she presses,
With every grace endued.

3 The Church shall never perish!
Her dear Lord to defend,
To guide, sustain, and cherish,
Is with her to the end:
Though there be those who hate her,
And false sons in her pale,
Against or foe or traitor
She ever shall prevail.

4 Though with a scornful wonder
Men see her sore oppressed,
By schisms rent asunder,
By heresies distressed:
Yet saints their watch are keeping,
Their cry goes up, "How long?"
And soon the night of weeping
Shall be the morn of song!

5 'Mid toil and tribulation,
And tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation
Of peace forevermore;
Till, with the vision glorious,
Her longing eyes are blest,
And the great Church victorious
Shall be the Church at rest.

6 Yet she on earth hath union
With God the Three in One,
And mystic sweet communion
With those whose rest is won,
With all her sons and daughters
Who, by the Master's Hand
Led through the deathly waters,
Repose in Eden land.

7 O happy ones and holy!
Lord, give us grace that we
Like them, the meek and lowly,
On high may dwell with Thee:
There, past the border mountains,
Where in sweet vales the Bride
With Thee by living fountains
Forever shall abide! Amen

参考资料

外部链接
 The Church's one foundation
 Lyrics 
 Lyra Fidelium  Twelve Hymns on the Twelve Articles  of the  Apostle's Creed by S. J. Stone, B.A.,  CURATE OF WINDSOR 
 Bad things done to good hymns by TAPANI posted on MAY 30, 2012
 Autograph Manuscript of "The Church's One Foundation" 

基督教聖詩
1860年代作品