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Thread: Soldeus

  1. #11
    [B][I]The twenty-first of October,
    Four hundred and seven years since the resurrection of Lucius,
    Three hundred and forty-nine years since the founding of our Holy Church,
    In the ninth year of the reign of His Majesty, King Manus Dei;[/I][/B]

    Inside each of us resides a Spark of our Heavenly Father’s Radiant Light and through our conscience we are all in constant intercourse with Him. Let us not forget that this Spark resides in our fellow man and that we are all the children of Soldeus, brothers and sisters to each other. Thus during the course of his life a man has moral obligations that can be divided into three groups; concerning himself, concerning his neighbours, and, highest of all, concerning Soldeus.

    [B]Obligation to thyself:[/B]

    The first and most important obligation that a man has, concerning himself, is in safekeeping his Inner Spark and preparing himself for eternal salvation and beatitude. To attain this, a man must live in a holy and righteous manner that is in accordance with Soldeus's Will. But how can one recognize his Will? First of all, in one's conscience resides His voice. If it were not for the dark and twisted machinations of Umbra, which darkened the Sparks of the first men and women, man would be able unerringly and firmly direct the path of his life according to the dictates of his conscience, in which the will of Soldeus is expressed. We know, however, that in a sinful man, not only are the mind, heart and will damaged, but the conscience is also darkened and its judgment and voice have lost their firm clearness and strength. It is not without reason that some people are called unconscionable.

    Therefore, conscience alone became insufficient for man to live and act according to Soldeus's will and the need arose for an external guide, for a god-revealed Law. Such a Law was given by Soldeus to His children in two aspects: first, through the teachings of Lucius, of Sin and Virtue; and, secondly, as He spoke to us through prophets. Most notable of these was St. Jude who established the Church of Soldeus to spread and teach the Law of Soldeus.

    The Holy Church teaches us that we cannot consider the things given to us by Soldeus, such as our abilities, skills and talents, to be ours and instead we must consider them as gifts of Our Radiant Lord. We must use these gifts, like materials in the construction of a building, for the building of our spirit. To accomplish this, we must use all these gifts, not for ourselves first and alone, but for others, for the laws of Heaven's Truth are contradictory to the laws of earthly benefit. He who gathers for himself acquires earthly wealth; but he who, in the earthly life, gives away and does good acquires for eternity. Lucius proclaimed that earthly wealth, gathered selfishly, was an unjust wealth, and ordered that it not be used for oneself but for others, in order that the reward be received in the eternal home.

    Lucius said, “Be as your Father in Heaven is” and therefore, there can be no end to the work of a man on himself. Perfection is not given to a man at once, but gradually and continually.

    [B]Obligation to thy neighbour:[/B]

    According to the clear, precise directions of the teachings of Lucius, our main obligation to Soldeus is to love Him. To this decree he bound a second, to love thy neighbour, for it is like unto the first. Love for neighbour is like love for Soldeus. The Holy Church, being founded on the words of the Radiant Lord, has set forth the following order in the obligations of man: lowest of all are the obligations to oneself. Therefore, love for oneself must be sacrificed in the name of love for Soldeus and neighbour. Love for one's neighbour takes precedence over love for oneself, but it is subject to the highest love; love for Soldeus Whom we must love most of all.

    It cannot be disputed that in serving one's neighbours, a man serves the Heavenly Father. More than that, love for neighbour is the proof of love for Him., Nevertheless, it is even more certain that our love for Soldeus can never hinder our love for neighbours. By loving Soldeus, we lift ourselves up to a higher spiritual atmosphere, one of love and a new "inspiration of life." The heart of the faithful is filled with such divine love and radiates it everywhere and upon everyone. Thus, love for Soldeus does not obstruct love for neighbours, but on the contrary, strengthens and deepens it.

    Such love for Soldeus is not only the summit of a man’s moral ascent, but it is also the basis of his spiritual existence. Without love there cannot be any spiritual life, struggle or virtue. The highest service of love is the pastor's service, and it can be fulfilled only by one who truly loves Soldeus.

    [B]Obligation to thy Heavenly Father:[/B]

    If our first and basic obligation to Soldeus is to love Him, then it follows naturally that we must know Him. It is absolutely necessary that each man has knowledge of the content of His faith and of its basic Truths; the dogma, the lore and the teachings of the Holy Church. To know Soldeus is our direct duty and the way to fulfill it, in addition to the study of the teachings of Soldeus, is in the contemplation of our Heavenly Father.

    Contemplation of Soldeus is the description of the spiritual mood in which man intentionally introduces into and maintains in his conscience the voice of the Radiant Lord, holds in mind the nature of His highest properties, and ponders the matter of his salvation.

  2. #12
    [B][I]The twenty-sixth of October,
    Four hundred and seven years since the resurrection of Lucius,
    Three hundred and forty-nine years since the founding of our Holy Church,
    In the ninth year of the reign of His Majesty, King Manus Dei;[/I][/B]

    True faith is the first response of the human heart to the content of religious truths, an agreement with and acceptance of them. As it strengthens and becomes deeper, this faith eventually brings one's heart to peace with Soldeus. Faith is inseparably bound to love for our Heavenly Father and in our relationship to Him this love is first of all made manifest in prayer. Prayer is the first and most essential element in our spiritual life. It is the breath of our Inner Spark, and without it, the Spark fades and becomes one with the Darkness, just as the body dies without air or a candle is extinguished if left under a glass dome. All the vital functions of the body depend upon its breathing; in exactly the same way, one's spiritual life depends on prayer, and a person who does not pray to God is spiritually dead.

    Prayer is the conversation of man with the Radiant Lord. One who remembers, knows and loves God will unfailingly turn to Him in prayer. If you have a good desire to pray, thank Soldeus from Whom everything good comes, and do not lose the chance to pray from the Inner Spark. If you do not have this desire, and the time for prayer arrives, then it is necessary to force yourself, encouraging your lethargic and lazy spirit by reminding it that prayer, like every good deed, is all the more precious in His eyes when it is given with difficulty. The Lord does not disdain any prayer if one prays sincerely, as best he knows how, even though he has not developed the habit of praying fully and with unweakening fervour.

    A man who lives a faithful life will always find something about which to pray to Him, because for such a person, Soldeus is a loving Father, a Mighty Protector and an unending Spring of help and strength. This man hurries to Him in need and in woe, as a child to its parent; likewise in plenty and joy, this man remembers to thank the Source of all good things. Lucius has declared that True worshippers worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth. A person who prays to our Heavenly Father must remember that prayer cannot go unheard if it is sincere and breathes of living faith. The Lord Himself said, "Everything is possible to one who believes."

  3. #13
    [B][I]The first of November,
    Four hundred and seven years since the resurrection of Lucius,
    Three hundred and forty-nine years since the founding of our Holy Church,
    In the ninth year of the reign of His Majesty, King Manus Dei;[/I][/B]

    I have discussed the subject of man's free will and examined the nature of sin, the path of virtue and a man’s obligations to our Heavenly Father. Now, I must speak of the process of the conversion of an erring sinner to the path of righteousness.

    Man's betrayal of the Radiant Lord is usually manifested when a man, who receives everything that Soldeus has given him, ceases to have fervent faith in Him, ceases to think about Him and to love Him, and finally forgets about His immutable Law. Thus it is that the senseless sinner wastes his spiritual and physical strength in the pursuit of sensual enjoyments and in "burning through his life," and departs, in heart and soul, further and further from His Heavenly Father.

    In this alienation from God, there is a complete serving of sin and passions. Finally, there is a full spiritual bankruptcy, a spiritual hunger and darkness-- the person has reached the depth of falling. Here, however, according to the words of St. Magnus, where sin has multiplied, an abundance of Grace appears to instruct man. The sinner accepts the Graceful appeal or rejects it and perishes. He accepts it, and comes to himself, and firmly decides to part with sin and go with repentance to the Heavenly Father. He goes along the path of repentance, and the Father comes out to meet him and accepts him, all-forgiven and with as much love as ever.

    Thus, man's salvation is worked out simultaneously through the action of Soldeus's saving Grace, and through the personal efforts of man himself. Man is free to choose good or evil, salvation or ruin and Soldeus does not impede his freedom, although He constantly summons him to salvation.


    It is said in the history of Lucius that:


    [CENTER]The Church was organised to spread the teachings of Soldeus, to teach
    the knowledge of the Inner Spark and of the struggle between Sin and
    Virtue; to inculcate in men the importance of prayer and repentance;
    and to set the salvation of man as its highest duty, for each man is born
    from the Spark of our Holy and Radiant Lord and the corruption or loss of
    even one Spark is a grief and an affront to Him.[/CENTER]

    It is in the salvation of man that the Church plays its greatest role in service of our Heavenly Father. To the faithful children of our father we offer guidance and protection; teaching them the Word of Soldeus and leading them in prayer and contemplation. To those who have fallen from grace we offer redemption and will walk alongside them down the path of repentance and into the loving embrace of out Radiant Lord. Those who have turned from our Heavenly Father, those who have rejected his teachings and those who refuse to repent, must be swiftly separated and judged.

    Thus the path to salvation is paved with the skull of the heretic and the blood of the righteous.

  4. #14
    [B][I][CENTER]The Church: The Hierarchy[/CENTER][/I][/B]

    By joining the Church an Individual will become a member of the clergy (clerici) and will forsake the pursuit of worldly advancement and possessions in exchange for a life in service to our Soldeus and the protection of the Church

    Within the clergy social class there are a series of titles that denote an individual’s authority and level of influence within the Church as well as an acknowledgement of their understanding of the Church Lore and Dogma.

    The below descriptions offer a basic overview of what is required to attain reach each rank. The specifics and final decisions on appointments are left to the discretion of the Head of the Ecumenical council for clergy members who are not in a clan or whose clan does not have a Bishop. The Bishop of a Diocese/Clan will be given guidance on how to appoint people within their own clan.

    [B]Novice:[/B]
    [B][I]No form of address.[/I][/B]
    A Novice is in training to become a Friar. They have not yet taken their Holy Vows and are not considered full members of the Clergy. To become a Novice an individual must show that they understand the key fundamentals of the Religion.

    [B]Deacon:[/B]
    [B][I]Addressed as "Deacon" or "The Reverend Mister"[/I][/B]
    A Deacon is in training to become a Priest and because they have not yet taken their Holy Vows they not considered full members of the Clergy. Typically a Deacon must pass a verbal interview and pay for their schooling and will then be assigned to a Priest who will serve as a mentor. A Deacon has no authority himself but when acting on behalf of the Priest, to whom he is assigned, his instructions will be honoured and obeyed by the Friars and Novices.

    [B]Friar(Nun):[/B]
    [B][I]Addressed as "Brother" or "Sister" [/I][/B]
    A Friar has taken his/her Holy Vows and is considered a full member of the Clergy. The roles that a friar may take is only limited by the imagination of the player behind the character or the mechanics of the game. If a Friar is part of an Order or a member of a Clan with a Bishop or Priest then he may receive directions and instructions from them. Otherwise Friars have complete discretion in how they do their work so long as it is in the name of Soldeus. They are expected to know the basics of each section of the Church of Soldeus Dogma and Lore.

    [B]Priest:[/B]
    [B][I]Addressed as "Reverend Father" or "Reverend Mother"[/I][/B]
    A Priest has taken his/her Holy Vows, is considered a full member of the Clergy and has been ordained. The position of Priest is one of importance as they are expected to be bastions of the faith and possess an in-depth knowledge of all the Church Lore and Dogma. There are various roles within the Church that a Priest may occupy and these include running an abbey, leading an Order and assisting a Bishop. Other priests, typical those without clans, may crusade alone or act as lone missionaries.

    [B]Bishop:[/B]
    [B][I]Addressed as "my Lord", "His Excellency" or"The Right Reverend Father"[/I][/B]
    The role of the Bishop, or Lord Spiritual, is to lead the faithful in his diocese/clan, and to oversee all matters religious in nature. The Ecumenical may appoint a priest from a clan (usually on the recommendation of a clans leader) to the position of Bishop.

    [B]Church Knight:[/B]
    [B][I]Addressed as "Sir" or "Dame"[/I][/B]
    The Church may create its own knights, as bishops and archbishops have the power of Accolade. The Master of a military order would be a church knight, as would his senior lieutenants if they have distinguished themselves militarily, however, only the Master would be ordained and be guaranteed to hold the rank of Priest. However, not all members of a military order are knights. In fact, most of them are lay persons.

  5. #15
    [B][CENTER]Clergy Titles[/CENTER][/B]

    Previously discussed was the Hierarchy of the Church. The following are just the titles that are given to Friars and Priests that hold certain positions within the Church and do a particualr job. They are not ranks themselves.

    [B]Abbot[/B]
    Members of the clergy who have been granted an Abbey to run are called Abbots. His form of address is "the Right Reverend".

    [B]Cleric[/B]
    Members of the clergy who have a position the government or the leadership of their clan are called clerics. They may be Priests, Deacons or Friars.

    [B]Chaplain[/B]
    Priests and Deacons who serve in the military/warrior part of their clan may be titled as chaplains.

    [B]Master of the Order[/B]
    The Master of the Order is typically a Priest and they are titled “the Very Reverend”.

    [B]Parson[/B]
    Parsons are members of the clergy who serve as the head of a church building. This person answers only to the Bishop. They may only be a Priest and are styled "the Reverend Father".

    [B]Prior[/B]
    Members of the clergy who have been granted a priory to run OR members who have been assigned by an Abbot to help them run their Abbey. They may be deacons or priests and are addressed as "the Very Reverend".

    [B]Rector[/B]
    Members of the clergy assigned to teach deacons. They may only be priests and are styled "the Very Reverend Father”¯.

    [B]Vicar[/B]
    Vicars are members of the kingdom who serves as the second in command to the Bishop. There is only one per diocese/clan, and he/she answers only to the Bishop. They may only be a priest and are styled "the Very Reverend".

  6. #16
    [B][CENTER]The Church: Spiritual Orders[/CENTER][/B]

    The idea is that all members of the church will belong to an Order. Members are allowed to transfer from one type of Order to another. There are three types of spiritual orders; military, mendicant and canonical orders.



    [B][CENTER]Military Order[/CENTER][/B]

    A military order is made up of warrior monks who serve the church, and knights who are pledged to serve their God without the interference of worldly desire. They are granted a charter, live under a Rule, are clergy, and pledge their allegiance to the church in order to serve God uninhibited by the corruption of secular influence.

    If you are looking to be recognized as a military order, there are requirements which you must fulfil in order to be considered official.

    [B][I]First: A Rule[/I][/B]
    You must have a Rule which is approved by the church. All a Rule is are the "Rules" by which the organization operates. It includes things like, uniforms, chain of command, obedience, and all sorts of stuff.

    [B][I]Second: Charter[/I][/B]
    It must be granted a charter by the Ecumenical Council. This is what legitimizes your Order as a military order, and not just a bunch of religious nuts running around trying to cleanse evil.

    [B][I]Third: Ordained Leader[/I][/B]
    The Grand Master must be ordained by the leader of the diocese. This would be your Bishop. Independent nations would fall under the Archbishop.

    [B][I]Fourth: Approval of Sovereign[/I][/B]
    You must have the approval of your Clan Leader so that they aware of what you're doing. If you are not a member of a Clan or your entire clan plans to be a military order then this step is not required.

    [B][I]Fifth: Leader must be a Knight[/I][/B]
    It must be founded by someone with the rank of knight, or higher. Of course, the Bishop of your clan/diocese or the Head of the Eccumencial Council can knight you once you accomplish the first four goals. A military order leader is known as Grand Master.



    [B][CENTER]Mendicant Order[/CENTER][/B]

    If you are looking to be recognized as a mendicant order, there are requirements which you must fulfil in order to be considered official. This is similar to that of a military order.

    Its Rule must be recognized by the Church
    It must be granted a Charter by the Ecumenical Council (Council of Bishops)
    Its leader must be ordained by a Bishop.

    Failure to meet any of these three criteria will generally result in the Order being declared heretical, and unless it disbands immediately, its members will be hunted down as heretics themselves.



    [B][CENTER]Canonical Order[/CENTER][/B]

    A canonical order is basically the staff of people who oversee a particular church building. Such an Order will fall under the direction of a vicar or priest and deacons would be members. As such a Parson must be an ordained priest as he would be in charge of the building.



    [B][CENTER]Inquisition[/CENTER][/B]

    The Inquisition will act as sheriffs for the church. They will seek out and expose those members that are preaching heresy or otherwise trying to destabilise the Church. The perpetrators will be delivered to the Ecumenical Council to be tried and judged.

  7. #17
    To answer further questions, this is the official religion of the Duchy of Wessex which you can see in this link:

    [url]http://www.xsyon.com/forum/showthread.php/3918-All-Roads-Lead-to-Wessex[/url]

    And no, I didn't write this. That title belongs to our Archbishop Malachi Drake.

  8. #18

  9. #19
    Xsyon Citizen Mishima's Avatar
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    How are you guys going to roleplay all of this in post-apocalyptic America? You'll make the right-wing christians look like liberals.

  10. #20
    TLTR
    But what has this to do with a tribe if I may ask?

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