Spiritual Society of Companions
| Spiritual Society of Companions | |
|---|---|
| Classification | Amendant |
| Polity | Congregationalist |
| Founder | Jon Vulpe |
| Branched from | Christenism |
| Other name(s) | Lamenters |
The Spiritual Society of Companions is a Amendant Christian denomination known colloquially as the Lamenters. The Lamenters were expelled from the Christenist movement in Ebrary in 1570, during the early years of King Gustav II's reign, and formed their own congregations. Lamenter doctrine stresses the priesthood of all believers, following an egalitarian "non-pastoral" mode of worship where all members of the congregation are allowed to speak during the church service. Lamenters are united in a belief that each human being can experience and access the "mysteries in one's own soul" or experience God in everyone. Lamenters do not practice any sacraments, do not take oaths, and reject the usage of religious icons. The movement stresses dressing in plain clothes, abstaining from the consumption of alcohol or tobacco products, and avoiding participation in military conflict and interpersonal violence including violent sports such as boxing.
Name
The prominent early Lamenter Jon Vulpe coined the term "Spiritual Society of Companions" to describe the movement, and the members of it tended to refer to each other as "companions". However non-members generated the epithet Lamenters early on to describe them due to the emotional church meetings the Lamenters had. Though initially viewed as a derisive term, eventually the moniker of Lamenter became so ubiquitous the movement itself embraced it. The most notable usage of the term is the titling of the weekly newsletter of the General Companions Conferences as "The Lamenter".
History
The Lamenters have their origins in a small number of congregations in northern Ebrary which were expelled from the Christenist movement in 1570, during the early years of King Gustav II's reign, and formed a loose association. These congregations rejected the sacrament of the wikipedia:Eucharist completely, causing a break with the Christenists who viewed them as heretics. The preacher Jon Vulpe rose to prominence in their community after this, wrote many influential epistles and letters from the Lamenter viewpoint, and is credited as the father of Lamenterism.
Theology
Lamenters place their trust in the immediate guidance of the Holy Spirit. They reject all forms of religious symbolism or iconography, being firmly iconoclastic in stance. Lamenters do not believe in relying upon the practice of outward rites and sacraments their worship of God such as the Lord's Supper and baptism.
Main Points of Lamenterism
The main points of Lamenter belief, as outlined in the collected Epistles of Jon Vulpe, are as follows:
- Simplicity
- Nonviolence
- Truthfulness
- Sobriety
- Community
Worship
Like most Christians, Companions gather weekly on Sunday at their churches to attend religious services.
Way of life
Moral practices
Since the time of Jon Vulpe, Lamenters have prohibited the consumption or production of tobacco and alcohol. In modern times, these prohibitions have been interpreted to forbid other harmful and addictive substances and practices, such as the use of addictive or mind altering drugs (both illegal and prescription) recreationally. Lamenters also oppose the viewing and production of pornography, as well as gambling.
Nonconformity to the world
Lamenters refrain from military service and other forms of violence, interpreting the teachings of Jesus to forbid such interactions with others. The religion forbids members from holding political office or participating in political campaigns, although the largest Lamenter denomination (All Ebrary Companions Association) allows members to vote. Lamenters also practice nonresistance to authority, refuse to take oaths, and the avoidance of lawsuits (Matthew 5:34).
Dress
As part of their practice of nonconformity, Lamenters are noted for their simple attire. Lamenters dress in traditional clothes of modest design, subdued colors, and sturdy material. Women wear a head covering and long dresses or skirts, while men wear modest shirts and refrain from wearing short pants. Traditionally, Lamenter men wore broad-brimmed hats, but this requirement has fallen out of favor in the latter-half of the 20th century.
Organization
Lamenters follow a decentralized congregationalist church structure, with each Lamenter church governed independently but joining regional and national associations. Currently the largest national association of Lamenter congregations in Ebrary is the All Ebrary Companions Association, with approximately 85% of Lamenter churches belonging to it. The second largest, the National Companions Association, comprises around 9%. The National Companions Association split from the General Companions Conference in 1911.