General Toleration Proclamation
The Proclamation of General Toleration was issued by the Monarchy of Themiclesia on June 1, 1849 and has been understood as the initial and basic legislation concerning a general freedom of religion in Themiclesia.
The text of the proclamation:
Being commanded to attend His Majesty personally, we in the House of Peers reverently seal and publish His Majesty's command concerning his peers and subjects, for the Chancellor's Most Serene Highness.
For the Peace of our Realm and the Establishment of the Law relative to several Religions, our imperial Progenitors and Ourself tolerating and who do pray and worship Us and our loving Subjects to benefit, We do by the general Assent and Petition of our Court declare for Ourself and our Successors we shall do no Thing to compel a Confession to any spiritual Power or Belief or do any Worship thereof, and also strictly commanding and enjoining that none whosoever of our Prelates, Bishops, Priests, etc. of any Church, Monastery, Convent, or any similar Place or Thing, or any Person annexed thereto, do no Thing to compel a Confession to any spiritual Power or Belief or do any Worship thereof, confiding freely and believing earnestly in the Conscience of our loving and good Subjects, each to be his own competent and sole Judge what Power or Belief shall best benefit himself and Us his liege Lord.
Legal effects of the proclamation
Generally, the proclamation, which is written in a very personal tone, unconventional for the time, is held to have two effects:
- Neither the Government nor any religious body can compel anyone, including their own members, to profess verbally any religion or to perform any act of worship.
- All subjects have the complete and personal liberty to believe in any religion they prefer, and the Government cannot encourage any religious belief over another.
It has been rather questioned over the years why such a document is passed as a proclamation and not as an act of parliament, with no accepted answer thus far.
Analysis
When the proclamation passed the great seal, the major organized religions active in Themiclesia each had their own edicts of toleration of various dates. These edicts of toleration had various terms and conditions that were different from each other, setting forth such things as places where the religious body may erect places of worship, the time and manner in which they may worship, and what sort of public activities they may undertake. These edicts were valid against local authorities who seek to restrain their actions for one reason or another, for example the displeasure of the local population.