Apostolic Church of Themiclesia

Church of Themiclesia
Classification	Oriental Rite
Governance	Episcopal
Bishop Metropolitan	TBD
Language	Shinasthana
Liturgy	Oriental
Origin	6th century
Separations	Reformed (1670)
Members	192,400 (2019)
Church buildings	584
Hospitals	40
Secondary schools	14
Tax status	Taxable as non-profit
Tertiary institutions	2

The Church of Themiclesia (震旦教廷, tjerh-tanh-krawh-lêng) is an autonomous Christian church founded by Maverican theologians who shipwrecked in Themiclesia in the 6th century. It follows the Oriental Rite that is most closely associated with Beniran but distant to Sylvan, Kyrian, and Letnian Orthodox Rites. The doctrine of the Church of Themiclesia is both non-trinitarian and non-Chalcadonian and shows considerable influence from ancient Benirani and Fyrish doctrines and syncretism with domestic beliefs.

The Church steadily became popular in the 6th and 7th centuries and obtained official recognition in the late Mrangh court by 701, but it did not displace Buddhism as the quasi-established religion. In subsequent centuries, recognition was intermittent, and it faced stern competition from missionaries of the Sylvan Church starting in the 14th century and those of the Anglican Church in the 17th. However, it was recognized as the most senior Christian denomination in Themiclesia on account of antiquity in 1712 by Emperor Gwidh-mjen. The Church has lost followers to both other strands of Christianity and its internal schism in 1670 with the Reformed Church, which believed that monotheism was required by the Bible. In 2019, the Church has 192,400 registered members who make an annual donation, but regular churchgoers are thought to be fewer.

The Church is led by the Council of Bishops since 1501, which ordains its own members and decides both religious and secular questions. The Bishop of Kien-k'ang is the senior bishop of the Council, but his vote on the Council is equal to all other members.

History

Early success

The theologians Androcles of Andhanapratha and Sukhanura of Gasthana shipwrecked on the Themiclesian coast around 530, having been bound for Maverica. There, they were invited to the court of King Ngjon of Rjang and preached to him. Ngjon reportedly asked, "Is your god the god of your clan (乃室示) or of your city-state (乃邦示)?" Sukhanura replied, "He is the god of as many man that walks in your royal realm and any other realm, of kings and of paupers, and of men and of women." Ngjon then asked, "What do his worshippers obtain from him?" Androcles answers, "Our god redresses pains and sufferings. He gives the ill health, the hungry satisfaction, and the dying life." Ngjon was astounded by broad promises about the new god and ordered the Chief Justice to allocate premises and building materials that the theologians may "construct their temple, house their god, and perform worship" (作宗家厥示用祀).

In the funeral of King Ngjon in 540, Androcles and Sukhanura were commanded to read their god's spells during the Final Night of the pjuk ceremony (part of the royal funerary rites), joining the renowned 1,800 Buddhist clerics and 1,800 cult priests performing the same, to ward off decay from the king's body. It is unclear how the courtiers reacted to their spells. The two theologians agreed with the Chief Cleric (a Buddhist official at court) that half of the king's 20,000 slaves, who had toiled for years to construct his mausoleum, should be freed in memory of the king. Some became early converts in Themiclesia; the theologians told them, "serve your god like you have served your king." ′Jogh, the slave who accepted Ancrocles' order to fetch converts, was canonized as saint after his death.

Threats and tolerance

Androcles' and Sukhanura's early success met a setback when conservative courtiers deposed Ngjon's successor in 542 and installed Emperor Wŏn of Chŏllo as the new sovereign in 543. Because the theologians supported the wrong faction at court, they were severed from the new monarch's patronage. Maverican hostility to the weakened Themiclesian state only further caused doubt as to both the theologians' and the Buddhist clerics' allegiances, as it was clear they came from Maverica. The exiled Menghean emperor, crowned as Emepror Ngjon in 543, patronized the State Cult to emphasize his supremacy at the expense of both the Buddhists and Christians. Ngjon ordered that the Buddhists and Christians must sacrifice and read prayers to their gods for his benefit or be banished as polluting cults. In response, the dying Androcles and Sukhanura authored the Book of Doctrines (諸教) in 545 that officially declared:

我一以皇帝室顯有茲震旦列邦，皇帝首厥室，徹祭于祀惟邦政群祀不以灋皇帝尊。

It is our dogma that the house of Emperor is the legitimate royal house of Themiclesia, and the Emperor is the legitimate head of the House, and no sacrifice or ceremony for our god will ever diniminish the supremacy of the throne in all its politics and worships in Themiclesia.

Perhaps in response to good behaviour, the new ruler in 570 decreed toleration for both Buddhists and Christians, who were prohibited from 543 to convert buildings as houses of worship. This was not a significant problem for Buddhists, since there were already dozens of monasteries and convents, but there was a single church in Themiclesia founded by the two theologians. The first Christian patriarch of Themiclesia, declared with royal patronage in 572, inserted a new prayer into the liturgy to give thanks for the patronage and tolerance of the Themiclesian ruler, ostensibly as part of a policy to avoid conflicts.

Doctrine

The doctrine of the Church is set forth by first high priest that landed in Themiclesia as follows:

Female ordination

Since 1951, the Church has ordained female priests.

Abortion

The Church is officially agnostic on the subject of abortions, except when a pregnant mother's life is threatened by the pregnancy, in which case it is "lawful and holy" to terminate the pregnancy.

Mosaic law

The Church professes that the laws of Moses were given by God to the holy people, and different laws have been given to Themiclesia and that Themiclesians become holy via the observance of the Ecumenal sacraments and thus eligible for salvation offered to the the holy people through the messiah Jesus Christ. Homosexuality, a common controversy amongst Themiclesian Christians, is thus not considered an sinful under CoT doctrine. However, the Church does maintain that Mosaic law continues to be applicable to the holy people, as this is their covenant with the demiurge god.

Views of other religion

The Church of Themiclesia views its doctrine as a derivative of that of the holy nation, made available to Themiclesians via the gospel of Jesus Christ. However, it is agnostic about the existence of other gods. In the Dogma of 1670, the Bishop of Kien-k'ang stated that, "our god the creator revealed himself to us through his son Christ, but we know he has revealed himself to the other nations in other names and persons; nor do we know how or if other gods have revealed themselves to their followers. It is the holy tradition that our god is the one who have made the world, have made mankind, and have given Jesus Christ for the salvation of the holy people and all that is holy according to the Gospel; it is not the holy tradition that no other god exists." Over this topic, the Reformed Church broke off that year, believing that the Old Testament denied the existence of different deities.

Liturgy

In common with other primitive Christian traditions, the Themiclesian Rite divides the service into two parts, the preaching (宣, shor) and the sacrifice or offering (彝, ljir). The preaching, at which all are welcome, focuses on teaching religious doctrine. The offering, restricted to recognized members of the congregation, communicates the substantial parts of the religion through mystic, physical ceremonies. For this reason, Themiclesian commentators call the first part "the promise", and the second, "the delivery".

In modern practice, which has been somewhat influenced by other rites, the typical weekly service proceeds as follows.

• Introit—procession of priests
• Declaration of gratitude—"We are grateful for the Edict of Tolerance (534) and Edict of Restitution (782)."
• Litany—the names of the Saints of Themiclesia
• Hymns
• Prayer
• Torah reading (amen)
• Deuteronomy reading (amen)
• Psalms
• Epistle reading (amen)
• Gospel reading (amen)
• Raising of the Gospel
• Sermon
• Prayer—"may the word of Christ propagate far from the holy land, farther than Themiclesia, into the four quarters of the earth."
• Clearing of the aisles
• Consecration of the church, hymn
• Confession—"We have not perfectly loved thee, and we have not perfectly loved each other."
• Absolution—"God forgive you."
• Consecration of the congregation, hymn
• Offerings, hymn
• Prayer—"may these worldly possessions and the hearts that will to give them be made holy in the eyes of God..."
• Consecration of the offerings, hymn
• Hymns
• Consecration of the altar and priest, hymn
• Preface—"God be with you."
• Holy, holy, holy
• Oblation
• Epiclesis—invocation of the deity to descend upon the church that is now ready to receive him
• Intercession I—prayer for the ill, dying, and dead, hymn
• Intercession II—prayer for poor and oppressed, hymn
• Intercession III—prayer for the sovereign, may he have longevity, health, joy, power, and righteousness in the eyes of God, hymn
• Pater noster
• Peace
• Ablution of the face, feet, and hands
• Communion
• Prospect—"we celebrate the victory of God and of his Son, messiah Jesus Christ of the holy nation, we look to the day all nations shall be raised out of pain and suffering..."
• Hymns
• Dismissal

Customs

The standard position for the congregation during service is standing, but it is not considered an offence to sit down occasionally. Prayers are generally said while kneeling. The congregation, as a rule, kneels after Epiclesis occurs, whereby the deity is believed to be physically present in the house of worship; kneeling continues until communion, which is distributed by the priest to the congregation at their places, rather than at the altar.

Language

The language of the early church was Kyrian, such as the practice of Maverican churches, but many terms have subsequently been translated into Maverican and Shinasthana. Today, services are offered in both Kyrian and Shinasthana, with Maverican service falling out of use in the 16th century.

Status

State recognition

The Church of Themiclesia has in multiple occasions been recognized as the "official" Christian church in Themiclesia. This was not an issue in its early history, as the sole church in Themiclesia, but became contentious in the 14th century with the arrival of Sylvan priests. In 1671, when the Reformed Church split, the more powerful Old Church asked the royal court to declare it the legitimate authority over all "spiritual questions of the holy and mystical faith", while the more ambitious Reformed Church asked for establishment as state religion. Unsurprisingly, the government authorized the Old Church's request, in view of its implied ability to control the Reformed Church, which had just proved its intractability. This continued until 1773, when it became policy to be neutral in religious matters.

High church

The CoT is acknowldged for the wealth of its rituals and considered a "high church" domestically. This is not only due to its former status as recognized church in Themiclesia but also to occasion patronage from prominent aristocrats, a handful of whom have been its members for generations. This is also reflected in the degree in which it recognizes the secular authority, requiring mandatory prayers for the benefit of the sovereign and government and providing special balconies for distinguished personages in attendance of its services. The White Cathedral of Kien-k'ang (建康白大廷) even has a silver bell used in service, a replica of the bell used by the Emperor to announce his arrival. Many of its rituals further incorporate traditional Themiclesian gestures, such as the prodh-kji-l′ju bow (prostrating of the head to the ground) required at the start of the Eucharist.  

For this reason, the CoT has frequently come under attack by factions influenced by the Reformation in Casaterra, which had spread via Ostlandic colonists to Maverica in the 1600s. A prominent critic writing in 1710 called the CoT "idolatrous, heretical, and barbarous" but was unable to provoke a response by the CoT. In the 19th century, the CoT reached the pinnacle of popularity amongst the gentry and aristocracy, boasting 19 peers and 53 MPs in its membership; it was also in this period its coffers swelled to its maximum and enabled a church-building frenzy across Themiclesia.

See also

• Themiclesia
• Religion in Themiclesia