Ebrarian Reformation
The Ebrarian Reformation ocurred in 16th-century Ebrary, generally agreed to have begun in 1502 with the separation of the Ebrarian Church from the Orthodox communion. King Charles 'the Greedy' declared himself head of the church in Ebrary in order to expropriate church lands and wealth for the use of the Ebrarian state, as well as the embrace of the heretical teachings of anthropomorphism. This caused a break in communion with other autocephalous Orthodox Christian churches. Discontentment with the state of the church ultimately led the priest August Roel to publish his "Proposal for Amending the Church" in Miron in 1513. Due to the weakening nature of the Ebrarian monarch, and a succession of short-lived kings after the death of Charles, the Reformation spread throughout Ebrary and Vorstland. Eventually, the formerly-Orthodox church in Ebrary was reformed to be broadly Protestant in orientation, and the minority Christian groups of Parishism and the Lamenters were also formed.
The Ebrarian Reformation saw the rejection of major points of previous Orthodox doctrine and traditions, and the partial adoption of what came to be known as Protestant doctrine by the Church of Ebrary. The Ebrarian Reformation led Christians to reject holy orders; support the teaching that salvation comes by divine grace or "unmerited favor" only; practice adult baptism; and affirm the Bible as being the only or primary authority for Christian doctrine, rather than being on parity with sacred tradition.
Theology
Major principles
The Ebrarian Reformation succeeded in establishing the three main principles of Protestantism, being:
- Scripture alone (expressed in Ebraricism as prima scriptura and Parishism as sola scriptura)
- Justification by faith alone
- Priesthood of all believers
In addition, major Ebrarian Protestant denominations embraced the following principles:
- Believer's baptism
- Anti-monasticism (rejection of monastic orders and the closing and abolition of monasteries, nunneries, and other religious orders)
History
Pre-Reformation
Before the Ebrarian Reformation, the early Christian church in Ebrary (and Vorstland) was unified under the Bishop of Ceres as part of the Orthodox Church. This status held from 698 to the early 16th-century.
The writings of the early Entists are known to have influenced August Roel and other early Ebrarian reformers.
Early Reformation era
The Ebrarian Reformation has its origins in 1502 with the separation of the Ebrarian Church from the wider Orthodox Christian communion, when King Charles 'the Greedy' declared himself head of the church in Ebrary in order to expropriate church lands and wealth for the use of the Ebrarian state. Charles removed from office Carolo Justo, the Bishop of Ceres and head of the Ebrarian Church. In his place Charles unilaterally appointed Cosmo Guerra as Bishop of Ceres, a close supporter of the king and staunch adherent to an anthropomorphic view of God. The highly irregular nature of the new bishop's appointment and his open support of heresy caused a break in communion with other autocephalous Orthodox Christian churches.
Discontentment with the state of the church ultimately led the priest August Roel to publish his "Proposal for Amending the Church" in Miron in 1513. Disseminated by the relatively new introduction of the printing press to Ebrary, Roel's document was read widely by the growing number of literate Ebrarians. The "Proposal for Amending the Church" openly condemned an anthropomorphic view of God, but also criticized the church on other important grounds. Due to the weakening nature of the Ebrarian monarch, and a succession of short-lived kings after the death of Charles, the Reformation spread throughout Ebrary and Vorstland.
After Roel published his proposal, this sparked an outpouring of debate among Ebrary's intelligentsia, church establishment, and others. August Roel founded the first Parishist church independent of the Church of Ebrary in 1518, after being tried in absentia for heresy and excommunicated from the church. The central government, being weakened, was unable to exert control to stamp out this Reformation which were considered heretical, and many priests in the Ebrarian church began to openly support the Reformation with little consequence. Roel (himself of Vorstish descent) fled to Vorstland where a number of nobles had converted to Parishism, while in Ebrary the Reformation continued to spread among the populace and minor nobility.
The reformation was characterized by a degree of instability in Ebrary, with multi-sided debates and even mob violence against Church property. The Ebrarian Church excommunicated many thousands of individuals for heresy, but was largely unable to enforce penalties for this. Entire towns would become split between supporters of the Reformation and supporters of the now-embattled Church establishment.
The most bloody event of the Ebrarian Reformation was the Massacre of the Credoists, a largely urban movement denoted by their pacifism and egalitarian beliefs on gender and class. The Credoists were based in the urban areas of Ceres and Urtedo, and the governing authorities of those cities (in cooperation with both Parishists and the established Ebrarian Church), allowed mobs to destroy Credoist churches and murder almost all of their members. Credoism did not survive this bloody event.
Vorstish King Gustav II of House Borth converted to Parishism and granted general religious tolerance for all Christians in Vorstland in 1555 and elevated the Parishist Church in Vorstland to the status of the national church. He quickly extended support, both material and spiritual, to Parishists in Ebrary.
Latter Reformation Era
The Latter Reformation era is sometimes denoted the Ebraricist Reformation which gave rise to the Ebraricist Church. Gustav II inherited the throne of Ebrary in 1567 and instituted reforms to scale back the corruption which had plagued the Church of Ebrary, appointing Reformation-minded theologians to positions of leadership. Anthropomorphism was officially banned from the Ebrarian Church and Protestant theology became dominant. With the installation of Eduardo Puteos as Bishop of Ceres by King Gustav II in 1568, the Ebrarian Church finally was under the control of a Reformation-minded primate. With the support of the King, Bishop Puteos instituted reforms to scale back the corruption which had plagued the Church of Ebrary, and elevated Protestant-oriented theologians to positions of leadership.
In 1570, Gustav II extended tolerance in Ebrary to most Protestants. The Declaration of Tolerance reaffirmed the Church of Ebrary as the established church of the nation, and certain offices were only open to members of the church. Ebrarian Parishists were granted certain privileges, including the ability to hold minor offices and noble titles. Between 1572 - 1578 the monasteries, convents, and holy orders, already weakened significantly, were disbanded and their wealth and lands appropriated by either the diocesian bishops or the crown.
Gustav II himself held membership in the Parishist Church in Vorstland, which maintained full communion with the Church of Ebrary despite significant theological, organizational, and liturgical differences. Despite being a staunch follower of Parishist theology, the new king did not force the Church of Ebrary to adopt a congregational (or parishist) mode of church governance. Instead, Gustav maintained himself as symbolic Governor of the Church while the Bishop of Ceres was the theological head, and the episcopal governance continued unchanged. Gustav also implemented the church tax, which funded the church through the Ebrarian government and allowed pressure to be applied to dissident priests and bishops who did not comply with the new Protestant orientation of the Church of Ebrary. The Lamenters, who separated from the Parishists in 1570, lacked pastors and refusal to participate in the military, being persecuted as a result.
Post-Reformation
The Post-Reformation era in Ebrarian history was characterized by a series of periods of religious revitalization and fervor. List below:
- 1st Great Rebirth: c. 1660 - c. 1680
- 2nd Great Rebirth: mid 1700s
- 3rd Great Rebirth: 1900-1920 (immediately preceding Ebrarian Civil War)
- 4th Great Rebirth: 1966-1977 (preceding the Ebrarian Revolution)
Today
Ebrary continues to be a staunchly Reformed Orthodox country, with most Ebrarians members of the Church of Ebrary. Noted other countries with Protestant populations that have their origins in Ebrary include a small minority in Tagmatium, particularly among Ebrarian diaspora communities there.
Main groups
Church of Ebrary
The Church of Ebrary, which adheres to a unique Reformed Orthodox theology, is the largest religious denomination in Ebrary, as well as being the state church. The Church of Ebrary also oversees semiautonomous churches in other countries with large Ebrarian diaspora communities.
Parishists
Parishists are a group of Ebrarian Protestants which were founded by August Roel, have adopted a congregationalist church government, and adhere to the main principles of the reformation. The Parishists are primarily centered in the Ebrarian province of Vorstland.
Lamenters
The Lamenters, properly called the Spiritual Society of Companions, are a group of Ebrarian Protestants which practice nonviolence and separation from the world.
