Church of Emperor Worship
| Church of Emperor Worship | |
|---|---|
| 拜上帝教会 Bài shàngdì jiàohuì | |
 | |
| Classification | Sotirian new religious movement |
| Region | Heavenly Shangean Empire |
| Language | Shangean |
| Origin | 1850s Toki dynasty |
| Defunct | 1936 |
| Members | 10 million (peak, 1930) |
| Other name(s) | The Church of God Worship |
The Church of Emperor Worship (Shangea; 拜上帝教会; Bài shàngdì jiàohuì) was a Shangean religious movement based around a combination of Amendist Sotirianity and Shangean folk religion. Emerging in the latter years of the Toki dynasty it initially emerged as a merger of dissident religious groups against the ruling Zohist hierarchy and Senrian elite, being predominantly based in the south of Shangea amongst Paishan Shangeans. Developing into a militant and nationalist religion the Church prophesised that a saviour appointed by God would liberate Shangea from Toki rule. During the Restoration War the Church recognised the Xiyong Emperor as the saviour and came to worship the imperial family as being semi-divine servants of God.
The Church would oppose the continued dominance of Zohist clergy and in 1881 would launch the Yellow Banner Rebellion where they attempted to eliminate Zohism from Shangea and give absolute power to the imperial family. The rebellion was crushed and for the reminder of the Xiyong Emperor's reign the movement declined being reduced to its Paisha heartland as a small sect.
Following the Great Collapse and the resulting famine the Church underwent a revival with many joining its ranks, particularly the young officers in the Heavenly Army. Under the reign of the Shanrong Emperor following the Jiayun Uprising the Church became pre-eminent in Shangea and played a major part in the reorientation of Shangean society in a more ultranationlist direction with Ren Xilian, the de facto leader of Shangea, being a member of the Church. The Church played a major role in the ideological legitimisation of the Senrian Genocide and of Shangean involvement in the Great War.
Following the abolition of the Shangean monarchy and the end of the Great War the Church was abolished in the Treaty of Keisi. It would come under major repression both from the post-war Republic of Shangea and the modern-day Auspicious Republic.
The Church of Emperor Worship combined Sotirian religious beliefs with Zohism, millenarianism and spiritism. Many Sotirians rejected it as heterodox blasphemy and effectively a cult.