Church of Elwynn

The Church of Elwynn is the successor and continuator of the religious tradition of Treesian Unorthodoxy with a specific focus upon the eponymous goddess whose name has become indelibly linked with Elwynn, the Elw and Elwynnese people..

History

Ancient Elw religion was a dualistic religion between two neither fully good nor fully evil powers, Elu and Aqar. Elu was the god of the Elw (and those west of them), and Aqar the god of the others. Elu is related to Hebrew El (the Elw would therefore be a brother people to the ancient Ashkenazis), and Aqar is related to a Semitic word for "the other".

The Treesian Unorthodox Church came to Elwynn through missionary Hereton, who established the church here in the 1300s. When Shireroth became independent from Tymaria the church in Eliria was elevated to cathedral, with the whole of then Shireroth as diocese. Elwynn was after all the only place in Shireroth where the TUC got a hold.

The Church spread well in Elwynn during the coming years. Churches were established all over the duchy, and the Church became associated with the ducal administration (as it helped with taxation, keeping of records, etc).

When the Babkhan Grand Vizier, Ardashir Khan, became baron, the Church of Elwynn faced a crisis. Babkha and Treesia were, at that time, locked into a long-running and bitter war. Treesia itself had been reduced to the status of an occupied territory, administered as "Babkhan Prinitica" (Prinitica being the contemporary name of Apollonia). The ecclesiastical hierarchy, faced with a victorious Ardashir at the end of the Elfinshi War and his successors after the War of Vengeance were confronted by a difficult decision. Baron Ardashir in particular had sought to appease the various native religious communities by granting concessions and favours to their priests in return for their political support. The most notable of these, "The Donations" of Eliria and Vijayanagara to the cult of B'Caw being a grand example to gain support from Shirekeep. This made it difficult for the Elwynnese clergy to remain in communion with their Treesian parent church. In exchange for administrative and local political power, the priesthood was obliged to remain loyal to the Baron.

Thus, the Schism of 1490 occurred, in 1490 AN, bringing about the independent Church of Elwynn. Eliria's bishopric was elevated to an archdiocese, with dioceses being set up in the new cities. A few years later, the archdiocese split, following the ancient Elw principle of the rule of two, with the Diocese of Ardashirshahr elevated. Traditionalist adherents of the Treesian Unorthodox Church stayed within its structures and, after the final passing of Treesian rule from the Fifth Isle, became eventually known as the so-called Remnant Church of Treesian Unorthodoxy.

Over time the Church took on more of the ancient dualistic tendencies and began to consider the gods of the Treesian pantheon, like those of the Cedrist religion to be distinct attributes of the dual nature of the divine. While keeping the Treesian liturgy, the actual theology became more dualistic, with Elwynn and Lest taking on the role and identity of Elu and Aqar respectively. Often, offshoots of the religion were eschatological, awaiting the union of Elwynn and Lest to bring about an end of the world as we know it.

The shift in theology brought the Free Elwynnese Church, which was at the beginning a pious but anti-liturgical movement in the Church (similar to pentacostalism in Christianity). However, as years passed by, the FEC became more mystical in its tendencies than the CoE. Of course, in Roqpin, the FEC camps are always a lot wilder than the CoE ones.

A major crisis for the Church came in the first independence era. The Church was too associated (guilt by association) with "Free Elwynn" to be accepted in the East, and its churches and organisation was taken over by the Remnant Church until reunification when almost all congregations voluntarily returned to the CoE.

Organization

Clergy and Hierarchy

Clergy are found in four categories:

• Arsaqar (Archsagart): "Archbishop"
• Saqar (Sagart): "Bishop"
• Misen (Missionary): "Priest"
• Near (Novice): "Novice"
• Student

After five years of studying theology and unorthodoxy (triple bachelor's degree, Bachelor of Theology, Bachelor of Unorthodoxy, Bachelor of Liturgy), the graduate is brought into the clergy as a novice (Elw: near). The period of novicehood is up to three years. Novices may not practise liturgy without supervision. Only when passing certain exams may they be brought further up the hierarchy as misen ("missionary"). A missionary may practise liturgy unsupervised, but they usually head a congregation ("mission", enu misenar) with a group of other missionaries. The congregation is geographical and is usually centred in one church (and sometimes with subordinate chapels).

Missionaries answer to their sagart (akin to a bishop, as the sagart heads a diocese). And sagarts answer to the archsagart. There are only two archsagarts in the Church.

Rules for clergy

Clergy are required to usually wear religious uniforms. They are supposed to uphold the highest morals and be worthy of the highest respect in whatever they do in their private and clergy lives.

Sexual relations outside a committed monogamous relationship are banned, as are displays of nudity outside the same relationship.

Intoxicants such as alcohol, caffeine and other drugs are banned.

None of these rules bind the congregants.

Archdioceses and dioceses

Archdiocese of Eliria (enu arsaqarion Elirion; 1338/1490)

• Diocese of Andelarion (enu saqarion )
• Diocese of Ankoolmerinde (enu saqarion Ankoolmerindeon)
• Diocese of Aire (enu saqarion Aireon)
• Diocese of Amareazerke (enu saqarion Amareazerkeai)
• Diocese of Anun (enu saqarion Anuun), 1574
• Diocese of Araxion (enu saqarion Arashion)
• Diocese of Asantelian (enu saqarion Asentelian), 1672: covers most of SCAR, and Ransenar
• Diocese of Auchentoshan (enu saqarion Aqarenoshenarion)
• Diocese of Azshara (enu saqarion Azshara)
• Diocese of Civitas Nova (enu saqarion Kivitasnoova)
• Diocese of Graignamanagh (enu saqarion Qararmanaqar)
• Diocese of Connemara (enu saqarion Konemarion)
• Diocese of Corrigible (enu saqarion Korrigibilion)
• Diocese of Dragonskeep (enu saqarion Rakerion)
• Diocese of Dravotih iker (enu saqarion Dravotih ikerion), originally founded as Diocese of Avaldsnes
• Diocese of Echo (enu saqarion Eqoon), 1557
• Diocese of Ezkimas (enu saqarion Ezkimarion)
• Diocese of Eltezion (enu saqarion Eltezion)
• Diocese of Esterion (enu saqarion Esterion), 1624 – covers territory in both eastern Batavia and westernmost Amokolia
• Diocese of Kaidere (enu saqarion Kaiderion)
• Diocese of Fenririe (enu saqarion Fenririeai)
• Diocese of Fieldburg (enu saqarion Filburion), 1638
• Diocese of Glenfiddich (enu saqarion Lenfidiqion)
• Diocese of Habrichtsburg (enu saqarion Havrisburion)
• Diocese of Hyfrost (enu saqarion Hyfrosteon)
• Diocese of Illumination (enu saqarion Iluuminion)
• Diocese of Ketsire (enu saqarion Kezireon)
• Diocese of Krieksburgh (enu saqarion Kyrikysburion), 1638 – originally Diocese of Tuulersbýur (enu saqarion Tuulerion')
• Diocese of Kymreonuur (enu saqarion Kymreonuurion)
• Diocese of Lashea (enu saqarion Lasheai)
• Diocese of La Terre (enu saqarion Laterrion), 1574
• Diocese of Mannochmore (enu saqarion Manoqmoorion)
• Diocese of Michaelion (enu saqarion Miqaelion)
• Diocese of Nordiskehjem (enu saqarion Nordiskeheimion) – covers all of Normark
• Diocese of Ironstone (enu saqarion Qerunorion)
• Diocese of Penzeriemaal (enu saqarion Penzeriemaalion)
• Diocese of Portus Batavii (enu saqarion Portus Batavii), 1638 – founded as Diocese of Hjalli (enu saqarion Hialion)
• Diocese of Rekirie (enu saqarion Rekirieai)
• Diocese of Terror (enu saqarion Tyroorion) – covers Leng and the Union Defence Forces and Station Kaamiozyr
• Diocese of Yaltarfalas (enu saqarion Yaltarfalasar)
• Diocese of Ventura (enu saqarion Ventyrion)
• Diocese of Vinandy (enu saqarion Vinandi), 1638
• Diocese of Vijayanagara (enu saqarion Mizajanarion)
• Diocese of Wolfraven (enu saqarion Ullraunion)

Archdiocese of Ardashirshahr (enu arsaqarion Ardashyrshahyrion)

• Diocese of Allswell (enu saqarion Ajumilama)
• Diocese of Azeroth (enu saqarion Azeroosai)
• Diocese of Chryse (enu saqarion Ryseai), 1690
• Diocese of Elfinshiyehafir (enu saqarion Elfinshiehafirion)
• Diocese of Faizabad (enu saqarion Faizabad)
• Diocese of Huyenkula (enu saqarion Eanqulion) – covers Hurmu and Alduria-Wechuan Lyrica
• Diocese of Islus (enu saqarion Esloosion)
• Diocese of Kezan (enu saqarion Kezanion) – covers Kezan and Hawshire-Dura
• Diocese of Kilkadesh (enu saqarion Kilkadeshion)
• Diocese of Mishalan (enu saqarion Mishalanai) – covers Mishalacia and the UGB Mishalanese governorates
• Diocese of Morecorune (enu saqarion Morkoruunion)
• Diocese of Pernetegh (enu saqarion Pyrnitikai)
• Diocese of Qajar (enu saqarion Qazarion)
• Diocese of Saint Zor (enu saqarion Hyzoorion)
• Diocese of Scoglitto (enu saqarion Skoljitoon), 1638 – covers Tellia
• Diocese of Shahazerke (enu saqarion Shahyzerkeon)
• Diocese of Shirekeep (enu saqarion Kipuun) – covers most of Shireroth (exceptions Kezan), Drak-Modan, Sanama, Talenore, and the UGB
• Diocese of Tirlar (enu saqarion Tirlarion) – covers Arboria

Foreign missions outside a diocese answer directly to the Archsagart of Ardashirshahr

Former dioceses

• Diocese of Hampton (enu saqarion Hamparion) – covered the Duchy of the Lady Esther Isles, 1625–1657
• Diocese of Hrísar (enu saqarion Riisarion) – covered Arietta, 1624–1657
• Diocese of Jorvik (enu saqarion Jorvik) – covered Jorvik, 1631–1657

Ecumenicalism

After the fall of Treesia, the TUC lost most of its power. There are some communities in Alexandria that are still Treesianist, and in Treesia. The CoE are in communion with these -- in that the CoE recognises the rites of these churches. Given that the Free Church does not have rites, there are no exchange of recogntion of rites. Relations between the two churches are generally good and cooperative.

But as the Church has in the latter century depersonalised the gods, an acceptance that other gods may exist outside of the pantheon has been given credibility. The first the religion to do so was the Babkhan Orthodox Church, the Zurvanist church, where Elwynn is associated with Zurvan, and Lest with Ahriman. In the BOC, the Treesian gods are the same as in Zurvanism, just with different names. From CoE's point of view, it's similar but not quite. It is generally held that Zurvan is associated with one of the four major gods (which one, however, remains under theological debate).

The Froyalanist faith is quite similar to the CoE. For some, it would be seen as a natural evolution of the syncretic nature of the Elwynnist faith to also assimilate the Froyalanders' gods. However, given the very corporeal nature of the Froyalan gods, it is almost theologically impossible for the CoE to reconcile its objection of gods as physical beings with the Froyalanders' insistence that they very much are corporeal. As such, relations between these two churches were strained, and by the end of the Vanic rule, association with the Church of Elwynn had a slight suspicion about it. Church attendance dwindled and former faithfuls either joined the Dozan Bovic Church, the Zurvanist Orthodox Church, or irreligion.

Relations with the Umraist community are very difficult considering the conservatively and militantly monotheistic nature of that community in Alalehzamin. With the Amokolian Orthodox Church (Nazarene church) and with the Dozan Bovic Church, relations are more cooperative but only on a social/community level, never on a religious one. Though the apotheosis of Elijah in the Bovinism has leant support for his sainthood in the CoE as well.

Conception and Representation of the Divinity

Just as one cannot speak of a truly unified Church of Elwynn, one cannot speak truthfully on one consistent and unified position on the depiction of Elwynn.

Generally, there are two broad schools of thought; Treesian Allegorical' and Democratic Realism.

The Treesian Allegorical tradition is strongest in the precincts of Feudal/Eastern Elwynn where the Remnant Church took root during the independence era; it regards the depiction of Elwynn as a human form to be an example of crass anthropomorphism (to quote one latter-day Sagart: "If those damned fools and lackeys of the Eliria Clique were horses, they'd no doubt daub their crude images of the Highest Divinity in the form a brood mare"). Depictions of Elwynn in the religious art of the Remnant Church tend therefore to depict to focus on the symbolic, typically stylised arrangements of white orchids (sometimes intertwined with black orchids to remind of Lest and the essential duality of the faith). Some depictions can be highly abstract (think variations on the theme of Ying and Yang or some of the more innovative forms of Islamic calligraphy where words are placed in intricate arrangements that form shapes).

Democratic Realism on the other hand gained popularity in the West during the latter days of the independent union-state and the subsequent coordinated state when the Goddess was conflated with the spirit of liberty and the cult of constitutionalism when the Constitution was declared too holy to be viewed by mortal eyes and could only be interpreted by the Augur of Democracy. Elwynn is then depicted presiding ethereally over some morally uplifting depiction of virtuous human progress or noble struggle (think of a socialist-realism or Minerva as the personification of liberty, other variations would include art-deco, or neo-classical depictions of the same. Emphatically not high-fantasy or elvish as the Froyalanish images depict).

In both traditions the depiction is seen as metaphorical rather than a representation of the actual. The faithful may regard Mount Yaanek as a sacred site and receive the prophetic utterances derived from that place with more faith/credulity than would be usual, but they still tend to look askance (albeit politely and quietly) at the tendency of the present royal family to rope the goddess into their crown ceremonial (there is usually a game of 'guess the actress' which spikes on the Elwnet every-time a royal event is carried on the networks).