#Reformed Congregational church

[annagracewood]

Do we really believe in Sola Scriptura?

I believe in Sola Scriptura. I stand on it theologically in everything. Sola Scriptura literally means Scripture alone, meaning that Scripture alone is our authority.

Why does Sola Scriptura matter to biblical womanhood? Because without the authority of Scripture, there is no case for biblical womanhood. No Titus 2: 3-5. No Proverbs 31 woman.  Without Sola Scriptura, we have nothing. I stand on Sola Scriptura. I stand on it theologically in everything. Sola Scriptura literally means Scripture alone, meaning that Scripture alone is our authority. I’m a Titus 2…

[unbidden-yidden]

I may regret asking this, but I have an interdenominational, interfaith question about the literalness of the Bible for folks who are familiar with the doctrine of the more conservative denominations of Christianity.

So in the more traditional branches of Judaism, it is generally held that the Torah was given to Moses on Mt. Sinai, word-for-word. However, the other two sections of the Tanakh are not literally the Word of God, but rather the words of the prophets and important sacred writings (poems, histories, etc.) Now, obviously there is a spectrum of beliefs and more liberal Jews will attribute the five books of Moses to more earthly sources, while still holding them as very sacred. However, even the strictest of orthodox Jews still interpret the Torah and base their understanding of halacha on the Talmud and commentaries. Bottom line: in Judaism, the absolute *most* amount of sacred texts that form the Hebrew Bible that are attributable to God as God's direct words are the books of Torah, which are still interpreted by human beings to be able to be put into practice.

However, I have come across an alarming amount of Christians who say they take the [whole?] Bible literally. I genuinely don't understand what is meant by this, as only the first five books were ever attributed to God as direct revelation, and so even if you assume that the New Testament is also 100% verbatim word-of-God revelation (which I don't know for certain if these Christians do assume that) you're still missing the vast chunk of the Prophets and Writings from the Old Testament.

So I guess my questions are: When Christians say they 'take the [whole] Bible literally,' what do they actually mean by this in practice, since even the Hebrew Bible (never mind the whole Christian Bible) has tons of apparent contradictions that can only be resolved through interpretation? Is this actually common and/or historical doctrine? Or is this American Christianity being bizarre, especially in the last 50 years?

Do Christians who hold by this concept make a distinction between the books of Torah and the rest of the Bible? If not, how do they get around the fact that the other books were not verbatim revelation?

[dejahisashmom]

Ignatius of Loyola - World History Encyclopedia

https://www.worldhistory.org/Ignatius_of_Loyola/

[vincent-van-gogh-paintings]

-Congregation Leaving the Reformed Church in Nuenen-

[wheredafandomat]

Blood Lust

Written by @wheredafandomat and @simplyholl 🖤

Welcome to Whore-O-Ween everyone!!

Summary: You're sent to live with Father Laufeyson who is known for his work with wayward young ladies. But all is not as it seems.

Pairing: Loki x F. Reader

Warnings: Smut. 18+ Only. Minors DNI. Blasphemy. Loki going down on you while you're bleeding. Loss of virginity. Masturbation. Voyeurism.

W/C: 3K

Part of the Whore-O-Ween Spooktacular

The glow of the candlelight flickered. You stood to place another log on the fire. You were locked in your room for the third time this week. Since you had come of age, the young men of the village had taken notice of you.

Now you were twenty years old, and your family was desperate to marry you off. But you had gained a reputation among the village. You were to marry the innkeeper’s son, Jonathon. But his family broke the engagement once word got to them.

You had been seen with two men alone. This was all so silly. You had never even been kissed. You were saving everything for your husband, like any devout girl would.

Your father walked in, taking the wood from you, and placing it on the dying flames. “Daughter, you know there has been talk of your sins around the village. I cannot wed you to any of the young men. Even old Mr. Smith wouldn’t accept my offer for your hand.”

Your breakfast threatened to come back up at the mention of him. He was a strange, bald man who lived a few houses down. His wife had died of influenza years ago, and he never remarried.

“Harvey told me about a priest who takes in young girls who find themselves in trouble. He will pray over you and reform you until you are ready to come home. He lives two towns over. His name is Father Laufeyson. I sent him a letter asking him to take you. His reply came this morning, and he agreed. Pack your belongings. We will make the journey when the sun rises tomorrow.”

When you arrive, you notice Father Laufeyson’s house looks more like a castle from your storybooks than the cottages you were used to. That’s probably why it was tucked away far into the woods, away from the other houses.

Two people stood outside the large house waiting for you. One was Father Laufeyson. The first thing you notice is how handsome he is. You blush, God forgive me for thinking inappropriately, especially about a man of the cloth you silently pray.

The other was a tall brunette woman. She appeared to be a few years older than you. She beamed, walking toward you. She pulls you in for a hug, “I’m Esther.” You introduce yourself, returning the hug. She takes your hand, leading you into your new home.

That night at dinner, the three of you talked like old friends. You were starving, you notice Father Laufeyson doesn’t eat much. He just sips his red wine, listening to you and Esther chatter.

The following morning you change into your best church dress, meeting him and Esther downstairs. You and Esther take a seat in the front of the church. You look at the congregation, taking note that it’s mostly women. How unusual you thought.

Where were their husbands, brothers, and fathers? You shrug it off. Church was the only place a lady could go without the company of a man. You carefully watch Father Laufeyson as he begins the service.

There was something off about him, but you couldn’t place it. It could be that you were attracted to him. That had to be it. The priest in your village was old when you were born. You just weren’t used to priests being this young. After church, he took you and Esther on a picnic for lunch. You two ate the delicious sandwiches he prepared, but he refused saying he wasn’t hungry.

You had free reign of the house except for Father Laufeyson’s room. All three of you had rooms on the same floor. Yours and Esther’s were beside each other, making it easy for late night talks. His was down the hall.

It had been four weeks since you first arrived. You liked it better with each passing day. You could take walks along the property. You could read all day, if you liked. He had quite the extensive library.

You wake up in the middle of the night when you hear Esther cry out. You leave your room, candle in hand walking toward the noise. You stop at Father Laufeyson’s room. The door is ajar just enough to peek inside. You see Esther against the wall, head thrown back in ecstasy, legs wrapped around his waist. He thrusts up into her. You gasp, covering your mouth when he looks toward the door.

You know you should leave, but you stay glued to your spot, never taking your innocent eyes off of them. Esther moans when his hand moves between them under her dress. He gathers her hair off her neck, pale face leaning down toward her.

The candlelight in his room shines on his face, putting a spotlight on his long fangs sinking into the side of her neck. He feeds on her slowly as she slumps in his arms. You press your hand harder to your mouth to stifle your cries. Tears streak down your face as you run back to your room.

You had heard about vampires before. Your village and the surrounding ones were once overrun with them. The pale beasts were all destroyed. But here you are living with one who disguised himself as a man of God.

You keep replaying what you saw over and over. He bit Esther, but she seemed to be enjoying it. You feel an unfamiliar ache between your legs from thinking about it. You run your hand up your thigh to your core. You were most likely going to die by the hands of the handsome vampire. You might as well experience a little pleasure before you do. You would beg for God’s forgiveness later. Your fingers swipe through your untouched folds, taking the slick arousal to your clit.

You move clumsily, hesitating at first. Then you imagine Father Laufeyson holding you against that wall, his teeth on your neck. You shake as your very first orgasm hits you. The following morning, it’s just you and the fake priest. “Father, where is Esther? Is she unwell?” You ask him, studying his face for a change in demeanor.

“She’s well. Her family came back for her before daylight. She went to your room to tell you goodbye, but you were sleeping so soundly, she didn’t want to wake you.” You put on your best fake smile. Esther was dead, and the beast before you killed her. You tried to avoid him as much as possible in the following days.

But you had to dine with him, even if he didn’t eat. You still had to attend church with him. Other than that, you stayed hidden in your room. You were terrified of him, but that didn’t stop you from fantasizing about him. You spent your nights with your hand under your nightgown or humping your pillow thinking of him.

It was shameful, but you couldn’t stop. You felt so guilty after making yourself cum twice in one night, you got down on your knees, praying for forgiveness, begging for it. That night, you dreamt that you drove a stake through his heart, ending this misery. You took it as a sign from God. This is what you were meant to do.

Father Laufeyson took you into town. You waited until he went into the store, and you walked to the woodworker’s shop. You commissioned an oak stake. They looked at you like you had lost your mind. They told you the last of the vampires had been destroyed long ago. But the coins Laufeyson gave you put food on the table for their families.

You had to wait three long weeks before he took you into town again. When you got the chance, you went to retrieve the weapon. That night, you decided it was time. You couldn’t live with him anymore, not after knowing what he is. You had to fulfill your purpose. You knew he was at the church preparing his sermon for the next morning. You ran the whole way there, heart racing.

You stepped inside cautiously, trying to ignore the chill of the air telling you to turn back around, to run away. But you couldn’t. Your feet carried you forward, surprisingly confident, unlike yourself. Confidence, that’s what you needed, what you tried to embody, that was your protection against the pale beast.

You flinched as a jolt of lightning shone through the church, lighting everything in a quick spark of chrome before you were in darkness again, except for a few candles. You knew you had to act as if nothing was wrong, as if you didn’t know. Survival was only guaranteed that way.

“Y/N.” You took a deep breath hearing your name fall from his lips in a honeyed utterance. “Father.” You greeted him, the faux priest, as you stepped towards him. “Come, child.” He gestured to the organ, prompting you to follow him. “Sit.” You fought to keep your breathing steady as you approached him, biting your lip to stop it from trembling as you observed him.

You were told that his kind would perish in a place like this, that they would burn. But here he was making a mockery of God, wearing an idle collar and parading around untouchable. But not after tonight. Many times, you had shared this seat with him, ignoring the cold that his presence brought, ignoring the call to sin when he looked at you, emerald green eyes boring into yours.

Tonight was different, you couldn’t relax. “What ails you?” He questioned, lifting his hand and stroking a key with one of his dexterous fingers. “I believe I may have found my calling.” You answered, taking a deep breath as you raised one of your fingers onto the keys. “Your calling” He repeated almost questioningly. “Other than to serve your god?” My God?” “God.” He corrected. “Yes, I believe he has asked me to serve Him in another way.” You continued, both of you gently playing a familiar tune.

“Pray tell, what is this other way? What is this newfound calling?” “I must protect this Earth.” You stated, using your free hand to clutch the weapon in your pocket. “From what?” He questioned, turning to look at you with a small smirk. “From me?” “What?” You gasped, trying to keep your breaths even. “Do you really think a piece of oak would be enough to stop me?” He snickered.

“I mean honestly” He continued, leaning towards you, his mouth dangerously close to your neck as you froze. “You underestimate me.” He noted coyly, reaching around you, grabbing the cross stake from your other hand. “No!” You cry, still frozen in fear as he threw it across the room. “On the contrary, I do believe you have another calling.” He stated, standing before stepping behind you.

“A more carnal one.” He continued; his voice sharp in your ear as he leaned over you. “I mean you serve a man no more virtuous than yourself” He paused as you gasped. “I’ve read the books.” He cut you off. “You serve a man no more virtuous than yourself, yet you reap no rewards.”

“I will be rewarded with an eternity in His kingdom.” You spat. “How about a night in mine?” He smirked against your ear, causing you to spin around. “You’d never admit it, but you’ve sinned more than me.” “Don’t you dare say that!” “You think I don’t know you touch yourself thinking about me, yearning for me, even after you found out exactly who I am, what I am?”

“S-stop.” You stuttered. “Grinding against your pillow, moaning my name. Oh! It’s music to my ears.” He cheered. “I’m offering you a night of sin, a night with me.” He proclaimed. “I won’t judge you. I welcome your debauchery. I’ll cherish your moans. I’ll reward your praise.” “St-stop it.” You continued to stutter, clenching your thighs together.

“Burn with me, Y/N, just for tonight.” He whispered, leaning closer to you, his lips brushing against yours as you close your eyes. “I’ve never been touched.” You emitted nervously; eyes still closed. “I know, but you want to be. It’s what you have spent so long desiring.” He spoke against your lips, one of his hands ghosting down your body as your breath hitched.

He didn’t have to push your legs apart; they were already gapped from your quick spin around. You inhaled sharply as you felt him cup your sex, eyes opening to find him staring into yours. “Is this where you touch yourself when you think about me?” He smirked, his hand moving up and down, massaging against your clothed heat.

“Rubbing yourself, imagining me, my hand, my body until you reach there, that sweet release.” He almost cooed, his hand more pressured now. You tried to stave away the temptation of bucking your hips into his touch, but it was hard. It felt too good. You wanted more. You needed more. You needed him to do what he did to Esther. “Tell me what you desire, and I’ll do it.” “Take it.” You answered almost breathlessly. “It?”

“My purity, take it.” “That’s my girl.” He purred in your ear again, before his free hand gripped your chin, pulling you into a deep kiss. His tongue pushed passed yours, exploring your mouth. His other hand was still between your legs, your hips thrusting into his touch.

Now that his lips were properly on yours, you realized how cold they were, how gelid. Your hands reached upwards, cupping his cheeks which were no warmer than his lips. You tried to stay silent, but you couldn’t, not when you felt his hand slipping underneath your skirt, fingers smoothing over the cloth material of your panties.

“Father!” You gasped as two of his fingers pushed your underwear to the side, meeting your clit. “Loki.” He corrected. “Loki” you moaned, eyes closing as he drew languid circles over your clit. “You virgins are so receptive.” He sniggered. “You’re already so wet for me.” His name fell from your lips again as he continued his movements, his fingers growing slick from your arousal. Lost in the pleasure, you almost didn’t realize that his fingers were venturing lower down your center.

Your eyes flew open, feeling him enter you slowly. “L-Loki” You stuttered feeling full. “Do you like that?” He asked, leisurely pumping his fingers in and out of you. “Yesss” You hum in response, drowning in the sensation. You felt overwhelmed, you were wetter than you’ve ever been.

Small moans escaped you as Loki continued thrusting his fingers inside of you. A metallic scent evaded your nose. As if he could smell it too, Loki stopped his movements causing you to open your eyes, only for them to round in surprise at the sight of his fingers. They were practically glistening crimson. You barely had time to react before Loki was bringing them to his lips, licking off the blood.

“What’s happening?” You panicked, despite not being in any pain. “It’s normal.” Loki answered, releasing his index finger with a pop. The remembrance of what he was overcame you as a blanket of guilt shrouded you. You didn’t feel good anymore. Before Loki could continue, you began closing your legs wanting to leave. You wanted to forget about all of this, but instead you yelped, feeling him grab one of your legs and pushing them further apart as he got to his knees. He slid your panties off your legs, discarding them on the floor.

“One can’t prepare a feast and expect others not to dine.” He spoke cryptically before you felt his cold, wet tongue against your core lapping up the blood dripping from you. Your hands flew to his hair, gripping it tightly as he entered you with his tongue, washing any hesitation away. You couldn’t help but scream in pleasure at the feeling of his nose rubbing your clit as he feasted on you.

“Delicious.” He spoke against you as you shamelessly ground your hips against his face. You were overcome with delectation despite the fact that this was more than just a carnal encounter. “I need you, Loki.” You finally implored, interrupting Loki’s banquet. Glancing up at you, he lifted his head from between your legs, licking his lips clean as he lowered your leg. His hand found yours as he prompted you to join him on the floor.

You did so, wordlessly straddling him like you imagined so many nights alone with your pillow. He felt good underneath you, like it was where he belonged. Your bare sex rubbed against his clothes as you readjusted yourself, Loki looking up into your eyes. “Is this how you want me to take you?” He spoke, breaking the silence. “Yes.” You replied, trying to quell your nervousness. Loki didn’t talk as he unsheathed himself before guiding you above his manhood.

He watched your expression as he thrusted up into you, his hands on your hips pushing you down against him. You couldn’t help your moans as he filled you, burying himself inside you. You move your hips against his, living out your fantasy. You found yourself growing closer to the end, to your release, to his demise. He was obviously moving slower for you, you had watched him move a lot faster for Esther, and for that you’d make sure you were as quick as you could be.

Leaning down against him, your lips almost brushed his again as you reached out, your fingers wrapping around the discarded stake. Loki was right, it was oak. Well, most of it. What he didn’t know was that the tip was willow, lethal. “You feel so good, so pure.” Loki groaned from beneath you, gripping your hips tightly as you sat back up.

His eyes were closed, that’s how he didn’t see it, how he didn’t know he was in danger. You continued grinding your hips against his, your clit rubbing against his pelvis as you neared your climax. Walls tightly gripping Loki’s length, you raise your hand before plunging the stake into his chest.

Loki’s eyes flew open, the betrayal evident on his features as his life slipped away. You felt powerful, immensely so, as you took his life, draining him, milking him. You moaned as your climax shook you. This was it; this was your calling.

Tags 🖤

@lokischambermaid @gruftiela @iamlokisgloriouspurpose @itsybitchylittlewitchy @wolfsmom1 @gigglingtiggerv2 @chantsdemarins @buttercupcookies-blog @lokisgoodgirl @donaweasley @muddyorbsblr @litaloni @lovingchoices14 @mochie85 @lamentis-10 @loz-3 @glitchquake @goblingirlsarah @multifandom-worlds @kats72 @eleniblue @mischief2sarawr @anukulee @joyful-enchantress @fictive-sl0th @marygoddessofmischief @lulubelle814 @evelyn-rathmore @lokiestorch @ladymischief11 @valarieravenhearst1 @cakesandtom @monkey0105 @dj-murasaki @ririsutty73 @cindylynn @violethaze @silver-tongue-taken-to-bed

[portraitsofsaints]

Venerable Henriette DeLille

Servant of Slaves

1812-1862

Patronage: Racial justice

Henriette Delille was born, a "free woman of color" in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1812. Her father was a white man of French descent. Henriette founded the Sisters of the Holy Family, a Black religious congregation, to care for the slaves, free people of color, elderly, infirmed and poor, catechizing and providing for their physical needs. She worked heroically to bring people to God through reform, peaceful direction, and missionary work until her death at 52. She is the first United States native-born African American whose cause for canonization has been opened by the Catholic Church. 

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase here: (website)

[moonshinemagpie]

btw, if you ever wanted a really quick glimpse of how the Dewey Decimal System is biased in favor of white Christian Europeans, just check out the 200s section:

200 Religion 201 Philosophy of Christianity 202 Miscellany of Christianity 203 Dictionaries of Christianity 204 Special topics 205 Serial publications of Christianity 206 Organizations of Christianity 207 Education, research in Christianity 208 Kinds of persons in Christianity 209 History & geography of Christianity 210 Natural theology 211 Concepts of God 212 Existence, attributes of God 213 Creation 214 Theodicy 215 Science & religion 216 Good & evil 217 Not assigned or no longer used 218 Humankind 219 Not assigned or no longer used 220 Bible 221 Old Testament 222 Historical books of Old Testament 223 Poetic books of Old Testament 224 Prophetic books of Old Testament 225 New Testament 226 Gospels & Acts 227 Epistles 228 Revelation (Apocalypse) 229 Apocrypha & pseudepigrapha 230 Christian theology 231 God 232 Jesus Christ & his family 233 Humankind 234 Salvation (Soteriology) & grace 235 Spiritual beings 236 Eschatology 237 Not assigned or no longer used 238 Creeds & catechisms 239 Apologetics & polemics 240 Christian moral & devotional theology 241 Moral theology 242 Devotional literature 243 Evangelistic writings for individuals 244 Not assigned or no longer used 245 Texts of hymns 246 Use of art in Christianity 247 Church furnishings & articles 248 Christian experience, practice, life 249 Christian observances in family life 250 Christian orders & local church 251 Preaching (Homiletics) 252 Texts of sermons 253 Pastoral office (Pastoral theology) 254 Parish government & administration 255 Religious congregations & orders 256 Not assigned or no longer used 257 Not assigned or no longer used 258 Not assigned or no longer used 259 Activities of the local church 260 Christian social theology 261 Social theology 262 Ecclesiology 263 Times, places of religious observance 264 Public worship 265 Sacraments, other rites & acts 266 Missions 267 Associations for religious work 268 Religious education 269 Spiritual renewal 270 Christian church history 271 Religious orders in church history 272 Persecutions in church history 273 Heresies in church history 274 Christian church in Europe 275 Christian church in Asia 276 Christian church in Africa 277 Christian church in North America 278 Christian church in South America 279 Christian church in other areas 280 Christian denominations & sects 281 Early church & Eastern churches 282 Roman Catholic Church 283 Anglican churches 284 Protestants of Continental origin 285 Presbyterian, Reformed, Congregational 286 Baptist, Disciples of Christ, Adventist 287 Methodist & related churches 288 Not assigned or no longer used 289 Other denominations & sects 290 Other & comparative religions 291 Comparative religion 292 Classical (Greek & Roman) religion 293 Germanic religion 294 Religions of Indic origin 295 Zoroastrianism (Mazdaism, Parseeism) 296 Judaism 297 Islam & religions originating in it 298 Not assigned or no longer used 299 Other religions

(found here)

"Christian/Christianity": 25—with many other words and phrases, like "Anglican churches," "Protestants," "Baptist," and "Old Testament," also indicating Christian topics

Judaism: 1

Islam: 1

Most other world religions, clumped together: 1

[accord-vn]

An Inside Look at Stauros' Sophic Church

Aria Wellings January 17, 2037

Across the world, all eyes have been on the Republic of Stauros and the first steps of its so-called "unbreakable" stride- a hopeful euphemism for what in fact amounts to the unlawful annexation of its southern neighbors- and yet despite this, few have been able to glimpse inside two of the largest gears in Stauros' war machine: Ascension and the Sophic Church of Stauros.

Last month, we covered Ascension's organizational structure and the way that it has fed off of the Stauronian military-industrial complex into a private extension of the state, and we touched on its role as a coffer for the Sophic Church. This month's piece, however, is more focused on the church itself.

The story of the Sophic Church begins with what is now being called Third Awakening: the gradual rise in spirituality, magical thinking and religiosity that followed the tumult of the 10s and 20s. To learn more about it, check out our partners over at Sects Sell, who have an excellent series on the subject.

In the mid 10s, several grassroots Gnostic revival movements came together to form a single ecclesiastical society, united in their desire to dismantle current institutions and build something new. In the original structure, each of the seven movements would have a delegate on a unified council to handle various organizational concerns. By 2019, the organization had matured to the point that they united as a single church, and while the different sects' beliefs would not be fully syncretized until the reformation, July 13 of 2019 saw the foundation of the Sophic Church.

This early iteration of the Church is very different from the Church we know today. In keeping with its grassroots movement, each pastor was responsible for their own messaging and interpretation of the scripture, with the corollary that it could not directly contradict the Church's common doctrine. There was no discrete stratification, no questionable history, and significantly less secrecy.

Like so many other religious organizations, the 20s saw the Sophic Church expand rapidly, and it was during that expansion that something about the Church changed. With an ever growing tithing base providing consistent low-yield high-longevity capital, expanding its various premises to accommodate the sheer amount of churchgoers meant that they looked to outside investment. This is where Eliza Watts comes in— the same Eliza Watts who we mentioned last month when discussing the origins of Ascension, the Stauronian behemoth that handles everything from defense contracts to mineral processing.

Watts got her start in the late aughts as a financial advisor, leading the companies that she worked with to great success in exchange for a portion of their holdings. After the Great Recession, however, Watts found herself with no stable employment but an abundance of wealth, which saw her take up the role of a venture capitalist.

Watts developed a history of what can generously be called questionable investments prior to her involvement with the Church, mostly in wellness startups that quickly generated a large amount of revenue before drying up at an unusual pace— typically no longer than 18 months after Watts had sold her shares. She had dodged a number of fraud allegations but developed a reputation, and as other potential investors began to question the real value of Watts' holdings, she saw a marked decrease in her ability to exit these startups profitably. This meant that when the Sophic Church began looking for investors, Watts had become very, very interested.

While Watts' reputation was not unknown to the Church's leadership, the risks that losing her support might impose were far less than a startup in a similar position, as their tithing base would be far more loyal than simple customers. Furthermore, with the influx of money that would come from their congregation, they found themselves in need of a skilled financial advisor.

At the same time, within the Church leadership there were stirrings of discontent. Aiden Zoe, named for his patron Aeon (essentially a gnostic deity— an expression of the godhead), led his branch to become far and away the most popular of any of the seven. This would be unilaterally good news for the Church, if his teachings had not begun to stray from official doctrine. Other leaders of the Church questioned his faith, but were not prepared to risk alienating the large congregation that he had assembled by denouncing him— particularly not when faced with the potential for Eliza Watt to drive them into the ground after she grew tired of them.

While the internal politics of the Church at this point were generally kept under wraps, the eventual solution came in the form of the Reformation. Aiden, Watts, and a few more shrewd of the council worked together to reform the Church's doctrine, structure, and even compile books of scriptures.

This would eventually lead to the Sophic Church, and to help paint us a picture of the Church as it exists now, I spoke with a former member, who has requested that their identity not be revealed. I've transcribed our interview as follows.

---

Aria Wellings: Good afternoon! Former Member: Afternoon to you, too.

AW: To start with, I was wondering if you could expound a bit more on what you mentioned when you first messaged me, about how the Church had changed since you joined it initially?

FM: See, you have to understand that in the earlier days of the Church, each of the seven branches tended to their own. Sure we agreed on parts of the Church's common doctrine, but we all drew from different scriptures, we had different internal organization, and we appealed to different kinds of folk. Aiden's branch, the one that the Church today was modeled after, was nothing like the others.

AW: How so?

FM: For one, a lot of what he preached didn't have any basis in history, in scripture, in anything really. He didn't call himself a prophet— no grifter worth their salt does— but others did, and so a prophet he became. Before he started running it, his branch was modeled after the Valentinians, but it was still a fairly tempered interpretation, you know? The thing about Aiden was that he had an eye for what people would latch onto. He was a performer, but he was more than just that. He could read people and give them exactly what. You didn't have to be a genius to pick up that there was a lot of animosity towards Christianity in those days, but he made good use of it by selling heresies.

AW: Sort of a modern day LaVey, then?

FM: He was certainly as charismatic, but I think that's a bad comparison if only because Satanism never had teeth. Unless you were really sold on the idea of Christians being persecuted, no one after the aughts really believed that the Satanists were sincere. It was all for show. You give someone raised Christian a bite of the Ophidians, now that's capital H heresy that'll send them reeling, and for Aiden that was something he could use.

AW: It sounds like you were against it? Aren't these just tenets of your faith?

FM: There's a difference between preaching something and using it as a selling point.

AW: That's definitely true— but how was his branch actually different besides him?

FM: Like I said, he incorporated everything that he could sensationalize, and part of that was the hierarchy. The Valentinians had it, sure, but he made himself an arbiter of it. He used it to make his people feel special, so they'd come back and get more affirmation. The people who might make a fuss, he used it as a basis to kick them out.

AW: I'm not familiar with this "hierarchy". Would you mind clarifying? The Church has become pretty famously opaque for non-members.

FM: Oh, I know. That was his and Watts' doing, writing the books, restricting access. They turned it into a cult, because what else could they do to reach the people who didn't want to be reached?

FM: To answer your question, though, the Valentinians say that there's three classes of people: the hylikoi, the psychikoi, and the pneumatikoi. The hylikoi are of the body, they have no hope of achieving gnosis. The psychikoi are of the mind, they are able to achieve gnosis, and with it salvation, while the pneumatikoi are the ones who are of the spirit, and are enlightened. What Aiden and Watts did, they took these categorizations and turned them into something like ranks, but I personally think of it as a caste.

AW: A caste system? Really?

FM: Really. See, Aiden wrote two books: the Blind Word, essentially just his "secret history of gnosticism", and the Light of Revelation, a cosmological treatise on the nature of the monad, the Aeons, the Archons, everything else.

FM: If you're hylikoi, a nonbeliever, an apostate, or anyone who hasn't taken the first sacrament, you can't read the Blind Word. It's not provided, and trying to get around the first sacrament will get you banned from the Church. You can have it taught to you, but that's it. That first sacrament is called the Grace of Salt, it's an annual thing where the leader judges your worthiness in front of the entire congregation. But here's the rub: the criteria are left to the congregation's leader, and they're under no obligation to explain themselves.

AW: So even if you're perfectly devout...

FM: If you're in any way undesirable, they'll never let you in further.

AW: Wow. So what happens if you get in?

FM: Then you become psychikoi. It's essentially letting you be a member of the Church, have access to the Blind Word, but not much else. I'd say that probably 75, 80 percent of people who attend services are psychikoi.

AW: That makes sense. But you said that psychikoi only have the potential for gnosis. what do you have to do to become pneumatikoi?

FM: Oh, that's a process. See, there's three types of pneumatikoi, according to the Church: the pneumatikoi syzygia, who are the highest, the garden variety pneumatikoi, and pneumatikoi orasika. You start by becoming an orasika, proving that you've memorized the entirety of the Blind Word as part of a three-day-long ritual called the Scales of Mercury. Once you've done that, a pneumatikos becomes your sponsor, who teaches you the Light of Revelation for a year, after which point you become baptized and choose a new name— they call this the Advent of Sulfur, and this ritual lasts for an entire week.

AW: So essentially, unless you devote years of your life to the Church, you're not going to heaven?

FM: Not quite heaven, but I'd rather not argue the finer points here.

AW: So what about the last one, the syzygia?

FM: That's where you draw your leaders for the Church from, where you get the most eager pastors and where the Heptarchy come from. For that, you undergo the nymphon sacrament— essentially a marriage bed shared with an Aeon, who's name you take as your surname.

AW: You don't mean the marriage bed in the literal sense I assume?

FM: I never participated in that ritual, and never saw it performed. It's one of the Church's most sacred rituals, and unlike the rest of Aiden's work, it's based on a historical practice.

AW: I see. Unfortunately, we're beginning to run out of time, but this was incredibly enlightening, and I'd love to perform another interview with you in the future!

FM: Of course. If I can get people to see that the Church isn't what it claims to be, then maybe we can have a chance for something more honest to come about. ---

And there you have it: an exclusive interview with a former Sophic with extensive knowledge of the Church's history and inner workings.

Questions? Comments? Leave them below and I'll be happy to answer to the best of my ability!

This is Aria Wellings with The Kea, a monthly digest serving Aoteroa and everywhere else

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[mightywellfan]

Glasgow Cathedral

Glasgow Cathedral (Scottish Gaelic: Cathair-eaglais Ghlaschu) is a parish church of the Church of Scotland in Glasgow, Scotland. It is the oldest cathedral in mainland Scotland and the oldest building in Glasgow. The cathedral was the seat of the Archbishop of Glasgow, and the mother church of the Archdiocese of Glasgow and the Province of Glasgow, until the Scottish Reformation in the 16th century. Glasgow Cathedral and St Magnus Cathedral in Orkney are the only medieval cathedrals in Scotland to have survived the Reformation virtually intact. The medieval Bishop's Castle stood to the west of the cathedral until 1789.

The cathedral is dedicated to Saint Mungo, the patron saint of Glasgow, whose tomb lies at the centre of the building's Lower Church. The first stone cathedral was dedicated in 1136, in the presence of David I. Fragments of this building have been found beneath the structure of the present cathedral, which was dedicated in 1197, although much of the present cathedral dates from a major rebuilding in the 13th century. Following its foundation in 1451, the University of Glasgow held its first classes within the cathedral's chapter house. After the Reformation, Glasgow Cathedral was internally partitioned to serve three separate congregations (Inner High, Outer High and Barony). The early 19th century saw a growing appreciation of the cathedral's medieval architecture, and by 1835 both the Outer High and Barony congregations had moved elsewhere in the city, allowing the restoration of the cathedral to something approaching its former glory.

Glasgow Cathedral has been Crown property since 1587. The entire cathedral building passed into the care of the state in 1857, and today it is the responsibility of Historic Environment Scotland. The congregation is today part of the Church of Scotland's Presbytery of Glasgow.

[dwellordream]

“Like the Christians’ Eve, the Iroquois Sky-Woman had an insatiable desire to satisfy her hunger. At first she sought her husband’s guidance, but in time she struck out on her own. Her curiosity brought her to the sacred tree at the center of the Sky-World--a place where, as she soon discovered, the floor of the sky was very thin. Losing her footing, she slipped through a hole at the tree’s base and fell headlong ‘toward the great ocean far below.’

…Like her Iroquois descendants in North America, this first fallen Sky-Woman farmed the rich earths she created, gathered its fruits, and built a hut upon it to live in. After a time, her pregnancy ran its course and, legend says, she ‘was delivered of a daughter.’ The girl and her mother continued to look after their lands till one day, ‘when the girl had grown to womanhood,’ a man appeared. He stayed only briefly--just long enough to impregnate Sky-Woman’s daughter. When her time to deliver arrived she, like many women during the premodern period, died while giving birth. Her offspring survived: two boys who would come to rule the earth their mother and grandmother had made.

…Every native group had its own account of the world’s beginnings. For the Pueblo of the Southwest, human life began underneath the earth when a woman named Tsichtinako (Thought Woman) nursed two sisters: Iatikyu, the Mother of the Corn clan, and Nautsiti, the Mother of the Sun clan. The Ottawa, an Algonquian-speaking people living in the northern Great Lakes region, traced their origins to a male figure called the Great Hare and his younger brother.

…To the Protestants of New England, the followers of the teachings of the Swiss theologian John Calvin, the devotional practices of the Catholics in New France and the Spanish colonies seemed as alien as those of the Narragansets and Wampanoags who lived among them in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. In turn, the faithful in Virginia and Maryland, who followed the orthodox traditions of the Church of England, considered New England’s Puritans to be overzealous reformers.

…Even in the most physical, tangible sense religion was a constant presence. From the stark clapboard spires that capped New England’s Congregational meeting houses, to the sturdy brick of Virginia’s Anglican churches, to the poles marking the underground kivas in which the Pueblo held sacred rituals, places of worship dotted the landscape. Each and every day, the English villages lining the eastern seaboard would have been alive with the sound of church bells.

…Every part of colonial America had its own rhythms of religious devotion--rhythms that helped women and men make sense of their lives. But nowhere did religion play a greater role than it did in early New England. Almost without exception, the leaders of Massachusetts, Plymouth, Connecticut, New Haven, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island were dissenters from the Church of England.

…No matter whether they enthusiastically supported or dared to question the Puritan mission, all law-abiding New Englanders gathered in their local meetinghouses every Sunday, and often once during the week as well, to hear their preacher expound upon scripture. One perennially popular sermon topic was the nature of women. Between 1668 and 1735, women’s lives were the subject of no fewer than 75 printed treatises. Some of these tracts were funeral sermons that eulogized an especially pious female parishioner; others were more general “how-to” homilies dealing with marriage or mothering.

…Pious women were praised by ministers and neighbors alike. If they resembled any Old Testament figure, it was the industrious Bathsheba (the ‘virtuous woman’ described in Proverbs 31:10-31) rather than the perfidious Eve. Where Eve tempted, persuaded, and seduced, Bathsheba planted, prayed, and spun. Her every word testified to a womanly brand of piety: faith tempered with respectful submission. More than one New England minister echoed these verses from Proverbs, exalting the woman who ‘openeth her mouth with wisdom…in her tongue is the law of kindness.’ As the biblical passage suggested, such well-spoken women were indeed more priceless than rubies.

…In fact, New England’s ‘virtuous women’ may have been even more devoted to religious practice than their husbands and fathers. At the very least they were more dedicated churchgoers. At first, men and women joined the churches in equal numbers. Within a generation, however, women outnumbered men in many if not most of the churches in Massachusetts and Connecticut. By the mid-1700s, women comprised nearly three-quarters of many congregations.

…One of the more radical groups in the entire spectrum of dissenting English Protestantism, the Quakers granted female believers an extraordinary degree of autonomy and equality. …Converts of both sexes were encouraged to preach about their religious experiences, and one of the movement’s early and most prominent leaders was an English wife and mother, Margaret Fell. …Where Quaker women were concerned, Massachusetts authorities made the links between female preaching, rejecting ministers’ teachings, and worshiping the devil even more explicit.

…Black women and men brought a very different set of religious beliefs to the southern colonies. Their traditions concerning the supernatural were as diverse as the many African peoples from which they came. There were, however, important common threads; most West Africans believed in more than one God and made the veneration of ancestors an important part of their worship ceremonies.

…Until the 1730s, southern whites made little effort to convert their slaves to Christianity. But in the late 18th century, evangelical sects such as the Methodists and the Baptists appealed to blacks and poor whites alike. …Call-and-response hymn singing and joyful shouting are examples of African forms that influenced the style of worship practiced by both whites and blacks in many southern denominations.”

Jane Kamensky, “Daughters of Eve, Daughters of Zion: Women and Religion” in The Colonial Mosaic: American Women, 1600-1760

[the-cricket-chirps]

Vincent van Gogh

Congregation Leaving the Reformed Church in Nuenen

Nuenen, January-February 1884 and Autumn 1885

[queenlucythevaliant]

hi! idk if this might seem like an insensitive question, but i've been following for a while and i really like the way you talk about your religion. it just seems so genuine?

anyway so my potentially insensitive question is this: which denomination of christianity would you identify yourself with? admittedly idk that much about the nuances of the different churches, but i am curious anyway.

have a good day!

Not insensitive at all! I'm Presbyterian, all the way. Basically, I'm a five-point Calvinist and a church polity nut. I celebrate Reformation Day and love a good congregational meeting. In the beginning was the word. Shortly thereafter, there were committee meetings and bagpipes.

There are plenty of other denominations that I love and respect, though! In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity. I've got friends who are Lutheran, Methodist, Baptist, Non-Denom (which is just cool Baptist), Congregational, Orthodox, etc.

[monstrousproductions]

TELL US ABOUT QUAKERISM

This is an absolutely hilarious thing to find in my inbox in all caps thank you so much 😂 I was going to say something like, "I'll try to keep this brief" but realistically I know I'm gonna waffle so BRACE FOR WAFFLING.

Quakers - also known as the Religious Society of Friends - are a denomination of Christianity that was founded in the mid-1600s in the north of England. It was part of the Dissenters movement, which is a term for a collection of Protestant denominations that grew up around that time out of criticism, dissatisfaction and... dissent... with the Church of England.

The branch of Quakerism that I belong to is actually in the global minority for Quakers. Most Quakers worldwide belong to evangelical branches and I'm not at all clear on how their theology differs from mainstream evangelical Christianity.

Those meetings (the Quaker term for churches/congregations) are what's called "programmed", which means their worship takes the form of a service easily recognisible by most Christians with hymns, a minister, prepared readings from the Bible, etc. I really can't speak much to that side of things as I know almost nothing abou it!

In contrast, my branch of Quakerism - by far the most common in Britain and Ireland, and I think I'm right in saying the most common in Europe and North Amerca though I'm not 100% sure - is "unprogrammed". There's no service, instead we sit together for an hour in silence. That silence might be broken by any person taking part who feels moved to stand up and speak - this is called "ministry" and for theist Quakers, it's understood as being a response to the promptings of what some people call the Light, some people call God, some people call the Holy Spirit.

This unusual worship style is an expression of the foundational Quaker belief that nobody has more of a connection to the holy than anyone else. A minister isn't better able to speak to God than a layperson, and we place a lot of emphasis on speaking to your own experiences of the divine and respecting others' experiences. A phrase often used to describe this idea is "There is that of God in everyone."

As well as unprogrammed worship, this side of Quakerism has historically been very socially and theologically liberal/radical. Early Quakers were very involved in prison reform and abolition of the slave trade, and that social consciousness has carried through the centuried to see Quakers involved in all sorts of social justice causes from pacifism and anti-war work to climate justice and queer liberation.

Quakerism is a non-credal faith, which means there's no list of beliefs you have to subscribe to in order to be a Quaker. It's also non-sacramental, so we don't have things like christenings, baptisms, communion, etc.

There is a difference between being a "member" of a meeting and being an "attender", but the differences are largely administrative and effect what kinds of roles you can take in the meeting rather than whether you're considered a "full" Quaker or not. Those roles are things like treasurer or clerk - logistical roles related to the running of the meeting rather than spiritual leadership - and they change hands regularly.

That said, there are some basic concepts aside from "that of God in everyone" that guide most Quaker ideas. These are called "testimonies", and there's no total consensus on what they are - I have a feeling different Quakers in the world have a different list - but the ones I'm familiar with are Peace, Equality, Truth and Simplicity. Some people add Sustainability, personally I think that's accounted for under the first four, namely Equality and Simplicity.

The Peace testimony might be the most famous Quaker principle. Quakers are a pacifist group (though not all Quakers agree on what that pacifism should look like...) and have oppose war and violence in all sorts of ways, from refusing to join the military and being conscientious objectors to not buying their children toy guns and so on.

Equality is pretty simple to get your head round! If all people have something holy in them, they all deserve to be treated fairly. Quakers resist personal and structural inequality, and we organise ourselves in a way that reflect that as well as working to make the world around us more equal and fair. This is both on a broad scale and on a granular one - some Quakers still use "thee/thou" because early Quakers did as a way of rejecting social hierarchies. Personally I prefer not to use salutations which stem from the same thing.

Simplicity is often simplified to a kind of general anti-consumerism, which is why I think Sustainability falls under this (I think it goes under Equality too because of the social impact of climate change etc). With this testimony, you're encouraged to find joy in simple pleasures and to appreciate the world around you. You don't need more stuff to be happy, and we owe it to ourselves and others to think carefully about how much we consume, what we consume, and why.

Finally, Truth or Integrity is about living up to your principles. It's about being honest with yourself about whether you're living your faith and putting your values into action, and about speaking the truth in all cases. Early Quakers refused to take legal vows or oaths, because they committed to always speaking the truth so it made no sense theologically for them to say "OK but for real now I'm actually being honest". I'd still "affirm" in court rather than take a vow, for the same reason.

All in all, I'm really proud of being a Quaker and personally I can see a lot of Quakerism in Monstrous Agonies (and all my writing!) which isn't very suprising because Quakerism informs a huge part of my life and worldview. It's not some kind of perfect, historically spotless religion - as well as being abolitionists, some Quakers were also slave-owners, for example, or were involved in the residential schools for Native Americans, and individual Quakers are as flawed as any other group. But I think we make a good effort at repairing those wrongs, being honest about our failings and making reparations.

Also, the porridge oats are nothing to do with us.

[apenitentialprayer]

Liturgical Elements: The Embolism

In the liturgical rubrics of the Mass, the "embolism" refers to a short prayer spoken out loud by the priest after the congregation has collectively recited the Lord's Prayer. According to Nicholas Ayo (The Lord's Prayer: A Survey Theological and Literary, page 196), "the embolism functions like a marginal gloss, an explanation of the last line of the Pater, and an unfolding of its many implications." In reformed liturgy of the Roman Church, the English translation of the embolism is as follows:

Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil; graciously grant peace in our days, that, by the help of Your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

In the Tridentine form of the Roman Mass, a longer embolism was recited:

Deliver us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, from all evils past, present, and to come; and by the intercession of the Blessed and glorious ever-Virgin Mary, Mother of God, together with Thy blessed Apostles Peter and Paul and Andrew, and all the saints, mercifully grant peace in our days, that sustained by help of Thy mercy we may be always free from sin and safe from all disturbance. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Our Lord, who lives and reigns with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.

The Ambrosian Rite, being another Latin rite, has an embolism that is unsurprisingly similar to the Tridentine one:

Deliver us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, from all evils past, present, and to come; and at the intercession for us of Blessed Mary who brought forth our God and Lord, Jesus Christ; and of Thy holy Apostles Peter and Paul and Andrew, and of blessed Ambrose Thy confessor and bishop, together with all Thy saints, favorably give peace in our days, that assisted by the help of Thy mercy we may be both delivered from sin and safe from all turmoil. Fulfill this by Him with whom Thou livest blessed and reignest God, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever.

The embolism was not only an element of Roman liturgies, either. Take, for example, this embolism used by the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church (notice how the doxology that follows the modern Roman embolism is instead integrated into this one):

Merciful Lord, lover of all mankind, do not let us be overcome by temptation, but deliver us from the rebellious evil one and his perverse and evil ways. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory belong to You and Your Only Son and Your Holy Spirit, now and always and forever.

Here is the embolism of the Syro-Malabar Church, reflecting the Eastern Syriac rather than Western Syriac tradition:

Lord, God Almighty! Fullness of all goodness! Our Merciful Father! We entreat You for Your mercy. Do not lead us into temptation. Deliver us from the evil one and his hosts. For Yours is the kingdom, the might, the power, and the dominion in heaven and earth, now, always, and forever.

In the Greek liturgies, the embolism only survives in the Liturgy of Saint James, which has the following:

Lord, lead us not into temptation, O Lord of hosts! For Thou dost know our frailty; but deliver us from the wicked one, from all his works, from all his assaults and craftiness; through Thy Holy Name, which we call upon to guard us in our loneliness.

On a final note, Fr. Frederick Holweck, the author of the Catholic Encyclopedia's article on the embolism, thought that the Mozarabic embolism in particular was "very beautiful." In addition to being said after the Our Father at Mass, the following prayer was also said after the Our Father in the Mozarabic Church's Morning and Evening prayers:

Delivered from all evil, strengthened forever in good, may we be worthy to serve Thee, our God and Lord: and put an end, O Lord, to our sins; grant joy to them that are afflicted; bestow redemption upon the captives, health upon the sick, and repose to the departed. Grant peace and safety in all our days, shatter the audacity of our enemies, and hearken, O God, to all the prayers of Thy servants, all faithful Christians, upon this day and at all times. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, ever through all the ages of ages.

[portraitsofsaints]

St. Cajetan 1480-1547 Feast Day: August 7 Patronage: job seekers, the unemployed, workers, bankers, gamblers, Argentina, Italy

Saint Cajetan was born into a noble, Venetian (Italy), family. He studied law before he became a priest at 35. These were troubled times in the church with unscrupulous and uneducated priests and the start of the Protestant revolt. Instead of leaving the Church, he sought to reform it by forming a new order called the Congregation of Clerks Regular (Theatines). They established hospitals, lived in the spirit of monasticism and ministered to the poor and sick. He established a bank as an alternative to usury. (The Bank of Naples) The order made converts by their zeal and love for God and neighbor.

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase here: (website)

[tamamita]

Sweden has historically subscribed to High Church Lutheranism, which is why the practices, doctrines and rituals are very close and similar to Catholic, Orthodox and Anglical congregations. Sweden being one of the oldest Lutheran Christian countries still preserve many of its architectures from the Swedish Empire.

Other reformed churchers that are not part of the Church of Sweden are often referred to as Free Churches and have no affiliation with the state church. They are often affiliated with international churches, especially American ones. Their churches are often free from any vanity, which is why things look so empty and ugly. Swedes often consider Free Churches to be cultish in nature due to many of them subscribing to charismatic movements which is pretty alien to them.