Religion in Nasphilitae (Pacifica)
 | This page includes out-of-character information which is deemed both necessary to be addressed now and to make it easier for roleplayers to grasp certain past and future events. This OOC information will never be acknowledged by Nasphilitae characters and cannot be accessed by other countrys characters in roleplay, reasons for which will be explained in the beginning. Warning that this page often does break the fourth wall. |
Religion in Nasphilitae plays a crucial role, not only in the countrys history, character relations, and Sharp Power Projection, but also in explaining deep culture of Nasphilitae. The country was founded by colonial settlers seeking "freedom of conscience" (which, during the period of 1100s-1700s, meant religion). Deep culture elaboration is deemed to perhaps be the best way to elaborate oddities which this polity displays. At the same time, not only is it prohibited to publicly declare which religion one adheres to (as well as declaring or advocating against adherence to any of them), it is heavily socially sanctioned by even the most critically and open minded citizens. Finally, there is the question of how religion today still plays such an important role for the Nasphiliti, and for Nasphilitae. These are two separate questions. The latter is easier to elaborate and has to do with the fact that religious organisations have transformed means of projecting power through the use of non-government organisations, foreign aid, foundations, and especially scholarship funds. The former requires, almost recursively, for the Culture of Nasphiliti to be understood by the reader.
Given the amount of information requiring to be addressed, it is best to divide this page into three "sections", chronologically ordered.
First section would be the period prior to "Sola Victorem" (1589–1661), whose IRP sources mainly consist of Protoiridines and Oyster (who coined the term).
Second section would pretty much deal with what exactly "Sola Victorem" addressed and why it was required, as well as what effects it had that haven't been mentioned yet.
Third section is attempting to explain why religion is still extremely emphasised. Given the 97% weekly attendance rate, Nasphilitae is one of the most religious countries in The South Pacific yet also the most secular.
It's also important to mention three additional things. Despite Nobility Houses adhering to different affiliations, they no longer play a major role as determinant for internal dynamics between the Nobles. The fact that both the bar chart and the picture follow the same top-to-bottom and left-to-right pattern, suggests how distant each affiliation is to the other in theological context.
Finally, the lack of Protestants means that the settlers were not part of Crabryan Alman NOBILITY. Obviously, since it is highly assimilationary, some initial colonial settlers and later immigrants likely were of Alman origin but did not constitute the Nobility. This might not make sense for those who lack key information regarding relations between Lutheran Protestants to other (later) Reformationists (namely Calvinist, but alas). On that note, it is something you should research yourself, as not only would I be biased but it would help you comprehend background behind the Thirty Years War a lot better.
First period (1589–1661)
In various historical lores as well as my inquiry on the religion of the Austral Empire with QQ(Qwert), there remains ambiguity whether the Austral Empire was Anglican, Reformed, or Catholic. While I will presume that the Austral Empire was Anglican and the reason it led wars against the Boreal Empire was because the Boreals were Catholic, this makes little difference.
Namely, whichever option eventually (if ever) is decided upon, it would be natural to assume that the Austral Empire wanted to reward its own "Privateers" with land. If these "Privateers" were religiously incompatible with the Empire or with themselves, then the land tenure granted to them, should be kept far away. To put it simply, whichever it is, would still make sense for them to containerise religious differences in some colony far away from the core.
As to where the first settlers came from (this issue is mainly present in the "Hussites"), I do not even want to begin dealing with an elaboration that goes further from "Elsewhere in the Empire or territories occupied by it". Since no one else has really done a deep dive into the Reformationn themselves, I will also NOT CLAIM NASPHILITAE AS THE SOLE SOURCE for a lot of these. However, I'm mainly being generous here for future roleplayers who are more personally connected to (e.g.) Anabaptism than I am.
So, Nasphilitae was found on the idea of freedom of religion, no one would be prosecuted for holding differing religious beliefs. As such, the initial period saw actual interactions between various groups throughout the years. This is to say that it was still allowed be publicly discussed.
Theological developments
Being aware that most of the current community is Atheist and completely disinterested in what "Rogatism" was or how the Hussites divided between the Taborites and the Adamites, this section will be very brief.
First groups which arrived were: Jovinian Marconianists, Donatists, Hussites, Catholics, Saballians, Ebionists, and Judaists (Jews). Influence of indigenous peoples beliefs was already addressed IRP numerous times and it led to the mythological beings (Yes, in every IRL canon, they are not taken literally either) of Leviathan, Behemoth and Ziz being adopted. The Nobility of Nasphilitae believes that these three mythological beings are real, I will just say that and nothing more of it. A lot of Philosophy developed throughout the ages uses these three beings as symbols. Leviathan is symbolic of the Maritime and simultaneously of Desoptism, it is the most despised being of the three in Nasphilitae. Behemoth is symbolic of the fertile soil and simultaneously of Radicalism in 19th century political terminology (analogous to todays Anarcho-Capitalists). Behemoth is tolerated. We will talk about Ziz in section three more.
Upon influence of indigenous peoples, initial groups begin changing. Jovinian Marconianists diverge between Circumcellions (which die off) and Ticonians. Donatists diverge into Rogatists and Docetists. This is where they first have their Council of New Nessex and begin a dialogue between one-another. It ends in Ticonians and some Rogatists becoming Mennonites, and all Docetists with most Rogatists becoming "Euthycians". Once again, I will avoid theological ramblings.
This is also when Hussitists diverge between Taborites and Adamites. We will return to that shortly. Under the influence of Saballians, Ebionists join them and become "Unisaballians". Judaism and Catholicism remains mostly the same.
From Adamites, a group of "Behemothian Liberationists" appear, causing wide-spread Waldensianist heresy among every affiliation except for Judaism, Mennonites and Euthycians. These still exist. On several occassions, Nasphilitae is mentioned as having "travelling circuses". The circuses were a way of parodying others by the Behemothian Liberationists. They still exist, there are 8 groups of travelling circuses, and are probably more interesting to foreigners than to the Nasphiliti because foreigners aren't supposed to be aware of this background.
Now, imagine a domino effect. You have...this going around. Most Adamites are against both the clowns and the Waldensianists. The clowns also scare the Catholics and the Unisaballians. For now, let's follow the Catholics and the Adamites response, where the Council-Synod of Mt. Sor was actually effective for. Seeing the Council called, the Mennonites and EUthycians decide to (this is divergence from IRL) agree on a compromise regarding "Ordinance" vs "Sacremence" debate.
Essentially, the result is that the Mennonites form the Anabaptist Church of Nasphilitae, the Euthycians form the Presbytarian Church of Nasphilitae, the Adamites form the Free Catholics Church, the Catholics insistently (remember that term) form the Central Catholic Church.
Now, as for the Unisaballians and the Jews. Unisaballians, under the influence of Judaic mysticism, essentially gradually become Monists. This was initially loose but the Monist-Modalist divide is indicative of Modalists actually agreeing fully to go down this path. Remember Jewish mysticism? There are two groups which form. The Nusach and the Haredis. Again, I will not go into the differences.
Second period (post–1661)
John Greenhill arrives in 1658. and brings with him the first Anglicans. Now, the only groups which are left to kind of change are the Anglicans, the insistent Central Catholics, and the divided Jews. Why would "Sola Victorem" be needed or incited upon the arrival of Anglicans? If you can't answer that, I envy your ignorance.
Under the very obvious influence of Modalists/Monists, the two schools of Jewish Mysticism are now introduced to Hasidism. Most Jews in Nasphilitae are Hasidic in mystic practices, despite opting for Conservative Judaism inn the end. Hasidisic thought, which I will not elaborate, also influence the Modalists and is present in their every-day practices as well.
To answer the first paragraph if you couldn't, the head of the Anglican Church is the monarch. Sola Victorem occurred pretty much at the turning point in Nasphiliti history, namely when it was given Home Rule and risen to the status of a Dominion. The Catholic Church to this day IRL insists on Papal earthly authority. Essentially, "Sola Victorem" (trans. "Through Victory Alone") avoided the possibility of a civil war by dividing the head of (any) church from the head of (any) Noble Peer House. More importantly, it declared Nasphilitae to be secular on a Dominion level. This means that the Grand Peer General (later and today Grand Duke) CANNOT be the head of any church. Such level of secularism does not exist IRL btw.
Deep culture (attempt)
Now this has certain consequences. If the authority of monarchs is not from divinity, then where does it come from? A lot of The domestic Enlightenment was obsessed with that question. Eventually, it was agreed that the right of any ruler comes from their ability to balance differing interests for the sake of the Collective Nasphilitae. With the expansion of electoral democracy, the same rule was applied to elected rulers, with some minor differences as they also answer to the Government and to the State more often than to the Collective. As for the question of "right" to rule, it was left to the independence of the Judiciary to decide over time.
The concept of "Collective Nasphilitae" is very difficult and complex to summarise. Imagine any Polity. It is composed of different parts. Differences in those parts come from them exhibiting different traits or attributes or modes. For instance, the Grand Duke, as an institution, would presumptively exhibit the attribute of Monarchy; Except that the Grand Duke is elected in Nasphilitae. Elected officials of non-Noble status exhibit the attribute of Democracy (for the sake of argument, let's say that is always the case). Any private business class exhibit the attribute of Oligarchy. The HM Cabinet and the rest of the Nobility exhibit the attribute of Aristocracy, so on. The "Collective Nasphilitae" is the sum of its component parts when moving as a single organism, a single Polity. It is most reflective in foreign policy, though the institution of the Grand Duke specifically is loyal to the Collective interests.
Today
I will expand this another day.
Sharp power
Foundations. Just keep in mind what I said in the beginning about every religious organisation having its own set of NGOs. I will need this going forward with lore.
Deep culture (attempt two)
I will need to do Culture of Nasphilitae first.
Ziz as a symbol is very simple to do so that won't require the culture.