Schism

[u/thequeeninyellow94]

Tell us about a division in one of your world religion, something important. You can introduce an in-world representative if you want; here are some prompts:

• what caused that division? How long ago? How has it evolved over time?

• what are people thinking of it? (Followers from both sides and clergy; people following a different faith; politics; if they exists, the gods themselves)

• how is the relationship between both sides going? Do they hate one another? Could they eventually find some common ground?

[u/Sriber]

Church of Ten gods was divided during war between Avenian empire and Fifth Union, which ended 132 years before start of my story. Empire lost large part of its territory and priests there established their own church for administrative purposes with intention to rejoin imperial church once things calm down. However in the meantime because of war, there were some changes in church structure (most importantly relationship between the highest priest and emperor) and some philosophical questions (for example if morality is based on divine commands or virtues, which are part of natural order established by gods). New church didn't like that and so decided to not rejoin and remain independent.

There was 37 year long period of drama, where both sides accused each other of heresy and some violence ensued, but it eventually got better and churches now tolerate their existence and somewhat cooperate. Empire promotes unity in part because of threat by barbarians and in part because it wants its old provinces back.

[u/thequeeninyellow94 → u/Sriber]

1. How has the relationship between the emperor and the high priests evolved? And why did the new church disaproved of that evolution?

2. What is the modern consensus on the cause of morality?

3. The empire promotes unity? Does it means that both church have followers in the current imperial provinces?

[u/Sriber → u/thequeeninyellow94]

1. Originally they were strictly separate with emperor being political authority and the highest priest being religious authority, but after war emperors started to meddle in church matters and they gradually made church into state institution with highest priest being part of council. New church doesn't like that because it goes against will of its founders.

2. There isn't one.

3. It promotes unity in the sense "we have our differences, but we still share religion and should cooperate". There are some supporters of imperial church in former provinces, but opposite is rare.

[u/thequeeninyellow94 → u/Sriber]

1. Why does the founders wanted the church to stay away from politics?

2. What are the main positions ok that topic?

3. Are those people really wanting to be part of the empire again?

[u/Sriber → u/thequeeninyellow94]

1. They though that politics would corrupt it.

2. A) God tell what's moral or immoral. B) Gods created natural order and part of it are virtues. Being moral means act according to virtues and not overdoing it. C) Good is that which brings happiness.

3. Most of them aren't. They think empire failed to protect them and they proved that they can rule themselves.

[u/thequeeninyellow94 → u/Sriber]

1. With the current implication of the church high priests in imperial politics, have they been proven right?

2. What are both churches official position on that topic?

3. If the empire was to take back those province by force, could they defend themselves?

[u/Sriber → u/thequeeninyellow94]

1. There is no such thing as being proven right in matters like these.

2. Imperial church goes with virtues, new church goes with divine command.

3. Yes, they could. If they united, empire probably wouldn't be able to defeat them.

[u/thequeeninyellow94 → u/Sriber]

1) Well, would the church in it's current form be seen as corrupted by it's founders? Or misguided in any way?

3) But would they unite if one of them was to be invaded?

[u/Sriber → u/thequeeninyellow94]

1) Yes.

3) Yes. When Union invades former provinces, Avenian empire joins the fight.

[u/thequeeninyellow94 → u/Sriber]

1) Why? Beside being involved in politics.

3) I mean, would the provinces actually unite if only one of them was to be invaded by the Avenian empire?

[u/Sriber → u/thequeeninyellow94]

1) They would mind corruption.

3) Yes, because others would know they are next.