Religion

A page detailing religious conventions in Medieval Discord.

Playable religions in MD:

Roman Catholicism

Roman Catholicism is the main Western branch of Christianity that emerged after the schism of 1087 after the First Council of Rosewood. Its origin is traced to the Sacrifice of Christ and it is part of Christianity which is an Abrahamic religion, sharing its lore with Judaism and Islam. It is distinguishable by certain doctrines and beliefs:

• Headed by the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, who is chosen from amongst the Cardinals to represent Catholicism. The Pope is believed to be the Vicar of Christ and therefore infallible.

• Belief in the Holy Trinity; consisting of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

• Devotion to the Virgin Mary, who they believe gave birth to Christ without intercourse and ascended to Heaven where she is an intermediary between God and his people.

• Belief in transubstantiation, where during Mass when the Priest repeats Christ's words during the Last Supper, the bread and wine take on the traits of Christ's Body and Blood although not changing their outward appearance. Eucharist remains one of the most important rituals and is encouraged at least once per week, on Sundays.

• Celibacy is considered virtuous, and obligatory in the Clergy. Both men and women may become priests, although only celibate men may become Cardinals and Popes.

• You can only be Baptized once. Usually, the ritual is performed on Sundays, with the person being baptized dressed in white, and with kin there as witnesses or godparents.

• Belief that Priests can administer the Sacrament of Penance or Confession to those baptized, granting the forgiveness of Christ to those who confess their sins and repent for them.

• The ritual of Confirmation at the age of reason, which is at seven years old when a person officially joins the Catholic Church.

• Belief that marriage is eternal and that people can only be divorced by the Pope in extreme circumstances (Annulments are also possible if the marriage can be proven to be invalid). Widows and widowers may choose to remarry, but those who are divorced may not, as long as their spouse is alive.

• Belief that vows to the Lord (like joining a Holy Order) are to be held in the highest regard and that breaking them may result in eternal damnation.

• Belief in Extreme Unction and the Last Rites are given to those gravely ill or those about to die.

• Veneration of Saints and Martyrs

• Those unbaptized, sinners, and excommunicated will be punished through Hell for all eternity.

Judaism

Judaism is the oldest Abrahamic religion and finds its origins in Moses' Exodus from Egypt and his leadership and guidance of the Israelites until they are given the land of Canaan. Judaism does not have a head of its faith, instead, the role of "leading the flock" is given to individual Rabbis. Unlike Christianity, Judaism rejects the notions of the Trinity and sees it as a pagan perversion of God's oneness. It then follows that Jesus is not seen as the son of God, but just a regular man who could not absolve sin, nor rise from the dead. While in Christianity, the belief in Christ and his teachings replaced the notion of Jewish Legalism, in Judaism, there is a sense of strict adherence to the Code and Word of God, therefore the Commandments and Jewish Laws are seen as divine.

The Jewish faith rejects the idea of the Original Sin, that all men are born sinful and must instead seek entrance into heaven through Communion and Jesus. Instead, all men are born neutral and are given the ability of free will to determine their own destiny on whether they will resist the temptations and sins of the world, or succumb to them.

There is a great focus on earthly life in Judaism, as it is the part of the world a mortal can have an impact on. God is seen as eternally just and therefore there is no great need to discuss what comes after. Generally, Hell is not seen as an eternal punishment, and neither are there specific places for specific punishments. Mostly, Judaism believes that Hell is personal to the individual and might even exist in the same plane as Heaven, represented by a soul's distance from God. Unlike Christianity and Islam, Judaism allows Gentiles (non-Jews) to enter Heaven as long as they have lived a moral life.

Jews hold a unique place in Medieval society. They are regarded as wise Scholars, effective legislators, and powerful bankers, as Catholic laws do not allow the charge of interest on loans. Due to their uniquely prestigious position in society, during hardships, they mostly go unaffected and as a result, are frequently blamed for causing times of crisis. For this reason, some Kingdoms order large-scale exoduses of their population. In Rosewood, they always have a home, are appreciated for their skills, and are protected by Law from religious persecution.

Islam

Islam is the youngest Abrahamic religion. It originated in 622 when Mohammad made the journey from Mecca to Medina. Like Judaism, it rejects the idea of the Holy Trinity and believes in God being a single, all-powerful creator. Islam doesn't have a clerical structure that is meant to guide man toward God or administer sacraments. Like Judaism, their clergy usually has a mentoring, teaching, and advisory role within local communities. Individual Imams are the leaders of Islam for small groups of Muslims. However, there are attempts at bridging the gap between secular and divine through titles like Caliph or Amir al-Mu'minin which try to claim both earthly and clerical leadership over not just their respective regions, but the Islamic world as a whole.

Jesus is considered a prophet, however, Islam rejects the idea that he is the son of God, or that he is part of God. However, Muslims do believe that Mary gave a miracle birth to him, but he could not absolve sin, nor return from the dead. Additionally, Islam does not apply the Original Sin to all of mankind. The entire myth of the Fall is seen as a small misstep in the life of Adam and Eve. Something that does not reflect on the rest of mankind.

Islam holds the Qur'an as the final revelation and the absolute word of God written by the Prophet. As such it is not to be changed and is to be followed without fail. Most of the lore is the same though the names may differ. Most famously a point of difference between Judeo-Christian theology and Islamic is the idea of God's Covenant with Abraham. For Jews and Christians, the inheritor of God's Covenant was Isaac, while for Muslims, the inheritor was Ishmael, Abraham's second son.

While Islam does not allow non-believers into Heaven, it makes exceptions for Jews and Christians who lived before the time of Mohammad, and it makes exceptions for those who live morally good lives but have not had the opportunity or knowledge to accept Islam. All those who know the word of God, but reject it, will be sent to Hell for all eternity. However, Islam does allow redemption from Hell in the case of some sins.

Muslims are regarded as the keepers of ancient knowledge. Baghdad, a powerful city in the crescent holds the House of Wisdom where the acumen of Islamic innovation is stored. Through war and trade, this knowledge is slowly making its way to Rosewood, as are many Muslims from Mesopotamia, but mostly from the Moorish lands after being persecuted by the Christian Kings of Iberia. In Rosewood, their freedom is guaranteed by the Legal Code, and they are seen as wealthy merchants and wise scholars.

Byzantine Orthodoxy

Byzantine Orthodoxy is the Eastern branch of Christianity practiced mostly by the Byzantine Romans, but the converts of the Ruslands as well. They emerged in reaction to Catholic dogmatic dominance in 1087 and formed four Holy Sees (Constantinople, Antioch, Jerusalem, and Alexandria), all led by a Patriarch, with the Patriarch of Constantinople regarded as the Inter Pares, or the First Among Equals. They venerate Jesus, and Mary and follow the Old and New Testaments. When compared to Roman Catholicism, they are different in a few ways:

• The Orthodox reject Papal supremacy and opt for regional autonomy through local Patriarchs and Bishops.

• The East rejects the idea of Mary's Immaculate Conception, meaning she was free of sin. Instead, they believe her to be an ordinary woman, chosen by God to become the Mother of Christ.

• Most prominently, the Orthodox place a larger emphasis on the Holy Spirit, believing it to come from the Father, rather than through both the Father and the Son.

• Orthodox doctrine does not encourage celibacy but does not discourage it either. Married men can become Patriarchs, however, women are not allowed into the clergy at all.

• The Eastern Church allows the doctrine of Economia, meaning that Church dogma can be flexible depending on the situation. Not all Church Law is absolute in every situation.

• Byzantine Orthodoxy rejects the idea of temporal punishment through Purgatory. Instead, all sinners go directly to hell, and the saved go to Heaven.

• Byzantine Christians do not trust in the absolute truth of the Scriptures, as they are unknowable to us. Instead, they base their faith on historical accounts of saints, and councils, as well as icons and old teachings.

• Less importance is given to the transformation of substances during the Eucharist, although they do believe it happens.

• The Original Sin is regarded as the Ancestral Sin, and represents Man's rejection of God's love, rather than the indulgence of carnal pleasures, while Catholicism sees carnal relations as inherently sinful and only acceptable for procreation. Orthodoxy does not condemn bodily pleasure outright, but rather mourns the loss of God's love. Additionally, the Ancestral Sin is not inherited, but instead, its consequences are.

• Confession, or Penance, is public instead of private, only then can Absolution be granted.

• The Orthodox Church allows remarriage after the death of a spouse, or after a divorce.

Christian Heresy

Many religious interpretations of Christian dogma have risen over the ages, however, there are a handful of sects that were large enough to spread, and threatening enough to be recognized by the Catholic Church as heretical beliefs. There have been many, and there will be many more. However, the most prominent heretics are the following:

1. Anglicans

2. Genesians

3. Josephites

4. Cathars

5. Gladii

6. Sophiaites

Heretics are generally tolerated in Rosewood by the population, especially if they are not violent or dangerous. However, the Law does not grant them protection and the French Inquisition has a Crown-backed mandate to exterminate all heresy from Rosewood and the rest of France.

Paganism

Paganism is not one set religion. Instead, it is a multitude of religions, all unified by a number of common denominators. Pagan religions are usually polytheistic, and ascribe various naturalistic forces to various deities. These deities are usually represented by idols, and often require either animal or human sacrifices. There is a strong emphasis on nature, and it is diametrically opposed to the ideas of Abrahamic religions. Therefore, this name is often given to religions that came before monotheism in Europe, or simply those that are not Abrahamic. The most famous form of Paganism is one related to the Old Gods of the Norse pantheon, due to migrations and raids from the dying Viking culture.

Atheism

Medieval Atheism is almost never the absolute rejection of divinity. In actuality, most Medieval Atheists do believe in some sort of divinity, although it is not defined through any organized religion. There is faith in the existence of some sort of structure or grand creator beyond human comprehension, however, it is a belief free of dogma and one that is based on general morality. The highest virtue is to think for yourself and reject the dehumanizing dogma often propagated by organized religions. Atheists may even believe in the Abrahamic God, but reject the view given by Christian, Jewish, or Islamic teachings. They believe that any notion of "God" remains a personal thing, that should in no way be regulated, and exists only to serve the individual in various ways. However, of course, there would also be Medieval Atheists who reject any god and only believe in reason and the physical world.

1. Pool of Religions

Every character is defined by some sort of faith. For MD's purposes, we've given 7 options for users to pick from, based on religions that would have some sort of representation within Rosewood. Other religions exist, of course, but they are irrelevant for RP in Rosewood. They can be mentioned, but realistically, almost no one would believe in them so far away from their region/time of origin.

2. Absolute devotion

A character's faith represents their steadfast belief. One cannot be a Christian, and actually believe in something else. However, an option exists for those who become disillusioned with their faith. Every character has one chance to switch their religion if they find someone else of that same faith.

3. Lying

In some instances, revealing your religion might put you at risk. When this is the case, you are allowed to lie about what you believe in. However, your character will not be able to take part in religious rituals of other religions without abandoning their faith and joining another one. Remember the rule of Absolute Devotion; your character is 100% certain in their religion, unless they plan to convert. However, exceptions can be made where members of a religion may lie about their faith to try to save their lives or the life of someone else.

There are no religion roles, meaning MetaRP is significantly more difficult. However, a character will gain a role when they convert from one religion to another.