The Concordian Church of the Divine Spheres was founded in 221 AE, and remained without formal documents that served as its foundation until the end of 223 AE, at which point it amended the Foundational Documents - adopted and adapted from those of Artebazzan. This set of Foundational Documents, when compared to those of Artebazzan, is considered to be a Living document, and subject to change as the Heralds and the Eternals develop our understanding of the Spheres and their servants.
See also
Foundational Documents of the Concordian Church
Tenets of the Church
The Divine Exists
The Spheres Exist.
The Eternals Exist, and represent the true aspects of the Spheres.
The Heralds Exist, and embody the living aspects of the Spheres.
These things are observable fact, and cannot be disputed. Doing so is heinous Apostasy.
The Spheres Instruct Us
We know that the Spheres give us instruction as to how to live our lives, each unique to the Spheres, each a calling for us all to follow.
The Spheres provide us the power over their anathemic qualities in order to test our resolve - they are to tempt us, and to perform them is a blight
These instructions are observable fact, and to dispute them is Heresy.
We know that Anarch is the Sphere of Change and Growth.
Anarch calls us to challenge the strong in order to prove ourselves worthy, to live as our truest and most honest selves, overcome our limits and strive for the impossible, and gather strength and wisdom from our failures - finding humility in finding our place.
We know that Lumos is the Sphere of Life and Light.
Lumos calls us to listen to others to find the things we believe in, to hold true to those faiths, to defend our faiths and beliefs in order to inspire hope, and to share our personal truths with others.
We know that Arcadian is the Sphere of Combat and Courage.
Arcadian calls us to be courageous before all adversity, to work together with others to face fierce foes, to value ourselves appropriately, to know our own worth and place in the world, and to take on challenges that are neither beyond nor beneath us.
We know that Panoply is the Sphere of Ambition and Glory.
Panoply calls us to strive eternally for ever greater heights and renown, to struggle endlessly against everything the world throws at us, to both accept failure as a teacher and to move on despite it, and to use rather than to monopolize our power and wealth
We know that Cervitas is the Sphere of Wisdom and Connection.
Cervitas calls us to act in unison in all things, to be loyal to our betters and those worthy of it, to be trustworthy and trust others to the extent that they deserve, and to be held to our oaths as if they were unbreaking chains
We know that Stallia is the Sphere of Truth and Knowledge
Stallia calls us to seek out the Truth with persistence and tenacity, to question our world so that we may determine what is true, to protect knowledge from those who would distort or destroy it, and to use that knowledge to our benefit wherever life leads us
The Spheres are Powerful and grant Salvation
The Spheres are Divine, each an infinite wellspring of Power and Grace. Each distinct and influential, they are immiscible, and cannot be called on together.
The Spheres give Power in response to Power. We sacrifice things in our flawed world and are rewarded with the blessing of the Spheres in return.
The Spheres give Grace through Change. We change ourselves to follow the calling of the Spheres, and by growing closer to them we receive their Grace and have our souls saved in the life beyond death
The Journey is Paramount and Divine
It is the power of the Spheres that created all that is, and thus to them all things return, save that which disappoints them and is discarded into nothingness
When all living souls pass from our world, they fly through the darkness and attempt to enter a Sphere that called to them most in life. Those souls pass on to attempt to pass through other Spheres, until they have at last past through all 6 Spheres, or else they are returned to our flawed world to grow and try again. This is the Journey.
The highest calling for all souls is to pass through each of the Spheres on the Journey, and thence to reside forever in the Sphere that calls them home, to rest in Grace
The greatest failing for any soul is to fail to make the Journey, which proves them unworthy of the Spheres’ Grace, and damns them to an eternity of torment
To take an act that will knowingly prevent or hinder a soul’s path on the Journey is a heresy of the highest order, and damns the perpetrator’s own soul to eternal torment
We are Undeserving of the Spheres
As souls adrift from our true home in the Spheres, we are imperfect and should ever strive to be worthy of the Grace that we receive, lest we lose it. We do not deserve the Power of the Spheres or their servants, the Eternals and the Heralds, though it is human to wish and pray for it.
The Spheres are entities of Power and Grace, and are above the wants and desires of our flawed world - to beseech them for things that you do not deserve without sacrifice is both pointless and an insult to their purity.
The Eternals are primordial beings that embody the aspects we must aspire to. They have power to act when they see fit, and can be prayed to for intercession in times of need.
The Heralds are aspects of the Spheres designed to teach us what it is to be Divine. They are beings of Power and Grace, and deserve our respect, but neither need nor want our prayers nor veneration.
At times, it may seem that a Herald has come to act against you directly, or is hostile to you. Know that everything done by a Herald is a Divine Choice, and may be some boon in disguise - a teaching moment, a needed lesson in humility, a reminder of the power of the Spheres.
The Church speaks with the Will of the Spheres
The enlightened and learned preachers, priests, and high priest of the Church are the closest thing to a Herald’s voice, and their responsibility is to spread the teachings of the Spheres
Listen and respect the word of those who speak the teachings of the Spheres, for they will lead you to the path of spiritual salvation and Grace
The Church exists to serve and to be served - to serve those who lack enlightenment, sustenance or sanctuary on this world, and to be served by those who with wisdom or wealth to spare
The failings of the uneducated to reach Grace is the failure of the Church, who have failed to spread the truth. The failings of the educated to reach Grace is the failure of the individual, who has had opportunity but squandered both it and their soul.
As the Church speaks with the Will of the Spheres, and those that speak its voice speak with the words of the Divine, priests can be tried for Religious crimes only by those that also speak for the Spheres.
The Church alone has the power to decree certain elements of life as Divine
The Church and the Concordian state act in the goodwill of all, and therefore will not hoard or amass money or power unduly, as other states have done, nor infringe upon the inalienable rights of the common people.
The dictates of the Concordian Church of the Divine Spheres are the true word of the Spheres, and a mandate for all the faithful. To fail to adhere to them is a failing in the eyes of the Spheres. To deny them or decry them is heresy.
The Graces bear Grace themselves
Those born as Graces have been to a Sphere and forever changed with how powerful their connection was with that Sphere. The Sphere that affects the change upon them is the destined resting place of their soul.
Graces come as shards of Divinity to our world, to teach us in their own way what it is to live as a paragon of their Graced Sphere. Whether they take on the role of a priest, or fall to the life of a highway villain, their very existence is a story to be studied.
As shards of the Divine, their judgment is not ours to make. Only a Herald, High Priest, or Grace of the same Sphere can formally judge another Grace in any way, or lay a hand upon them in censure or punishment.
Life exists as a Test; Failure is Expected
To struggle is divine. Such is the purpose of life in our flawed world. All actions that do not spit on the Divinity of the Spheres are forgivable in their sight, so long as just recompense is paid.
To be contrite involves raising the blights of failure and weakness to the eyes of the Eternals, though only restitution and self-reform will wash them away, allowing Grace to be attained
The guilty must always be given the opportunity to repay the harm they have done if their lives are to be taken from them for their crimes, so their souls may have the best chance of making the Journey
Creeds of the Concordian Church
Formal Creed of the Church
We venerate the Spheres, one and all:
Anarch, of Change and Growth;
Lumos, of Life and Light;
Arcadian, of Combat and Courage;
Panoply, of Ambition and Glory;
Cervitas, of Wisdom and Connection;
Stallia, of Truth and Knowledge.
We entrust our eternal souls to the Journey,
We strive forever to better ourselves to that purpose,
We seek always to return home to you.
As we give unto you our veneration and sacrifice on this world, look down upon us O Eternals, and wash from us our failings and weaknesses so that we may better embody you.
As we live our lives as you have commanded, come and be with us, O Heralds, granting us the wisdom and truth of the Divine, that we may join you amidst the Spheres.
We pledge ourselves once more to the teachings of the Concordian Church, the guidance of its enlightened preachers, and the study of the Graces
Though we fall, we rise again and strive eternally, for to struggle is divine.
In the Spheres’ light we stand.
Congregation’s Creed
We give thanks to the Spheres.
Anarch, Lumos, Arcadian, Panoply, Cervitas, Stallia.
We give our all to prepare ourselves for the Journey, where we will try to return to you.
Eternals, watch over us and take away our blights and failures.
Heralds, stand with us and teach us what it is to be perfect.
We pledge ourselves to the true Church, and pledge to follow the guiding will of its preachers and Graces.
Though we fall, we rise again and strive forever, for to struggle is divine.
In the Spheres’ light we stand.
Strictures of the Church
The Strictures (laws) of the Church have their own page, where any crimes prosecuted by the church at the highest level will be recorded.
Tenets and Creed of The Church of the Divine Spheres of Artebazzan
The text below represents the heart of the Artebazzani Tenets of faith, the original documents by which the majority of Spheric followers of the world (and in particular those of Artebazzan) follow.
Tenets of the Church
The Divine Exists
The Spheres Exist.
The Eternals Exist, and represent the true aspects of the Spheres.
The Heralds Exist, and embody the living aspects of the Spheres.
These things are observable fact, and cannot be disputed. Doing so is heinous Apostasy
The Spheres Instruct Us
We know that the Spheres give us instruction as to how to live our lives, each unique to the Spheres, each a calling for us all to follow.
The Spheres provide us the power over their anathemic qualities in order to test our resolve - they are to tempt us, and to perform them is a blight
These instructions are observable fact, and to dispute them is Heresy.
We know that Anarch is the Sphere of Change and Growth.
Anarch calls us to challenge the strong in order to prove ourselves worthy, to live as our truest and most honest selves, overcome our limits and strive for the impossible, and gather strength and wisdom from our failures - finding humility in finding our place.
We know that Lumos is the Sphere of Life and Light.
Lumos calls us to listen to others to find the things we believe in, to hold true to those faiths, to live our lives confidently, to defend our faiths and beliefs fanatically, and to share our personal truths with others.
We know that Arcadian is the Sphere of Combat and Courage.
Arcadian calls us to be courageous before all adversity, to work together with others to face fierce foes, to value ourselves appropriately, to know our own worth and place in the world, and to take on challenges that are neither beyond nor beneath us.
We know that Panoply is the Sphere of Ambition and Glory.
Panoply calls us to strive eternally for ever greater heights and renown, to struggle endlessly against everything the world throws at us, to both accept failure as a teacher and to move on despite it, and to use rather than monopolize our power and wealth
We know that Cervitas is the Sphere of Wisdom and Connection.
Cervitas calls us to act in unison in all things, to be loyal to our betters and those worthy of it, to be trustworthy and trust others to the extent that they deserve, and to be held to our oaths as if they were unbreaking chains
We know that Stallia is the Sphere of Truth and Knowledge.
Stallia calls us to seek out the Truth no matter the cost, to blindly believe nothing that we cannot be sure is true, to hoard knowledge lest it be taken from us, and to use that knowledge to our benefit wherever life leads us
The Spheres are Powerful and grant Salvation
The Spheres are Divine, each an infinite wellspring of Power and Grace. Each distinct and influential, they are immiscible, and cannot be called on together.
The Spheres give Power in response to Power. We sacrifice things in our flawed world and are rewarded with the blessing of the Spheres in return.
The Spheres give Grace through Change. We change ourselves to follow the calling of the Spheres, and by growing closer to them we receive their Grace and have our souls saved in life beyond death
The Journey is Paramount and Divine
It is the power of the Spheres that created all that is, and thus to them all things return, save that which disappoints them and is discarded into nothingness.
When all living souls pass from our world, they fly through the darkness and attempt to enter a Sphere that called to them most in life. Those perfect souls pass on to attempt to pass through other Spheres, until they have at last past through all 6 Spheres, or else they are returned to our flawed world to grow and try again. This is the Journey.
The highest calling for all souls is to pass through each of the Spheres on the Journey, and thence to reside forever in the Sphere that calls them home, to rest in Grace.
The greatest failing for any soul is to fail to make the Journey, which proves them unworthy of the Spheres’ Grace, and damns them to an eternity of torment.
To take an act that will knowingly prevent or hinder a soul’s path on the Journey is a heresy of the highest order, and damns the perpetrator’s own soul to eternal torment.
We are Undeserving of the Spheres
As souls adrift from our true home in the Spheres, we are imperfect and should ever strive to be worthy of the Grace that we receive, lest we lose it. We do not deserve the Power of the Spheres or their servants, the Eternals and the Heralds, though it is human to wish and pray for it.
The Spheres are entities of Power and Grace, and are above the wants and desires of our flawed world - to beseech them for things that you do not deserve through sacrifice is both pointless and an insult to their purity.
The Eternals are primordial beings that embody the aspects we must aspire to. They have power to act when they see fit, and can be prayed to for intercession in times of need.
The Heralds are aspects of the Spheres designed to teach us what it is to be Divine. They are beings of Power and Grace, and deserve our respect, but neither need nor want our prayers nor veneration.
At times, it may seem that a Herald has come to act against you directly, or is hostile to you. Know that everything done by a Herald is a Divine Choice, and may be some boon in disguise - a teaching moment, a needed lesson in humility, a reminder of the power of the Spheres.
The Church speaks with the Will of the Spheres
The enlightened and learned preachers, priests, and high priest of the Church are the closest thing to a Herald’s voice, and their will is the will of the Spheres.
Listen and respect the word of your religious leader, for they will lead you to the path of spiritual salvation and Grace.
The Church exists to serve and to be served - to serve those who lack enlightenment, sustenance or sanctuary on this world, and to be served by those who have those with wisdom or wealth to spare.
The failings of the uneducated to reach Grace is the failure of the Church, who have failed to spread the truth.
The failings of the educated to reach Grace is the failure of the individual, who has had opportunity but squandered both it and their soul.
As the Church speaks with the Will of the Spheres, and those that speak its voice speak with the words of the Divine: Priests can be tried for crimes only by those that also speak for the Spheres.
The Church alone has the power to decree certain elements of life as Divine, and therefore above challenge or contention by aspirants of Anarch
The Church and the Artebazzani state act in the goodwill of all, and their amassing of coin and power in order to create stability is divine, and not an affront to Panoply
The dictates of the Artebazzani Ecclesiastical Synod are the true word of the Spheres, and a mandate for all the faithful. To fail to adhere to them is a failing in the eyes of the Spheres. To deny them or decry them is heresy.
The Graces bear Grace themselves
Those born as Graces have been to a Sphere and forever changed with how powerful their connection was with that Sphere. The Sphere that affects the change upon them is the destined resting place of their soul.
Graces come as shards of Divinity to our world, to teach us in their own way what it is to live as a paragon of their Graced Sphere. Whether they take on the role of a priest, or fall to the life of a highway villain, their very existence is a story to be studied.
As shards of the Divine, their judgment is not ours to make. Only a Herald or Grace of the same Sphere can judge another Grace in any way, or lay a hand upon them in censure or punishment.
Taking the life of a Grace robs the world of the opportunity to learn from them. To do so in any way other than on the field of battle is unthinkable.
Life exists as a Test; Failure is Expected
To struggle is divine. Such is the purpose of life in our flawed world. All actions that do not spit on the Divinity of the Spheres are forgivable in their sight, so long as just recompense is paid.
To be contrite involves raising the blights of failure and weakness to the eyes of the Eternals, though only restitution and self-reform will wash them away, allowing Grace to be attained.
The guilty must always be given the opportunity to repay the harm they have done if their lives are to be taken from them for their crimes, so their souls may have the best chance of making the Journey.
Creeds of the Artebazzani Church
Formal Creed of the Church
We venerate the Spheres, one and all:
Anarch, of Change and Growth;
Lumos, of Life and Light;
Arcadian, of Combat and Courage;
Panoply, of Ambition and Glory;
Cervitas, of Wisdom and Connection;
Stallia, of Truth and Knowledge.
We entrust our eternal souls to the Journey,
We strive forever to better ourselves to that purpose,
We seek always to return home to you.
As we give unto you our veneration and sacrifice on this world, look down upon us O Eternals, and wash from us our failings and weaknesses so that we may better embody you.
As we live our lives as you have commanded, come and be with us, O Heralds, granting us the wisdom and truth of the Divine, that we may join you amidst the Spheres.
We pledge ourselves once more to the teachings of the Artebazzani Church, the guidance of its enlightened preachers, and the study of the Graces
Though we fall, we rise again and strive eternally, for to struggle is divine.
In the Spheres’ light we stand.
Commoner’s Creed
We give thanks to the Spheres.
Anarch, Lumos, Arcadian, Panoply, Cervitas, Stallia.
We give our all to prepare ourselves for the Journey, where we will try to return to you.
Eternals, watch over us and take away our blights and failures.
Heralds, stand with us and teach us what it is to be perfect.
We pledge ourselves to the true Church, and pledge to follow the guiding will of its preachers and Graces.
Though we fall, we rise again and strive forever, for to struggle is divine.
In the Spheres’ light we stand.