A call for a new, ground up faith and practice ΙϹ⳨ ΧϹ The empire must fall rise up from the grove, the grotto, and the ground break the power of principalities in high places tear down the thrones lift up the downtrodden The empire must fall the missionary vandals of cultures the hateful preachers of death the vile thieves of their flock’s wealth the shameful wolves seeking prey to devour The empire must fall In the name of Christ Jesus who taught a path, not a march who set us free, not selling us to others who lives in our hearts, not captive on an altar The empire must fall In the power of the Spirit who gives life, not conformity who teaches us, not commanding who sustains us, not imprisoning The empire must fall the deniers of Christ’s gospel the breakers of the two commandments the blasphemers of the Holy Spirit The Imperial Church must fall ΙϹ⳨ ΧϹ # What is the Imperial Church? ## It is the Church that forsook God and the Kingdom > [Jesus] sat down, and called the twelve; and he said to them, "If any man wants to be first, he will be last of all, and servant of all." > > Mark 9:35 The Imperial Church comes in many flavors and colors, but the easiest way to see and recognize it is in how it rejects Jesus’ teachings on power. Arising from the Jewish Wisdom Tradition, the early Jesus movement rejected power in this world and lived as best as they could in the Kingdom of God, which is not of this world. > Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, [Jesus] answered them, "The kingdom of God doesn't come with observation; neither will they say, 'Look, here!' or, 'Look, there!' for behold, the kingdom of God is within you." > > Luke 17:20-21 They rejected marriage, refused to serve in the military, and did not offer incense to the emperor. These early Christians shared communal meals, were often led by women, and formed communal societies inspired by the Jewish Therapeutae. While Constantine catches the blame for the imperial takeover of Christianity, he was more of a symptom than a cause. The pseudepigraphical writer who forged the pastoral letters of First and Second Timothy and Titus transformed the early Christian movement into the mold of the Roman mystery cults so it would resemble the state-sanctioned religions of Rome. They enforced a patriarchal hierarchy onto the previously egalitarian movement. This is one of the many reasons their adoption came from the top down and not from the popular acceptance of the community. Weak and fearful souls cling to the powerful for protection, and the most frightened long to claim that power for themselves. Constantine saw this in the artificial priestly class born from the fake pastoral letters and exploited it. Priests flattered the empire, and the empire indulged the priests. In time, orthopraxy became orthodoxy, and the priest sought out and suppressed every threat they could find to imperial power. This isn’t a weakness exclusive to the Roman Catholic Church. After the great schism, many of the Orthodox Patriarchs joined with the new imperial forces rising around them. Martin Luther bowed the knee and bolstered the theological standing of Prince Frederick III, Elector of Saxony and the other German princes, while most of the other ‘reformers’ did the same for the powerful in their regions. The Anglican Church broke away as a statement of the Imperial Power of the British Crown. Preachers of death carried the empire into the colonies in the Americas, subjugating the people while calling their cruelty ‘Christian Love.’ They extolled both sides in the American Revolution and the Civil War, always clinging to power to mask their fear and sense of inferiority. They flocked to the radio to proclaim hatred and division, then to television to fleece their new flocks and to entrench their connections with power. The Imperial Church has projected its image and power so well over the centuries, they are synonymous with Christianity for most people. They even try to co-opt those who are not among their numbers like Martin Luther King, Jr. They have rejected the faith of Jesus. As Mary said about God: > He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their heart. > He has put down princes from their thrones. And has exalted the lowly. > He has filled the hungry with good things. He has sent the rich away empty. > > Luke 1:51-53 ## It is the Church that forgot its mission It is the church that forgot the mission of Christ. > The book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. He opened the book, and found the place where it was written, > > "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, Because he anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim release to the captives, Recovering of sight to the blind, To deliver those who are crushed, > And to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." > > He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him. > He began to tell them, "Today, this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." > > -Luke 4:17-21 The Imperial Church, in its quest for power, fame, and wealth, has forgotten the work of Christ that we are called to continue. It is a ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor 5:11-21) and healing we are called to perform in this world, not one of judgement. The empire judges; Christ forgives. We, like Christ are called “to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim release to the captives, Recovering of sight to the blind, To deliver those who are crushed, And to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” What is the acceptable year of the Lord? It is the Sabbatical or Shmita Year. ^[Exodus 23:10–11, Leviticus 25:2–7 Leviticus 25:20–22 and Deuteronomy 15:1–3. Jeremiah 34:13–14] This is the year when the land is left to its own to heal and recover, because the land does not belong to us. All debts are forgiven. Slaves were to be set free. Our calling is one of liberation, spreading freedom, wellness, and life to all we are able to. This calling is a curse to the Imperial Church, which hoards its wealth, sows division to maintain its power, and ignores the needs of the poor, the ill, and the brokenhearted so they don’t risk their own power, position, and property. Worse, they do all of this in the name of Christ Jesus, who saw their kind coming, and addressed them: > Then will he say also to them on the left hand, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels; > for I was hungry, and you didn't give me food to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink; > I was a stranger, and you didn't take me in; naked, and you didn't clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you didn't visit me.' > Then will they also answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not help you?' > Then will he answer them, saying, 'Most assuredly I tell you, inasmuch as you didn't do it to one of these least, you didn't do it to me.' > > Matthew 25:41-45 ## It is the Church that breaks the Two Commandments. > But the Pharisees, when they heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, gathered themselves together. One of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, testing him. "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?" > > Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' > This is the first and great commandment. > > A second likewise is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' > > The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments." > > Matthew 22:34-40 Jesus proclaimed a law of love, not of control, domination, and exclusion. It was the Imperial Church seeking to divide the people and maintain its power that instilled the fear of hell into the populace so they could sell themselves as the only path to salvation. As individualism grew in Europe, the Imperial Church became a general and the congregation the frontline troops. They demanded their ‘Christians’ to convert, condemn, and shun the impure. To the contrary, Christ taught us not to judge (Matt 7:1-3), to not cast stones (John 8:7), and to forgive, letting go of anger (Matt 5:21-24). For this reason, they ignore the teachings of Jesus and only quote him when they can twist his words out of their context. They only reference the greatest commandment when they argue for obedience and conformity, which is not what the commandment means. The heart, soul, and mind are a reference to the three parts of the soul: - the nefesh (heart), which is connected to the body, the lifeforce - the ruach (soul), which is connected to the emotions - the neshamah (mind), which is connected to the intellect So we are told to love God with our body/lifeforce, emotions, and intellect. This leaves us no room for a human intermediary to control us. Kings are against the will of God (1 Sam 8:16-20), so the Imperial Church has worked hard to dam this stream of devotion to redirect it towards themselves. This is why Jesus said the second is like the first, because when we love our neighbor like ourselves, we remember the Kingdom of God is within all of us. Loving our neighbor is loving God with all of our heart, mind, and soul. In order to entrench their power, the Imperial Church created the idea of the godless heathen who are excluded from the Kingdom of God so they could lie to their followers and enforce division among them. Since their false idol hates who they hate, he also demands sacrifice to assuage his anger. They demand offerings of time, money, and effort to achieve their own selfish aims. According to the prophet Hosea, God said: > For I desire mercy, and not sacrifice; And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. > > Hosea 6:6 The sacrifices the Imperial Church demands do not go to God, but to their own pockets and pet causes. Throughout history, the Imperial Church has always fought against those who rejected their false authority and selfish doctrines. They have taken many forms over the centuries. The path I have chosen, and that I encourage others who hear the call of Christ but not the Imperial Church is called Christopaganism. # What is Christopaganism? Christopaganism sounds like a contradiction in terms. The Imperial Church coined the word pagan to contrast themselves from those they wanted to name as enemies who needed to be subjugated. When I debated whether I wanted to include a definition of pagan in this manifesto, I saw this one and deleted the almost identical words I wrote and chose to quote it instead. > **Pagan > **_noun_ > > (especially in historical contexts) a person holding religious beliefs other than those of the main or recognized religions. > > Definitions from Oxford Languages for [Google English Dictionary](https://www.google.com/search?q=pagan+meaning&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS1017US1017&oq=pagan+d&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqCggBEAAYsQMYgAQyBggAEEUYOTIKCAEQABixAxiABDIHCAIQABiABDIHCAMQABiABDIHCAQQABiABDIHCAUQABiABDIJCAYQLhgKGIAEMgcIBxAAGIAEMgcICBAAGIAEMgcICRAAGIAE0gEINDI2M2owajmoAgCwAgA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&si=AKbGX_rws53V23zjuNWkl4_RNwO_Q9v8SnEaBc2ZnYqS6RqGddcH26P0WDNRq8R3cWbtkfeJ_fYeL6Cka7l2n2RksoCyUmVgZnafx7WXtF-9w8P48iUpzr4%3D&ictx=1&ved=2ahUKEwiRkLnaspqEAxUAX_EDHZLpCmwQyNoBKAB6BAgQEAA) (Feb 8, 2024) They call us heretics and apostates, but I chose to use the word Christopagan. ## Why Christopagan and not simply Pagan? The Imperial Church has oppressed the Pagan community for centuries and they have fought hard to reclaim that word, and I don’t want to take anything away from their work. Why still include the word? Pagan comes from the word paganus which means villager. The other options have more difficult origins: Heretic, apostate, dissident, dissenter, and renegade define people as against something, and I don’t want to define myself by what I am against, but either what I am for or who I am. For years, I did the dance saying, “I am a Christian, but not that kind of Christian.” That was not only tiresome, but became increasing untenable as the word Christian was defamed even further by the Imperial Church. As a devotee of Jesus Christ who lives in the Kingdom of God, the word, Christopagan takes on the meaning Villager of Christ. To use the definition cited above: **Christopagan **_noun_ a person devoted to the person and/or teachings of Jesus Christ who holds religious beliefs other than those of the main or recognized sects. As Jesus said: > I have other sheep, which are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice. They will become one flock with one shepherd. > > John 10:16 Christopaganism should be a big tent, welcoming any who hear the call of Christ without pressing any of them into one particular mold or fold. As Jesus taught us and the disciples: > John said to him, "Teacher, we saw someone who doesn't follow us casting out demons in your name; and we forbade him, because he doesn't follow us." > > But Jesus said, "Don't forbid him, for there is no one who will do a mighty work in my name, and be able quickly to speak evil of me. For whoever is not against us is on our side. > > Mark 9:38-40 # Christopaganism in Three Branches As Jesus is the root and vine, there are three main branches it would be right and proper to call Christopagan. ## The Hidden Anti-imperial Church Within every sect and denomination since their have been such things, there have been those who hear the call of Christ but don’t accept the hate, division, and lies of the Imperial Church. Quite a few denominations where founded by such people only to have the movement succumb to the whims of power over time. It is hard for any institution to resist the call of empire. Few, if any, of these hidden ones would accept the title, but they don’t have to. The most important thing is for us to know they are there so we do not act like the Imperial Church and cast aspersions on entire groups of people as if members of any group don’t differ among themselves. At its widest points, Christopaganism is living according to the call and teachings of Jesus, embodying love, peacemaking, and wisdom to the best of our ability without bending the knee to the self-proclaimed princes of the church and bolstering their controlling, colonizing, wealth and power hungry schemes. ## The Open and Accepting Church This is easiest to see in the Celtic Christianity movement. It is the Pelagian Church that will not die despite the efforts of the Imperial Church to kill it over the centuries. It often cites Eriugena, Eckhart, and the Beguines. They are the communitarian churches that do not condemn and divide people on ethnic, social, sexual, or gender lines, who are out there trying to make the world a better place, and lives of their communities better. These are the churches that fit the “religious beliefs other than those of the main or recognized sects” aspect of the definition I have proposed. I chose not to call myself a Celtic Christian because I don’t want to racialize my faith. I don’t begrudge those who find meaning in this name, but I found it too limiting for me. ## The Road where many paths converge The main branch of Christopaganism and the only one I expect will use the term are the Christian Witches, Christian Druids, and Christian Pagans. I am a Christian Druid. For most of my life, I have been involved in various esoteric societies. I have prayed to the Egyptian gods in my training in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Runes, tarot cards, rituals, and meditation play a central role in my faith and practice. My ancestors visited me since I was a child. [[Brigid]] inspires my art and poetry, even the poem at the beginning of this manifesto came from my Imbolc meditation this year. I am not here to say that I am right and others are wrong, or proclaim a new, infallible doctrine or dogma. None of us will know the full truth about the nature of reality until we enter death. Until then, all we can do is work out our own understanding to the best of our ability. Practicing Druidry, Wicca, or Paganism is not at odds with Anti-imperial Christianity. The Divine Council ^[1 Kings 22:19-23, Job 1:6; 2:1; 15:8; Psalm 82; Isaiah 6:1-9; Jeremiah 23:16-22] in scripture is a great mystery that most ignore. I have no problem seeing the Tuatha Dé Danann as members of this Divine Council, but I don’t want to get too bogged down in theology at this point. Jews and Christians have always had a tradition of calling on other spirits for aid, whether saints, angels, or gods. Israelite religion was henotheistic, worshiping one supreme deity, and many others. Strict monotheism is a later development, and one that is not universal over time. I struggled against the term Christopagan for years. It is a strange word and almost a Zen koan in its apparent internal contradiction. I decided to use the term for two reasons: 1. My faith is drawn from my Christian faith and my devotion to the gods. heros, and legends of my Irish ancestors. 2. It is a valid alternative to Imperial Christianity that crafted a dominionist theology in service first of the Roman Empire, then the many empires and colonial projects that followed. This Christopaganism has to be a decolonizing project for it to work and have a future and not become a new colonization of other mythologies to keep the faith on life support. I believe in the Christian god of Eriugena, Pelagius, and Eckhart, just to name a few. We have to rebuild our faith from the ground up. # Christopaganism is cringe One of the most common pushbacks I see and hear is that Christopaganism is cringe. I agree that a lot of Christopagans are cringe, and I probably am too. I believe in the One Life flowing through all things and that we name aspects of it with the names of the spirits and gods. That is my experience of the Divine, but that does not mean I am right. All we can do in this world is live as best we can in the light of our understanding of what is and how reality works. I respect the feelings of those Pagans who don’t feel Jesus or Yahweh has a place in Paganism. I’ve wrestled with similar feelings in myself for some time. All I can say is Jesus is my ishta devata, my cherished deity, but I also work with Lugh, [[Brigid]], Aengus, Caer Ibormeith, the Dagda, and the Morrigan. I do not mean to insult anyone, least of all the gods. I have seen insulting versions of Christopaganism, and only hope my practice is not one of them. The work we are going to do here is to talk about Druidry and Christopaganism in general and my specific practice of them as mitigated through Creation Spirituality. One thing I hope we can all agree on is that the Imperial Church must fall. Only the people can decide what, if anything will take its place. ⳨