The Church

One of the major pillars of the New Diasporia universe is the Church, specifically the Catholic Church. As the Church of the Apostolic Age and the Church of the Middle Ages is the same Church as the Church of the twenty first century, so is the Church of New Diasporia the same Church. As are many of the trappings of the Church different from the first century, the twelfth century and the twenty first century so are the trappings of the Church different in the time of New Diasporia.
Two key theological concepts of Catholicism are relevant here. The first is the promise of Christ to his Church given in Matthew 16:20.

On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.

This is called the Petrine Promise. It is the basis of both the Supremacy of the Pope and of the promise that the Church would endure until the end of time.

The other point is is from John 17:

Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.

The wish of Christ was that Christians be one, under the guidance of his Vicar, the Pope, and joined in one Holy Catholic Church.

In New Diasporia is is postulated that in the future the Church will continue to seek reunification. In our present time Anglicanorum Coetibus has authorized Ordinariates where Anglicans can re-join the Church while keeping some of their prayers and liturgical practices. Dialog with the Orthodox continue, seeking to define the role of Peter as understood in the early Church. Even the once almost schismatic Society of Saint Pius X is engaged in talks with the Holy See on reunification.

Meanwhile the old mainstream Protestant groups, having rejected Natural Law find themselves hemorrhaging members. Yes in some places Catholicism is losing worshipers too. These are the very places where in the New Diasporia universe Christianity has been replaced, not by secularism, by a vibrant and culturally strong Islam.

In the New Diasporia universe the Church has met Christ's call for reunification. The Great Reunification, not accomplished by a single act, but by a series of pastoral, intellectual and theological actions has result in a larger more diverse Church. Now the Church has not compromised on any of its doctrines, but it has given ground in areas that are not doctrinal. Roman Rite Catholic priest, still do not marry, but there are many other rites, Anglican, Orthodox, etc. where they do. Liturgy in Latin? Yes for some. In Greek for others. The vernacular or a mixture of all three for others. Before Trent there were dozens of different local rites. One liturgical rite has never been a dogmatic requirement of Catholic practice.
What of the Protestant Churches? Outside the Highlands, in the Wilds some still exists. Evangelicalism, primarily a phenomenon of the American century, faded under the light of theological intellectual discourse. Others choosing to follow the world into the Progressive Era faded as did the failed ideas of that age.

So what is the Church like in the twenty fourth century? In the Roman Rite much is the same. Bishops still lead diocese, which are divided into parishes, led by priest. But they share the stage with Eastern Rite bishops leading eparchies, Anglo-Catholic bishops leading Ordinariates, Orders of religious of various traditions some under their control and some not, Personal Prelatures and other structures, all part of one Church.

Outside the Highlands things become a bit more flexible. Great Orders, some with traditions spreading back centuries; Jesuits, Dominicans, Opus Dei, others somewhat newer; the Knights of St. Bix, Cyberistians, Actors of St. John Paul, preform the ministries the Church has performed for over two thousand years, run hospitals, scriptorium, monasteries and churches.

In the Wilds the militant orders have seen a resurgence as travel for pilgrims and missionaries has once again become just too dangerous without protection of arms.

The Church is led by Celestine VI, the first Benedictine Pope since Pius VII in the nineteenth century, and the first Pope not to have been born on Earth ever. With the vast scope of the known universe the Holy See, always famous for working very slowly is even more likely to move deliberately due to the great time lag to the mission territories. This makes it even more important that local bishops and archbishops be holy men and that men appointed as papal legates and national patriarchs know the mind of the pope. It also means that not all men raised to these positions are worthy of them, and that petition to Rome of abuses of power or authority are slowly if ever answered.

Not all members of the clergy are Saints. Nor are all Saints good administrators, good judges of character, or good leaders.

More on characters from among the clergy and religious in the post on player characters.