On Enlightenment and Providence

[calculusdesola 1658]

“The Enlightened epoch of Oren has seen Man blessed with many new healthful oddities and wonderments. New peculiarities and luxuries from distant lands, and significant developments in the arts and sciences.  Yet, so too has the age brought bountiful debauchery and sin. I weep and the dead weep for how marginalized the Faith has become in the hearts of many men, whose distant forefathers dutifully took up the crusade.  While I must avoid all judgments above my station, I must also ask truly: what is the Crown without the Church? What is Orenia without GOD? And by what right I ask, has the new cosmopolitan governance of Orenia by Helena bourgeois to dismiss the functions of our good Faith?

These questions I fear must be asked in such fearful times.  This late Empire touts its ascendancy to a new age of ‘enlightenment’ but, alas, we the Faithful are most able to plainly see, that Empire’s cynical bureaucracy is not seeking this enlightenment with the good providence of GOD.  Indeed, they (the patrons of this enlightenment) have largely left the Church out of all affairs. The Imperial Diet, that is the former Senate in Helena, has so very insolently chastised our good Church, even though the wholly secular Senate granted the Church no representation or function.  Why bother, I deign also to ask, slandering His Holiness when you the Diet have labored so impishly to render obsolete that Church?

This is the inherent fault that democracy brings forth in our realm. For if you empower those without a Canonist morality, they shall spout that what stands against Canonism. If you legalize decadency through liberal legislation, you will render your society decadent and Sutican. It is for this reason that the Holy Church of the Canon stands supreme: for it is the only institution that can civilize its citizens accordingly.  Through the path of GOD, and His wisdom and grace, can any man find a profound sense of happiness and purpose. For everything he does, says or wants, becomes an extension of His Word and His Will: to guard his flock from all the dangers and evils of this material world.

Lastly, as any faithful Canonist should, I find the lack of faith in contemporary Orenia to be disturbing.  The exercise of so much wealth, power, and empire by this Orenia, and the lack of Churchly representation in that power, is indeed disturbing.  Orenia simply cannot hope to call this domineering path an “ascension” to Enlightenment, if that path does not include GOD. Now of course, we the humble Faithful cannot hope to so brazenly command the Imperial government to beg the blessings of His Holiness. You see, His Imperial Majesty is also of a holy nature, for to be born into that throne is surely to be blessed by GOD. For that reason I urge my brethren to love GOD and strive always for the Church, but not to disgrace the Crown.  It is my belief we Canonists must make the most use of the reformed Imperial Diet, of which the Church has finally been granted some chance of representation. GOD willing, we may win the final victory over heresy by the stroke of the pen.”

 

by Lepi Pavlović Ileš , humble acolyte