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THESIS - THE SEVEN SKIES


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THE SEVEN SKIES

Thesis by Adelric Barclay

 


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A depiction of the Seven Skies illustrated by Adelric Barclay

 

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INTRODUCTION

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“I would describe Creation as a series of concentric circles. At the centre is Our Lord God Himself, Whom all of Creation surrounds, and then around Him are the rest of the Seven Skies in descending order, then the mortal realm, and then farthest from Him is the Void.”

-Ailred Cardinal Reinmar

 

While reading Cardinal Reinmar’s thesis on Cosmology and the Void, I had been inspired to explore the state of existence not farthest from God, but closer to our Lord in the Seven Skies, which has often been a monolithic topic, agreed by most of the clergy, other than the criteria of entrance into the Seven Skies. Our Catechism gives us detailed knowledge about the structure of the Seven Skies, balanced around our Lord, yet I wish to explore what it is like to be within the Emanations of Glory. (Gospel 1:17)

 

 

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ON THE STRUCTURE OF THE SEVEN SKIES

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The Seven Skies, according to our Catechism, are structured around the Throne of God, and creation itself is built around the seat of our Lord, in the Seventh Sky, where he dwells. The only being ever to come into the Seventh Sky has been Exalted Horen, to deliver the word of our Lord God to his brethren. The other Skies are structured around one’s pietas, which represents the individual’s closeness to the force of Good,  that radiates throughout the eight primary realms.

 

Seventh Sky: The Throne of God

Sixth Sky: The Righteous in Ministry (Exalted and their Wives)

Fifth Sky: The Righteous in Faith (Saints)

Fourth Sky: The Righteous in Virtue (Blessed)

Third Sky: The Justified in Ministry (Canonists who spread God’s word)

Second Sky: The Justified in Faith (Canonists)

First Sky: Justified in Virtue (Virtuous Pagans)

 

SPIRITUAL ENERGY OF MAN

 

Those who reside in the Seven Skies in the afterlife are subject to our Lord God’s eternal and equal love, in different places of existence. The people who are residents within the Seven Skies are not necessarily outwardly rewarded by God himself in an overt sense, but the reality is that it is a mixture of both reward from God, and reward from oneself. It is the spiritual energy within the resident, that draws the spirit closer towards the seat of God. The stronger this energy is tended to in the mortal realm, the stronger the pull towards a plane of existence that befits housing the energy. Just as one sends themselves to the Void through a lack of such energy according to our Catechism, then one must also be empowered by God’s nature and design to determine their place in His Kingdom, which is the ultimate test for any mortal existing within our world.

 

“God is not only a being, but a state of infinite virtue emanating from His throne in the Seventh Sky. Whoever is virtuous is alike to God, and thus is near to him. Whoever is unvirtuous is unlike God, and thus is spiritually distant from Him. The Void exists as the farthest spiritual distance from God, a place completely deprived of His virtue or His mercy. Thus, whoever is unvirtuous cannot enter the Seven Skies upon their death, because the Seven Skies are close to Him and the unvirtuous are far. If a soul leaves the World and cannot enter the Skies, where else is there to go except the Void?”

-The Catechism of the Canonist Church




THE WAY OF EXISTENCE WITHIN THE SEVEN SKIES

 

“The Seven Skies are a place of endless reward, where mortals are healed of their flaws and released from the desires of the flesh. All exist in harmony, rejoicing in the infinite kindness of the Creator.”

-The Catechism of the Canonist Church

 

I would not say that the mortals who are inducted into the Seven Skies are immediately inducted into a sense of pure bliss and happiness, through an interventionist action by God, wherein one would immediately be ‘drugged’ of their sense of being to get into a state of unlimited happiness. Instead, I would argue that God knows His creations, the descendants, since they are His own design in nature. The Seven Skies are a place where consciousness and awareness is still existent, yet it is a realm perfectly catered for God’s creatures to continue their existence. Why steal, when you have everything you would need, and feel validated by the light of God? Why oppress, when it does not propel you any further than what you have right now? Living within the kindness of our Lord is the ultimate aim, built into our psyche, and living in that state of bliss renders any worldly desire undesirable. It is not God’s intervention, but His design.

 

 

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THE VOID

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“The Void is a place of emptiness and despair. Whoever has entered the Void has unequivocally forsaken God, and has therefore forsaken all good things.”

-The Catechism of the Canonist Church

 

The Void is the eternal juxtaposition to the Seven Skies, which the Holy Light does not reach, at the command of our Lord. Just as the spiritual energy of one draws itself naturally towards the Seven Skies, a lack of the spiritual energy is the opposite, in which the Void draws forth the spirit itself in the afterlife.

 

However, those who go into the Void, even though they are unable to reach the Holy Light, are still loved by our Lord, for if the Lord God did not love them and has forsaken them, how would they sustain themselves? Does a tool function without its craftsman? The souls within the Void may have forsaken God, and therefore all existence, but God does not scorn them, and God does not forsake them. This is proved by their very continued existence within the Void, where they are at least sustained by the presence of God, if not His light and kindness.

 

In the Void, I would also argue that there is a presence of good, and those who go into the Void are not necessarily wholly evil, as other residents of the Void, such as Iblees. The people who go into the Void are, as I’ve said, determined by their spiritual closeness to God, or Pietas. One could still have a presence of pietas within their soul, but it is arguably not strong enough to draw itself towards the Seven Skies. I would also argue that the reason Iblees is chained within the Void is because of a complete lack of pietas within its soul, which as a result renders it unable to exist truly outside of the void.

 

“The Void is the prison of Iblees, who was corrupted by its touch at the beginning of all things. He resides there, bound by chains of his own making--the chains of faithlessness and sin.”

-The Catechism of the Canonist Church

 

This is also why I would argue that Voidal magic is a practice which is by nature, sinful. I would describe reaching into the Void to practice the magic is, by definition, sacrificing one’s inner pietas to draw on from the Void. For how can one’s being reach into the void, if their inner virtue, by its very design and nature draws itself towards God, towards salvation? How can one call oneself clean of any sin, if they are using power from Iblees’ corruption to affect the mortal realm? The practice of magic in itself, however, does not render the individual completely sinful. Actions that go against God, also have a profound effect on our own inner pietas, and practicing voidal magic can be comparable to doing a sinful act.

 

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THE LIMBOS

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“Canonist cosmology holds that there are 9 primary planes of existence--the Seven Skies, the World, and the Void--and a number of other limbos which are mere distractions.”

-The Catechism of the Canonist Church

 

The Catechism accepts one’s own spiritual energy, and how it determines the plane of existence the soul travels forth to, and the Catechism acknowledges that there are other limbos and states of realms in which existence may be sustained. Therefore, spiritual energy may determine where the soul is drawn to in terms of these limbos. Because of this, I would speculate that the Void is divided in a similar fashion to the Seven Skies by its nature. Consider the Holy Light. When one lights a torch, the light radiates around the torch, fading out through distance. The light does not suddenly stop, but it diminishes. I would describe the limbos as places in which the presence of the light is not wholly present, but not wholly absent. Through careful observation and meditation, one can see the light, if the spiritual energy of man draws itself in such a realm of limbo. As the light’s reach decreases, the layers of the Void get deeper and deeper, until one reaches Iblees, where the soul is not redeemable anymore.

 

“There is also a limbo state, for those who have acted good of soul yet failed to heed the call of Godanistan. Some may be elevated to the First Sky, or may find themselves trapped in Oblivion depending on how they act in this enigmatic plane. Few, if anyone, truly understands this realm and some argue it is mere fiction. However, I argue that limbo does exist. From my theological interpretations, it is a desolate land of ash, where huddled amorphous souls wander. There is food; but it is grainy and ashen, water, yet polluted bereft of Godan's life. The only entertainment is to observe the mortal world below you. To ascend, one must realize through the observance of the mortal world the true faith, and accept it. However, to some non-believers, when arising in this limbo state, they believe that this is some other realm of their heretical belief and sit content for eternity, failing to accept the grace and mercy of Godanistan.”

-Pamphlet On Ruskan Orthodoxy

 

The Pamphlet argues that there is basic sustenance to the souls present in the limbo state, and there is lands and life, albeit barren. This interpretation would sit in line, if we look into the analogy of the torchlight, when considering the Holy Light. As God’s Holy Light is diminished by His will, so are materials that sustain one in quality, for they are tools and appliances almost abandoned by their craftsmen. What is the virtue of existing fully, when they are not in that condition?

 

In order to reach the Seven Skies, the souls trapped in the limbo, which is a part of the void, must see into their surroundings, and notice the light of God, which by nature sustains the spiritual energy of the soul, allowing it to be drawn closer to the Seven Skies. Seeing into the Holy Light means salvation.


 

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Conclusion

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God’s love is absent from nowhere, and he sees into all, including the mortal realm. Those who are virtuous should in their life cater to their spiritual energy and interconnectedness with God and the Seven Skies, in order to experience the ultimate salvation.

Acolyte Adelric Barclay


 

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Brandt Barclay appears to have been hit by a wave of shock as he just witnessed his fifteen years old son publish a whole academic thesis "This kid ist simply built different... or Saint Tylos has blessed him with such knowledge!"

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@MadOne

Bishop Benedict receives the letter from the Prelate of the Priesthood, Cardinal Manfried, concerning the thesis. He then goes to read the well-written work, commenting, "Acolyte Barclay has made a compelling work on eschatology, positing a much needed revisitation on the telos of the Seven Skies. Many more clergy should comment on the nature of the life beyond so as to teach the living what it means to be saved."

 

On 12/17/2020 at 11:36 AM, MadOne said:

In the Void, I would also argue that there is a presence of good, and those who go into the Void are not necessarily wholly evil, as other residents of the Void, such as Iblees. The people who go into the Void are, as I’ve said, determined by their spiritual closeness to God, or Pietas

 

He continues to read on the section concerning the Void, citing an excerpt, "I do find part of this section unclear: If the Void is absent of all things good because it is composed of those who consciously rejected God who is all good, then how can an iota of good exist? Is salvation a mere spectrum, tiered with those who have more pietas and those with less on different levels, or is it the finality of our destination where we accept virtue or deny grace? I ask the acolyte to expand further on this point." 

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3 hours ago, Piov said:

@MadOne

Bishop Benedict receives the letter from the Prelate of the Priesthood, Cardinal Manfried, concerning the thesis. He then goes to read the well-written work, commenting, "Acolyte Barclay has made a compelling work on eschatology, positing a much needed revisitation on the telos of the Seven Skies. Many more clergy should comment on the nature of the life beyond so as to teach the living what it means to be saved."

 

 

He continues to read on the section concerning the Void, citing an excerpt, "I do find part of this section unclear: If the Void is absent of all things good because it is composed of those who consciously rejected God who is all good, then how can an iota of good exist? Is salvation a mere spectrum, tiered with those who have more pietas and those with less on different levels, or is it the finality of our destination where we accept virtue or deny grace? I ask the acolyte to expand further on this point." 

A RESPONSE

 

Adelric, on receiving the Bishop's response would pen a letter, publishing the letter publicly as a response to the feedback. 

 

"In order to expand my speculatory theology in the presence of Good in Void, I would refer firstly to the Catechism of the Canonist Church, in which the existence of a 'limbo' state of being is acknowledged. According to the Pamphlet on the Ruskan Orthodoxy, the 'limbo' is a state of being, in which the presence of God is still there, along with his love, on a more limited capacity. If those who see into their own mistakes in rejecting God, in a period of self-reflection may redeem themselves of their faults, the an iota of good must exist within these limbo realms, because God is the personification of good. The Void that the Bishop speaks of is the Void that Iblees resides in, which indeed holds no presence of good, and it is the finality of a soul's destination. However the 'limbo' realms, in which good exists in a more limited capacity are merely extensions of the void in it's reality. Mirror images of the final destination, for those who truly reject God. They are "mere distractions" to the glory of God within the Seven Skies, and the Evil of Iblees in the true void. I would agree that salvation is indeed tiered, based on the structure of the seven skies, which reflects a person's closeness to God. Therefore, if closeness to God is tiered, so must salvation, because Seven Skies is the salvation."

Edited by MadOne
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