Neo-Spensonia
16-11-2008, 00:57
The Andersonists were a nondenominational Spensonian Christian sect of the 1700s that were well known for their support of women's suffrage and religious tolerance along with their total hatred for the denominational feuds between Christian churches which they felt negated the spirit of the faith. Founded in 1765 by James Anderson (http://www.aworldtowin.net/images/images330/WilliamWilberforce.jpg), a Presbyterian theologian, the Andersonists grew out of a small chapel in the city of New Edgehill into becoming the foremost nondenominational sect in the Free Land.
Although attacked with condemnation from hardline Presbyterians and others, James Anderson wrote over fifty sermons and letters in which he proudly and fearlessly advocates his ideas such as the right for women to participate in politics and his theory that God's non-existence would and should not prevent mankind from leading moral lives. He condemned the division between Catholics and Protestants in his On The Necessity of Christian Solidarity in which he declared his vehement opposition to the feud between the two factions as part of his crusade against the denominational feuds, in general, that he sought to end. In another treatise, On Democracy, he declared that women had the right to take part in politics and that it was hypocritical for the vote to be denied for women. Anderson was well known for offering fallen women a guest room in his house which he said was simply a deed done in the name of Christ. He claimed that he was nothing more than a mere Christian and he refused denominational labels as being irrevalent. In 1773, James Anderson spoke in the House of Commons in favor of establishing an end to the subtle anti-Catholicism that pervaded Spensonian society; he had, himself, been born into a family that came from Cromwellian England where a hatred of Catholicism blossomed.
The House of Commons had plenty of its members convert to Andersonism over the coming years while its founder slowly began to fall into heart problems but, despite this, he spent his days working at a local orphange where he was called Uncle Jim by the orphans. It was this experience that motivated him to publish an article in a newspaper in which he said that it was essential to care for people regardless of faith. In letters he wrote to an atheist acquaintance, James Anderson wrote: "You and I may disagree on the existence of a Being above us but, indeed, you and me can agree that we must work, side by side, for a better world."
James Anderson passed away from heart failure in 1793 with his wife at his bedside at a small country cabin with his last words having been an exhortation for his wife to live life to the fullest. He was mourned by nearly the entire nation and by people of all religious opinions from Calvinism to Atheism. He was laid to rest at his personal chapel in New Edgehill where he was given a solemn burial by the Reverend William Norton (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/empire/images/figures/39.jpg) who had been a Presbyterian minister best known for his attempt to combine Calvinist doctrine with Andersonist values and who essentially became the first moderator of the Andersonist sect.
The word, Andersonist, first came into being as a derogatory label but was soon adopted by the Andersonists under the guidance of Daniel Downes, an Andersonist preacher best known for writing the Andersonist Manifesto in which the values of the sect were established. Under the Manifesto, the Andersonists crusaded for women's rights, religious tolerance, universal sufferage regardless of gender and social status, and for universal education regardless of gender and social status. English radicals such as the Chartists who fled to Spensonia saw some of their members convert to Andersonism including Paul Hacker who had successfully established the right for women to vote decades before Britain.
The Andersonist Church is organized according to congregationalist governance which means that all parishes are governed by the laity and clergy within those parishes and that, as well, all parishes send representatives to meet at an annual convocation to discuss business. It is one of the most popular Christian sects in Spensonia and is often called an alternative for many people seeking to avoid the hardline and the mainstream churches. Atheist and secular groups admire the Andersonists for their refusal to condemn anyone out of doctrinal contempt. The Andersonists have two sacraments, baptism and communion, and believe that it is more important to live as a Christian than as a Catholic or as a Baptist. The current head of the Andersonists is Presiding Moderator Peter Wilson who has announced that the Andersonist Church plans to expand around the known world. What will the world think about the Andersonists? Will they be accepted or condemned? We can only wait and see according to Peter Wilson.
OOC: This is my first attempt to create a fictional Christian denomination and this thread is for you to post whether or not Andersonism gains any converts within your nations. Andersonists are well known for their belief in the merits of science alongside religion and for working alongside non-Christians such as atheists for the sake of a better world. Their worship services are generally a mixture of various denominational services such as those of the Pentecostals but it depends on where you go in Spensonia. The Moderator is considered to be not the head of the church but merely a guide to the true head who is Christ. Andersonists are willing to work with any religion, any denomination, and with anyone. The question is: Will you work with them? :p
Although attacked with condemnation from hardline Presbyterians and others, James Anderson wrote over fifty sermons and letters in which he proudly and fearlessly advocates his ideas such as the right for women to participate in politics and his theory that God's non-existence would and should not prevent mankind from leading moral lives. He condemned the division between Catholics and Protestants in his On The Necessity of Christian Solidarity in which he declared his vehement opposition to the feud between the two factions as part of his crusade against the denominational feuds, in general, that he sought to end. In another treatise, On Democracy, he declared that women had the right to take part in politics and that it was hypocritical for the vote to be denied for women. Anderson was well known for offering fallen women a guest room in his house which he said was simply a deed done in the name of Christ. He claimed that he was nothing more than a mere Christian and he refused denominational labels as being irrevalent. In 1773, James Anderson spoke in the House of Commons in favor of establishing an end to the subtle anti-Catholicism that pervaded Spensonian society; he had, himself, been born into a family that came from Cromwellian England where a hatred of Catholicism blossomed.
The House of Commons had plenty of its members convert to Andersonism over the coming years while its founder slowly began to fall into heart problems but, despite this, he spent his days working at a local orphange where he was called Uncle Jim by the orphans. It was this experience that motivated him to publish an article in a newspaper in which he said that it was essential to care for people regardless of faith. In letters he wrote to an atheist acquaintance, James Anderson wrote: "You and I may disagree on the existence of a Being above us but, indeed, you and me can agree that we must work, side by side, for a better world."
James Anderson passed away from heart failure in 1793 with his wife at his bedside at a small country cabin with his last words having been an exhortation for his wife to live life to the fullest. He was mourned by nearly the entire nation and by people of all religious opinions from Calvinism to Atheism. He was laid to rest at his personal chapel in New Edgehill where he was given a solemn burial by the Reverend William Norton (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/empire/images/figures/39.jpg) who had been a Presbyterian minister best known for his attempt to combine Calvinist doctrine with Andersonist values and who essentially became the first moderator of the Andersonist sect.
The word, Andersonist, first came into being as a derogatory label but was soon adopted by the Andersonists under the guidance of Daniel Downes, an Andersonist preacher best known for writing the Andersonist Manifesto in which the values of the sect were established. Under the Manifesto, the Andersonists crusaded for women's rights, religious tolerance, universal sufferage regardless of gender and social status, and for universal education regardless of gender and social status. English radicals such as the Chartists who fled to Spensonia saw some of their members convert to Andersonism including Paul Hacker who had successfully established the right for women to vote decades before Britain.
The Andersonist Church is organized according to congregationalist governance which means that all parishes are governed by the laity and clergy within those parishes and that, as well, all parishes send representatives to meet at an annual convocation to discuss business. It is one of the most popular Christian sects in Spensonia and is often called an alternative for many people seeking to avoid the hardline and the mainstream churches. Atheist and secular groups admire the Andersonists for their refusal to condemn anyone out of doctrinal contempt. The Andersonists have two sacraments, baptism and communion, and believe that it is more important to live as a Christian than as a Catholic or as a Baptist. The current head of the Andersonists is Presiding Moderator Peter Wilson who has announced that the Andersonist Church plans to expand around the known world. What will the world think about the Andersonists? Will they be accepted or condemned? We can only wait and see according to Peter Wilson.
OOC: This is my first attempt to create a fictional Christian denomination and this thread is for you to post whether or not Andersonism gains any converts within your nations. Andersonists are well known for their belief in the merits of science alongside religion and for working alongside non-Christians such as atheists for the sake of a better world. Their worship services are generally a mixture of various denominational services such as those of the Pentecostals but it depends on where you go in Spensonia. The Moderator is considered to be not the head of the church but merely a guide to the true head who is Christ. Andersonists are willing to work with any religion, any denomination, and with anyone. The question is: Will you work with them? :p