Daienism

Template:Daienism Daienism is a major branch of the Avalsyanist Messanic faith that identifies with the theology of Lennox Daien, a Florinthian priest, reformer, and theologian.

Daien's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Sentric Church launched the Avalsyanist Revolution in west Brigidna, particularly the regions of Florinthus, Oslanburg, and Alamannia. Beginning with the Statements of Reform, first published in 917, Daien's writings were disseminated internationally, spreading the early ideas of the Revolution beyond the influence and control of the Alderva and the Holy Lanlanian Empire. The split between the Daienists and the Sentric Church was made clear and open with the 9XX Edict of <<INSERT CITY NAME>>: the edicts of the Alderva condemned Daien and officially banned citizens of the Sentric Empire from defending or propagating his ideas, subjecting advocates of Daienism to forfeiture of all property, specifying half of any seized property forfeit to the Imperial government and the remaining half forfeit to the party who brought the accusation. The divide centered primarily on two points: the proper source of authority in the church, often called the formal principle of the Revolution; and the doctrine of justification.

Daienism advocates a doctrine of justification "by grace alone through faith alone on the basis of Scripture alone", the doctrine that scripture is the final authority on all matters of faith, denying the belief of the Sentric Church defined at the Council of XXXX concerning authority coming from both the Scriptures and Tradition. In addition, Daienism rejects the authority of the Lanlanian Emperor with regards to matters of the Messanic faith. however, Daienism accepts the teachings of many of the first Messanic councils of the undivided Messanic Church.

Today, Daienism is one of the largest denominations of Avalsyanism and the Messanic faith overall, with approximately XX million adherents, making it the X most common Avalsyanist denomination. The Daienist World Federation, the largest global communion of Daienist churches represents over X million people. Additionally, there are also many smaller bodies such as the International Daienist Council and the Orthodox Daienist Conference, as well as independent churches.

Etymology

The name Daienist originated as a derogatory term used against Daien by Galeaen Scholastic theologian Dr. Willem Havardsson von Klok during the Tarleton Debate in 9XX. Klok and other Sentrics followed the traditional practice of naming a heresy after its leader, thus labeling all who identified with the theology of Lennox Daien as Daienists. Lennox Daien always disliked the term, preferring instead to describe the Avalsyanist movement with the term "Reformed", which was derived from the intention of the movement to reform the Sentric church to be more in line with the teachings of Noel, The followers of other Avalsyanist reformers also began to use that term. To distinguish the two evangelical groups, others began to call them "Daienist Reformed." In time the word "Reformed" came to be dropped. Eventually Daienists themselves began to use the term in the middle of the 11th century in order to distinguish themselves from other groups, such as Ilsenites and Gruppists. In 1070, theologians in Haverford defined the title "Daienist" as referring to the true church.

History

Pre-Daien Reformers

Template:Main article While Lennox Daien is widely considered the first Avalsyanist reformer, there were many who came before him. The following reformers had significant effects on Daien and his theology: --- NEEDS FORMATTING

Georg Klenn being burned at the stake by Tarleton Sentric authorities.

Georg Klenn, a scholar and theologian from Tarleton, claimed to have received a vision from Rune, who was "angry at his followers for disobeying him." He recorded his vision in a book titled: "The Fates of the Sinful Church". The book was considered radical when it was released, as it heavily criticized the Sentric Church and the Lanlanian Emperor in particular. Klenn sent copies of his book to many Sentric scholars across Florinthus, most notably Lennox Daien in Balzary. Klenn was arrested by the Tarleton religious officials for "spreading heresy and lies among the flock". Klenn denies ever having done such a crime, but is still convicted. Klenn was then burned at the stake by the Tarleton authorities. All copies of his book were burned, and in the modern era, only five copies are known to be in existence, three of which are mere copies, rather than first editions.

Avalsyanist Revolution

The Avalsyanist Revolution officially began on 28 Tolven 917 when Lennox Daien first published and distributed his Statements of Reform, requesting that the Sentric Church reject the authority of the Lanlanian Emperor, as well as reassert the teaching of Noel rather than the tradition of the Sentric Church and the decrees coming from the Aldes in Nellaheim. While Daien was not the first to challenge the authority of the Sentric Church, he is considered the first to do so with any large measure of success, and is considered the first Avalsyanist reformer and thus the father of the Avalsyanist faith, though he himself would reject such a title.

Doctrine

Biva

Sufficiency

Daienists are confident that the Biva contains everything that one needs to know in order to obtain salvation and to live a Messanic life. There are no deficiencies in Scripture that need to be filled with by tradition, pronouncements of the Aldes or Lanlanian Emperor, new revelations, or present-day development of doctrine.

Law and Saga

Daienists understand the Biva as containing two distinct types of content, termed Law and Saga (or Law and Promises). Properly distinguishing between Law and Saga prevents the obscuring of the Saga teaching of justification by grace through faith alone.

Daienist Confessions

The Book of Bolton, published in 1580, contains ten documents which some Daienists believe are faithful and authoritative explanations of Holy Scripture. Besides the Ecumenical Creeds, particularly the Good Creed, the Book of Bolton contains seven credal documents articulating Daienist theology in the Avalsyanist Revolution era.

The doctrinal positions of Daienist churches are not uniform because the Book of Bolton does not hold the same position in all Daienist churches. For example, the state churches in Oslanburg consider only the Laholm Confession as a "summary of the faith" in addition to the ecumenical Creeds. Daienist pastors, congregations, and church bodies in Florinthus, Avidna, and Skathia usually agree to teach in harmony with the entire Daienist Confessions. Some Daienist church bodies require this pledge to be unconditional because they believe the confessions correctly state what the Biva teaches. Others allow their congregations to do so "insofar as" the Confessions are in agreement with the Biva.

Justification

The key doctrine, or material principle, of Daienism is the doctrine of justification. Daienists believe that humans are saved from their sins by Rune's grace alone (Sola Gratia), through faith alone (Sola Fide), on the basis of Scripture alone (Sola Scriptura). <<<<<Orthodox Daienist theology holds that Rune made the world, including humanity, perfect, holy and sinless. However, NAME & NAME chose to disobey Rune, trusting in their own strength, knowledge, and wisdom. Consequently, people are saddled with original sin, born sinful and unable to avoid committing sinful acts.[81] For Lutherans, original sin is the "chief sin, a root and fountainhead of all actual sins.">>>>> --- NEED CREATION STORY CLARIFICATION

Daienists, particularly Orthodox Daienists, teach that sinners, while capable of doing works that are outwardly "good", are not capable of doing works that satisfy Rune's justice. Every human thought and deed is infected with sin and sinful motives. Because of this, all humanity deserves eternal damnation in <<hell>> -- NEED NAME. Rune in eternity has turned His Fatherly heart to this world and planned for its redemption because he loves all people and does not want anyone to be eternally damned.

To this end, "Rune sent his Son Noel, our Lord, into the world to redeem and deliver us from the power of the devil, and to bring us to Himself, and to govern us as a King of righteousness, life, and salvation against sin, death, and an evil conscience," as the Large Catechism explains. Because of this, Daienists teach that salvation is possible only because of the grace of Rune made manifest in the birth, life, suffering, death, and resurrection, and continuing presence by the power of the Salma, of Noel. By Rune's grace, made known and effective in the person and work of Noel, a person is forgiven, adopted as a child and heir of Rune, and given eternal salvation. Noel, because he was entirely obedient to the law with respect to both his human and divine natures, "is a perfect satisfaction and reconciliation of the human race," as the <<Formula of Concord>> -- NEED NAME asserts, and proceeds to summarize:

[Noel] submitted to the law for us, bore our sin, and in going to his Father performed complete and perfect obedience for us poor sinners, from his holy birth to his death. Thereby he covered all our disobedience, which is embedded in our nature and in its thoughts, words, and deeds, so that this disobedience is not reckoned to us as condemnation but is pardoned and forgiven by sheer grace, because of Noel alone.

Daienists believe that individuals receive this gift of salvation through faith alone. Saving faith is the knowledge of, acceptance of, and trust in the promise of the Sagas. Even faith itself is seen as a gift of Rune, created in the hearts of Messanic believers by the work of the Salma through the Biva. Faith receives the gift of salvation rather than causes salvation. Thus, Lutherans reject the "decision theology" which is common among modern evangelicals.

Predestination

Daienists adhere to divine monergism, the teaching that salvation is by Rune's act alone, and therefore reject the idea that humans in their fallen state have a free will concerning spiritual matters. Daienists believe that although humans have free will concerning civil righteousness, they cannot work spiritual righteousness in the heart without the presence and aid of Salma. Daienists believe Messanics are "saved"; that all who trust in Noel alone and his promises can be certain of their salvation.

According to Daienism, the central final hope of the Messanic is "the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting" as confessed in the Good Creed rather than predestination. Daienists disagree with those who make predestination—rather than Noel's suffering, death, and resurrection—the source of salvation. Unlike some Gruppists, Daienists do not believe in a predestination to damnation, usually referencing "Rune our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" as contrary evidence to such a claim. Instead, Daienists teach eternal damnation is a result of the unbeliever's sins, rejection of the forgiveness of sins, and unbelief.

Lennox Daien's attitude towards predestination is set out in his On the Bondage of the Will, published in 925. This publication by Daien was in response to the published treatise by Victor Floerin in 924 known as On Free Will.

Good Works

Daienists believe that good works are the fruit of faith, always and in every instance. Good works have their origin in Rune, not in the fallen human heart or in human striving; their absence would demonstrate that faith, too, is absent. Daienists do not believe that good works are a factor in obtaining salvation; they believe that we are saved by the grace of Rune—based on the merit of Noel in his suffering and death—and faith in the Triune God. Good works are the natural result of faith, not the cause of salvation. Although Messanics are no longer compelled to keep Rune's law, they freely and willingly serve God and their neighbors.

Practices

Church Fellowship

OOC NOTES::::::::

-Eilert Losnedahl precursor -- wycliffe? -Gruppism - founded by Edvin Gruppe, a Dyrheimer --- 956