Church of Christ

History of the Donatist Faith

With the rapid rise of Islam and the strength and organization of the Zoroastrian Church of Reunification, Christianity was in dire straights in Europe. Denmark and the Franks had a heresy and converted from Catholic to Arianist, England was Nestorian, the Coptic Christians in Africa and the Middle East were all but wiped out by Muslims or Zoroastrians and the Jews were almost destroyed by the Araik Horde. Jerusalem was gone, sacked and burned and Eastern and Western Rome couldn't agree on any clear path, so the Empires held a council.

580 AD- Council of Arles

Attendees: Western Rome, Eastern Rome, Christian Poland, Franks, and the Zoroastrian Church
Rome pushed hard for Catholicism, Poland begged for help against the tide of Northern Pagans, the Zorats connived in the background, and after 15 years of nothing getting done, all the Bishops went home. The Byzantine Empire admits to some complacency at the first Council, waiting to see where the chips would fall. Europe was in just as big of mess as when the Council started. The various factions saw little or no need for one organized Christian faith.

605 AD- 2nd Council of Arles

Attendees: Western Rome and Eastern Rome
The two Empires argued over Catholicism and Orthodoxy without any decision made.

615 AD- Christian Poland conquered by pagans of Kiev

630- Council of Athens

Attendees: Western Rome, Eastern Rome and the Eastern Themes of Azerbaijan
The 2nd Council nitpicked further over the two faiths of Rome. Unfortunately, all was lost when the Larissan Plague destroyed any progress made. Plague years- 634-652 AD.

680 AD- The formation of the Church of Christ

Letter to the Leaders of Europe from Rome, 675 AD

Greetings!

Recent events of a religious nature compell us to write, perhaps setting your minds at ease about the arrangements reached between the Eastern and Western Empire. The Eastern Empire and ourselves have come to the conclusion that no further progress can be made in resolving the religious differences amongst the children of Christ without the formation of a superstructure to implement a City of God amongst the world of men.

This structure, The Church of Christ, will be headed by a pater patrias, who will be the leader and focus of the spiritual life of the laity of both Empires. Though the Emperors of the East and West will provide fiscal and military support (as necessary) to the Church, they will not rule it. The Church is intended to unify the faith- not the temporal lives- of all Christians in a perfect expression of God’s love. The Empires have taken the concrete step of building a city, Durazzo, in the province of Epirus, to house the holy men that will do this work. We urge you to support this effort and to urge your priests and bishops to resolve the theological issues that divide the faith of all peoples.

And in answer to the fears of the Vandal Kingdom, the Church is not a weapon to be used against the enemies of Rome.

Best wishes,
Cluadius Drusus Nisae, Emperor of the Western Roman Empire, Blessed of Christ

Epikoinonia Apo Hadrian

• To His Excellency, Justinian, Emperor of Eastern Rome,

  First, let us congratulate you on your success in defending your realm from the heathen invaders and in the conversion of your people to the true Church.

  Second it is our desire to construct churches in your western provinces, do you have any objections?

  Third, it has come to our attention that the Holy granaries are empty. I would therefore like to request that you send grain to fill our granaries until this time of famine is over. Of course you shall be well compensated for this.

  Fourth, let it be known that it has been decided that the lands of Dalmatia and Serbia shall become part of the Holy State and that Bishops shall be dispatched to bring the peoples living within into the fold of the True Church.

  Fifth, let it also be known that we have decided to raise a small force of troops for our protection.

  Yours,
  Hadrian, Bishop of Durazzo, Rock of the Church of Christ,
  Pontiff of the Holy See, Keeper of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven.

• To Justinian, Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire,

  We thank you for the grain, it should last us for many years. Your devotion to the faith is most welcome, but we fear it will be at least five years before we can begin building churches within your Empire. Our predecessors neglected their duties and greatly depleted the staff of missionaries with their incompetence. All available missionaries have been sent to Illyria, Dalmatia & Serbia to bring the peoples of those lands fully into the Light of Christ.

  In reply to your question, it is our plan to annex Dalmatia & Serbia diplomatically before beginning the construction of churches.

  Our advisors have suggested that to ensure the food supply of the Holy State, arable land form part of the Holy State. We would therefore like to suggest the following, that the provinces of Illyria, Croatia and Bosnia be transferred to the True Church.

  In return we are willing to release the funds needed to build a Royal Road from Athens to Durazzo. As an alternative, we are willing to consider trading Serbia for Illyria alone.

  We await your reply to this proposal,
  Hadrian, Bishop of Durazzo

Recent Declarations

Since the foundation of this Church by the Emperors Hadrian & Timeron in 680 Anno Domini, the Church has faced many threats, from the sloth of its leaders, the armies of the Persians and the Heresy of Arius. Such were the threats when I took up the Office of Papal Legate from my unlamented predecessor Julius in 790. Now some 25 years on I suspect that the Lord shall call me to Him soon, and I am glad that my efforts humble though they may have been have borne some fruit.

The True Church is firmly established in the lands that gave birth to it and is poised to expand beyond them into new lands, soon it may be possible for the great dream of Donus to be realized.

Peace has been achieved with the Persians and the Eastern Empire stands strong.

The Arian Prime Hierarch Ouen, who at first appeared to be such a threat, bought about his own defeat when he attacked Us with a firey speech, one in which his arrogance bought about his downfall, for he denied the fundamental tenet of Arius and declared his support for the indivisibility of Gods true nature whether He be Father, Son or Holy Spirit.

But it is not to the past to which I look, but the future and to the many and great challenges which the Church must and will face. And it is with these future challenges in mind that I declare the following.

Henceforth and for all time, the sons of farmers shall be farmers, the sons of soldiers be soldiers and those of merchants be merchants, unless they desire to become Priests and do Gods work.

Henceforth and for all time, in the West the language to the Church shall be Latin and in the East the language of the Church shall be Greek.

So do I declare now and for all time.

Legate Hadrian, Bishop of Durazzo, Rock of the Church of Christ,
Pontiff of the Holy See, Keeper of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven.

The Decretals of Hadrian

1. That the man who refuses to be reconciled to his brother should be reduced by the severest fastings.
2. The man is rendered infamous who knowingly presumes to forswear himself.
3. A man and a woman subject to madness cannot enter into marriage.
4. Marriage relations in the fifth generation may unite with each other; and in the fourth generation, if they are found, they should not be separated.
5. Blood connections alone, or, if offspring entirely fails, the old and trustworthy, should reckon the matter of propinquity in the synod.
6. Every one of the faithful should communicate three times a year.
7. A presbyter should not be ordained younger than thirty years of age.
8. hat the oblation of the altar should be made each Lord's day.
9. That an illiterate presbyter may not venture to celebrate mass.

Let these Decrees given unto my hands by God serve to begin the next stage in the regeneration of the Church of Christ.

Legate Hadrian, Bishop of Durazzo, Rock of the Church of Christ,
Pontiff of the Holy See, Keeper of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven