All-Erusia Christian Association

From MicroWiki, the free micronational encyclopædia
Jump to navigation Jump to search

The All-Erusia Christian Association (AECA), commonly known simply as the Christian Association, is a religious and supposedly non-governmental organisation within the Democratic People's Republic of Erusia that seeks to represent the interests of Erusian Christians and unite the Christian community in that micronation. The largest native religious organisation in the DPRE, the AECA asserts itself to be a non-denominational group that is concerned chiefly with ensuring that the views of Christians - who form the largest religious minority group in the Democratic People's Republic - are adequately represented to the Central People's Government. Though an unspecified number of its members are believed to be ordained ministers, the Association does not in itself act as a Church, though it does reportedly seek to provide assistance to Christians within Erusia on matters of religious worship and practice. It is a sister organisation to both the League of Patriotic Pagans and the Society of Buddhist Builders of the Nation.

Although the existence of the Association in theory means that Christians are better represented than many of their brethren are in non-theocratic nations, the AECA has been the subject of a great deal of criticism from both the democratic opposition and - to a lesser degree - the greater community. Despite being non-denominational and universalist, the AECA has taken an independent stance on a number of sensitive religious issues. Most notably, it is pro-choice, in favour of same-sex marriage, female ordination and a wide variety of other controversial ideas. Furthermore, the Association has strong and visible ties to the ruling Erusian National Communist Party, serving as a voluntary member in a popular front with the Communists. According to critics of Communist rule in the DPRE, the Association is merely a way for the Communist Party to try and maintain tight controls on a religious minority that has traditionally supported the democracy movement. Others assert that the AECA maintains such close ties with the Party out of necessity rather than out of genuine loyalty to the Party line, and that it can better protect Christian interests on the whole by not angering the ENCP.

Patricia Stewart, the most senior Christian politician in the Democratic People's Republic, is reportedly not a member of the Association.