New Israeli church

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The Apostolic Church of New Israel, which for its long existence was known by several epithets, including the lengthy Holy Apostolic Evangelical Church of New Israel, New Israeli Church, "Judeo-Christian Church of New Israel", "Judeo-Christian-Catholic Church of New Israel", etc; was a state religion proposed for belief by the Emperor of New Israel, whose theological opinions as a Protestant greatly influenced the teachings of the New Israeli church, and whose later embrace of the Catholic Church led to the church's ultimate dissolution and eventual condemnation as heresy.

It was officially formed by the ratification of the New Israeli Constitution in May 2013. Upon the passage of the Second Constitution, the church, which was almost entirely inactive until that time, became known as the Apostolic Church of New Israel. It was given a more defined "episcopacy", with the capital "see" in Augustinople, governed by a "Supreme Apostolic Governor", whose province was to preside over an "Imperial Christian Synod", which was itself to have been composed of representatives from each imperial state.

The Synod was to be tasked with formulating church doctrine and overseeing the Holy Office, led by the Grand Inquisitor. The Inquisition was designed to oppose and denounce heresies defined by the church.

Between the two "bishops" of the church, Markus, of an episcopalian mindset; and Penda II, of a presbyterian mindset, there was little agreement as to how the church ought to be organised.

There was little agreement between the two "bishops" of the church as to how it should be organised. Markus endorsed an episcopalian polity similar to the Roman Catholic Church; Johannes Andreassuun a presbyterian model. A compromise between the two models was adopted, where the church would have an episcopalian polity, but the "bishops" would themselves be merely figureheads.

In the end, the Apostolic Church of New Israel produced a small "magisterium": the 2015 pro-gay marriage Supreme Court decision, and the flat-earth theory were both formally condemned. Besides this, however, with Emperor Markus embracing Catholicism, the Apostolic Church was quietly dissolved, and the Holy Office, a governmental entity promoting Catholicism, became its successor. The Church was dissolved de facto in December 2015; de iure on 22 February 2018, with the "Decree for the Suppression of Schism", issued by Markus himself, who condemned the long-defunct Apostolic Church for heresy and schism against the Catholic Church. A merely symbolic move, it nevertheless marked the complete end of the state church of New Israel.

Decree for the Suppression of Schism

Markus Pius, Grand Inquisitor, for everlasting memory.

We always give thanks to God continually for bringing us into the fold of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, and pray unceasingly that all men might come into this bliss, this great joy. Therefore we have thought it wise, so that souls might not be snatched into error, that a formal suppression of the so-called “apostolic” “church” of New Israel be enacted with all immediacy and haste. Recalling the happy Lollardry edict, which abolished all the organs of the government save for our Holy Office, and henceforth and forever established the True Religion within this land above all others; we take it upon ourselves now, that this schismatic and heretical church might be forevermore dissolved, dismantled, and suppressed; therefore, we twice-dissolve this infinitely unholy institution (once dissolved the 4th of January, again and formally by name on this the 22nd of February), and give thanks to God that, being a broken branch, it never bore fruit or snatched into souls into error, but only temporarily deluded us and the other few men who tried to govern it, for how could it, being separated from the True Vine, that is, the Catholic and Apostolic religion, outside of which there is no salvation?

With all finality, in the name of and by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ, for the greater glory of God and the salvation of man, we do hereby declare for all time that the "apostolic church" of New Israel is formally dissolved, suppressed, and dismantled; (this decree can never be revoked or modified) and enjoin all of our subjects to convert to Christianity, that is, the Holy Roman Catholic Church.

Given this the twenty-second day of February in the year of the Nativity of our Lord two thousand and eighteen, on the Vigil of St. Matthias the Holy Apostle.

— Markus Pius, Grand Inquisitor