Akronist Church of Iboma

This page or section is not canon and should not be considered part of current TEP Evolved RP.

The Akronist Church of Iboma (Ibomian: Limashidi l'Akronisti la'Iboma) is the religious organization responsible for administering, promoting and overseeing Akronism in Iboma.

Functions and duties

The functions and duties of the Church are enumerated in several laws. Because it has autocephaly from the Mother Church, it is able to exercise its powers independently. However, it remains in communion with that church and most rites practiced under one church are recognised by the other. It must develop and teach the doctrine of the Akronist religion in the Ibomian context, direct and control the worship of Akrona in the country, spread the message of Akrona in Iboma and beyond, maintain and provide links to the mother church in Tavaris. It must also administer religious rituals and festivals, oversee the construction and maintenence of religiously significant buildings and monuments and oversee the Clerical practice in the country.

Structure

The Defender of the Church, is the title that was bestowed onto the Queen Mujaji I of Iboma following the unification of its 12 tribes in 1600 because she placed the Church of Akrona in Iboma under her protection and stipulated that Akronism shall be the official religion. Her successors continue to fulfill this role. Thus, the Queen of Iboma has the power to appoint the High Priestess on the advice of the Holy Council.

Out of deference to the Mother Church, the highest-ranking spiritual leader of the Church is not known as the Matron, instead she adopted the title of High Priestess. The Matron remains the symbolic senior and her word carries immense weight for adherents of Akronism in Iboma. The High Priestess oversees the daily running of the Church. The Holy Council has supreme decision making authority over the church within the lines delegated to it by the National Assembly of Iboma.

Clergy

Only women are permitted to serve. In keeping with the teachings of Akrona, transwomen are allowed to serve as the Mother Church conceived that being a women was not only in flesh but in spirit. Originally, ciswomen in Iboma did not agree, but eventually adopted this view. Although there has been a movement for males to be allowed to serve as Priests, the Church has firmly opposed this and the state continues to stand with the Church in this regard.

As of March 2021, there are 30,000 clergywomen in Iboma. At the bottom of the Clerical ladder are lay preachers who are untrained and unordained women who are permitted to teach in small groups and to children on spiritual matters and to provide counseling to adherents. Then there are Priestesses, they form the base of the clergy. They oversee the spiritual wellbeing of their congregants and are responsible for the execution and administration of worship and teaching in their parish. Senior Priestesses are Priestesses with their own parish, but they support and oversee other Priestesses. The Great Priestesses do not have parishes, but instead they govern their respective Diocese. Together, they form the Holy Council.