Bolt451
Gone Fishin'
(Wrote this as background for a wider TL, figured I might as well post it here for your approval)
The Anglish Church
By Frey Bolt,
For the Attention of Prof. Richards, The Right Hon Rev. Davie and the Kin of the Sideways Institute.
Prime Timeline names in brackets where different.
Reality 451 has many similarities to many other earths that differ from the prime reality such as a surviving Imperial China and a lack of a major American power. Indeed the existence of a surviving distinctly Anglo-Saxon state in the British Isles has been discovered on a couple of other Earths (see Earth 212 “Hastings Earth” and Earth 147 “Frankish Earth” for two examples). Where 451 differs from, for example, 147 and 212 is the lack of a dominant Catholic Church. Indeed we have yet to find an earth with a combination of an Anglo-Saxon dominated state (this is one without a Viking, Norman or subsequent invasion and cultural dominance) with a participation in one form of Protestant reformation or another. Earth 451 is, so far, unique in that while it was home to a Catholic church that might look familiar to a Prime citizen and indeed to a protestant reformation, it has a unique denomination, the Anglish Church.
A brief overview of Angland
I will not go into the wider history of Earth Four Five One. Indeed I have done so in other reports to the Institute. It should be noted that this is from the perspective of the in-reality year 2018 AD, Earth 451 being on the same chronological phase as Earth Prime but still using the old notation. In summary Angland is a state that covers the entirety of the Island of Great Britain and the immediately surrounding islands (not, is should be noted, Ireland or its immediately surrounding islands, nor Mann, which is part of Ireland, nor the Channel Islands, which are part of Normandy). It is a democratic monarchy where over half of the population are members of the Anglish Church. There are also noticeable communities of Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Muslims and Hindus. However the doctrine of the church has on the most part liberalised since its inception and many of the adherents are less strict in their following of the Anglish faith than in previous centuries.
The Origins of the Anglish Church
As mentioned above, the Anglish Church has its route into what is known in the Prime Timeline as Celtic Christianity. That is the Christianity that existed prior to widespread conversion of the British Isles by the Catholic church in the middle of the First Millennium CE. Our research shows the earliest point of divergence is in the sixth century where the woman who would become Bertha of Kent in the prime timeline was killed while making her way from what was then Francia. Without Bertha as an influence on her husband the King of Kent he did not through his influence and power behind Augustine who was eventually driven from his mission in Kanteborg (Canturbury) to Glecaster (Gloucester) by the then-pagan peoples of Kent. While Augustine and his successors set up a moderately successful church in Glecaster it wasn’t adopted by any of the rulers of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms at the time. Catholicism would spread into Britain (Wales) and become the dominant religion as it was adopted first by the King of Gwent and then the other British (Welsh) Kingdoms
The spread of Celtic Christianity would begin as in the Prime Timeline. Aidan was sent by the Scottish Monastaries to Lindisfarne where he was named Bishop. However history would begin to diverge when the missionaries of celtic christanity began to spread south as they were moving into areas untouched by Christianity owing to a lack of Catholic presence the Kingdoms along the east coast. As Anglo-Saxons were lacking other significant Christian presence Aidan was given support in ideal, if not in practice by the church in Rome. The status of the church was improved by its adoption by the Kings of Northumbria such as Oswine and Oswiu. Unlike in the PTL however Northumbria, not Mercia became the dominant kingdom in the 7th and 8th centuries, warring with, dominating and eventually merging with Merica through dynastic union. This merged nation was dubbed “Angland” or “Angleland” owing to Mercia and Northumbira being primarily Angle, rather than Saxon nations. Meanwhile, despite minor Catholic communities the Anglish church would spread through the predominantly Anglo-Saxon nations. The church spread throughout the Isle of Angland (Great Britain) save for significant areas of Britain (Wales) which remained Catholic.
The church was formalised following the creation of Angland with the early Bishoprics being formalised under Saint Cuthbert (despite the historical divergence, roughly the same person as his PTL counterpart) and Prince Aedwine (the half brother of the Anglish King and an early figure in the formalisation of Angland, later canonised). The monastic tradition of Aidan was continued with monasteries, not cathedrals remaining the centres of power and points of focus for Bishoprics throughout the country. Lindisfarne remained the senior Archbishopric, (with the other being Glastonbury in Wessex) with others not significantly different to the Bishoprics of the early English Catholic church. Initially bishops for the people of PTL Scotland and Wales given vague territories to oversee conversion in with their territories and in some cases, new Bishoprics being created as and when deemed necessary . Another difference was the tonsure of monks (that is, how they shaved their head, being the front of the head rather than the crown)) and the placement of Easter, being several weeks later than the Catholic church. Something they shared with the Celtic Christianity of the PTL. It should be noted however that unlike the Prime timeline, without a significant Catholic Presence there was no Synod of Whitby that signalled the end of the Celtic Church. The other characteristic of PTL Celtic Christianity that was continued by the Anglish Church was that of penitence through exile. It became tradition that people who had committed great sins were exiled from Angland for an amount of time for a period of time set by a priest. In some parts of the Anglish church and some periods of history this expanded to leaving the Island of Great Britain all together. This was often a death sentence with Anglish missionaries facing aggression in Catholic Europe, especially given their status as known sinners.
The Development of the Church
In the centuries following the formation of the Church it would become tied with the throne of Angland. King Eanfrith built a large monastery in the Anglish capital of Denholm (Durham) with a chapel that would probably be described as a Cathedral by those in the Prime Timeline). However such large churches were rare in Angland. Like the PTL the early kings of Northumbria were canonised but this changes however with the formalisation of the canonisation of Anglish Monarchs (Primarily male but an allowance for female monarchs happened from the 8th century onwards) regardless of sanctity or actions. The worship of canonised monarchs became a significant part of the church, prioritising over the acceptance over non-Anglish saints who were canonised by the Catholic church (although Catholic saints were often accepted). Bishops and especially the archbishops of Lindisfarne were often political appointments, sometimes coming from the royal family itself.. Curiously the monastic focus of the church lead to a lack of church development with most villages having a simple altar, often decorated with local trappings and trinkets. Often these were open to the elements in small villages and even in larger towns little more than a thatched roof and stone walls to protect the altar. These altars would be visited by travelling monks or nuns from the nearest monastery but even to the modern day, don’t have fixed priests. While the initial clergy was primarily male it has never been exclusively so. Many practices are smilar to the Catholic Church such as infant baptism (although baptism in a natural body of water has been regularly recorded) and the giving of the sacrament as part of a service. In the early days of the church the sacrament and retelling of the last supper was one of the few fixed things about services with formalised services not coming about until the 12th and 13th centuries and moreso with the Invention of the printing press by Odo of Toulouse in 1413.
The Viking raids and subsequent invasion occurred as in the PTL but with a more southerly focus owing to the better defended and more unified Northumbrian Coast. The church served as a focus for the Anglo-Saxon peoples against the Vikings The Vikings themselves wouldn’t convert until eventually driven from their territory (an area covering Kent, Sussex, Essex and East Anglia historically dubbed “Daneland” in an echo of Angland). When a widespread conversion of Vikings outside of Scandinavia occurred it was primarily in the Viking territories of Normandy and the Channel Islands by French Catholic missionaries (another idiosyncrasy of Earth 451 is the continuation of a significant Viking descended and culturally distinct community in Normandy and the Channel Islands). Within a shorter period of Danish dominance and conflict the Danes who settled southeast Angland (Britain) remained primarily pagan.
Both Angland and Wessex expanded throughout the 8th and 9th centuries, cementing the position of the Anglish church in PTL Cornwall, Scotland and south Wales which were either vassal states or directly incorporated, indeed by the 12th century the Island of Great Britain and the immediately surrounding islands were either part of Wessex or Angland, which were then unified in the 13th century following the war of West Saxon Succession. By this point however the Anglish church had dominated Wessex for centuries. As said above 451’s nation of Wessex stretched from Cornwall to Kent and included more or less all the Saxon and Jutish kingdoms of the PTL Heptarchy. By this point
Throughout its history the church remained distinct from the Catholic church. This lead to a greater isolation for Angland compared to, for example, the Prime Timeline’s Kingdoms of England or Scotland. Neither Angland nor Wessex sent knights to any of the crusades to the holy lands. Indeed it can be argued that Angland suffered because of its faith, often being at odds with the Catholic powers over their focus on Lindisfarne over Rome and the canonisation of monarchs. It could be argued that this is one of the factors that has helped the same royal family remain as head of State of Angland since its inception. Indeed even after 451’s reformation, protestant nobility were hesitant to marry their Anglish equivalents and vice versa. There have been various religiously motivated wars between Angland and Catholic powers, particularly once the age of exploration began but even when war raged in Nouvelleterre (North America) or Africa the island nature of Angland meant it was never invaded (although naval attacks did occur). The effect over the centuries was to limit the prosperity of Angland compared to its prime counterpart and limit external influences.
With 451’s development of the radical churches (what could be called Protestant churches in the PTL) in the 17th century, in response to what was seen as Catholic excesses and corruption, anti-Anglish sentiment in the Catholic nations decreased. Angland mostly stayed neutral in the Radical Wars of the 17th and 18th centuries but often served as a rallying point for fleeing radicals before many of them travelling on to the Caribbean and Nouvelleterre
The Anglish church would strongly influence Angland’s actions in the age of exploration and Empire. Angland lagged behind the international power of its Prime Timeline counterpart and was slower to expand its territories. Indeed the church was a primary focus for early efforts with various groups of penitents setting out across the Atlantic or to settle the African coast and bring the Anglish faith to these new continents. Many of these colonies were moved or destroyed when other powers such as France, Castille or Portugal formally colonised these areas. Despite this several nations were founded that while technically independent of Angland, where linked by their mother church. In other cases these colonies were formally settled by the Anglish crown. In a handful of cases post-colonial nations primarily consisting of people belonging to the Anglish church have continued to the present day and these have come from both independent “Penitent colonies” such as Gambia and the Republic of Iroquois (a Native American majority Christian nation and former Anglish Royal Colonies such as Wulfesland (Southern Madagascar) and Saint Osric (Java)
The Modern Church
The modern church is somewhat more moderate than its medieval counterpart although it remains an important part of Anglish society. Many of the population only visit the church on key holidays such as Christmas, Easter (as said above, a different date to the Catholic and Protestant Churches) and the Saint’s day (A religious holiday that is held on the birthday of the previous monarch where all saints, both royal and not are celebrated). During my visit to 451 I was able to get some relevant information from the most recent census (2015). 77% of the population described themselves as Anglish but with 52% of them saying they go to services weekly. There are also significant communities of Catholics, Buddhists, Hindus and Mohammedans (the 451 term for Muslims) as well as a growing number of agnostics and atheists.
The tradition of Penitence continues but is less widespread and on a strictly voluntary basis. Most penitents carry out aid work similar to the PTL’s Red Cross in a variety of roles. While the Anglish church has monastaries and missions across the world, most of the work the Church does is non-religious such as education, setting up clean sources of water and providing healthcare. This continued tradition means that there are several million Anglish Christians outside of Angland itself.
The church primarily serves as a cultural focus for many. Almost any significant settlement has at least an altar (some of which date from the earliest days of the church), often close to places of natural significance such as riverbanks, forces and hilltops. Larger settlements have covered or enclosed altars, many of which are directly comparible to PTL churches, often attended by members of staff but not permanent priests (indeed priest is a term used in application to a specific service or event, the title used is almost always monk or nun. The clergy are split 54% male to 46% female with marriage not being allowed while a serving member of a monastery. However monks and nuns are allowed to leave the order at any point (but rejoining isn’t allowed if you have married or had children). Travel to altars and places of worship is more formally scheduled and the travel is usually done by car, motorbike or public transport. In addition to services, monks and nuns often carry out charity work such care for the homeless or vulnerable, as many have since their inception. This has expanded to more modern services such as supporting rehab programs.
Most monasteries are now located inside modern cities and have expanded beyond their traditional walls, incorporating modern dormitory blocks and administrative buildings. The two largest sites are still in Glastonbury (which has developed into a large city, roughly from PTL’s Street to Wells and the naiton’s second city) and more importantly Lindisfarne. The latter’s monastery covers the entirety of Holy Isle with the settlement around it being much more built up than PTL. Other signiciant sites include the Royal Chapel at Dunholm (Durham, still the capital city) and the shrine of Saint Aethelred in Shiefdora (Shefield). The head of the church is still the Archbishop of Lindisfarne (Wulfric the Ninth) and remains closely tied to the royal family.
The Anglish Church
By Frey Bolt,
For the Attention of Prof. Richards, The Right Hon Rev. Davie and the Kin of the Sideways Institute.
Prime Timeline names in brackets where different.
Reality 451 has many similarities to many other earths that differ from the prime reality such as a surviving Imperial China and a lack of a major American power. Indeed the existence of a surviving distinctly Anglo-Saxon state in the British Isles has been discovered on a couple of other Earths (see Earth 212 “Hastings Earth” and Earth 147 “Frankish Earth” for two examples). Where 451 differs from, for example, 147 and 212 is the lack of a dominant Catholic Church. Indeed we have yet to find an earth with a combination of an Anglo-Saxon dominated state (this is one without a Viking, Norman or subsequent invasion and cultural dominance) with a participation in one form of Protestant reformation or another. Earth 451 is, so far, unique in that while it was home to a Catholic church that might look familiar to a Prime citizen and indeed to a protestant reformation, it has a unique denomination, the Anglish Church.
A brief overview of Angland
I will not go into the wider history of Earth Four Five One. Indeed I have done so in other reports to the Institute. It should be noted that this is from the perspective of the in-reality year 2018 AD, Earth 451 being on the same chronological phase as Earth Prime but still using the old notation. In summary Angland is a state that covers the entirety of the Island of Great Britain and the immediately surrounding islands (not, is should be noted, Ireland or its immediately surrounding islands, nor Mann, which is part of Ireland, nor the Channel Islands, which are part of Normandy). It is a democratic monarchy where over half of the population are members of the Anglish Church. There are also noticeable communities of Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Muslims and Hindus. However the doctrine of the church has on the most part liberalised since its inception and many of the adherents are less strict in their following of the Anglish faith than in previous centuries.
The Origins of the Anglish Church
As mentioned above, the Anglish Church has its route into what is known in the Prime Timeline as Celtic Christianity. That is the Christianity that existed prior to widespread conversion of the British Isles by the Catholic church in the middle of the First Millennium CE. Our research shows the earliest point of divergence is in the sixth century where the woman who would become Bertha of Kent in the prime timeline was killed while making her way from what was then Francia. Without Bertha as an influence on her husband the King of Kent he did not through his influence and power behind Augustine who was eventually driven from his mission in Kanteborg (Canturbury) to Glecaster (Gloucester) by the then-pagan peoples of Kent. While Augustine and his successors set up a moderately successful church in Glecaster it wasn’t adopted by any of the rulers of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms at the time. Catholicism would spread into Britain (Wales) and become the dominant religion as it was adopted first by the King of Gwent and then the other British (Welsh) Kingdoms
The spread of Celtic Christianity would begin as in the Prime Timeline. Aidan was sent by the Scottish Monastaries to Lindisfarne where he was named Bishop. However history would begin to diverge when the missionaries of celtic christanity began to spread south as they were moving into areas untouched by Christianity owing to a lack of Catholic presence the Kingdoms along the east coast. As Anglo-Saxons were lacking other significant Christian presence Aidan was given support in ideal, if not in practice by the church in Rome. The status of the church was improved by its adoption by the Kings of Northumbria such as Oswine and Oswiu. Unlike in the PTL however Northumbria, not Mercia became the dominant kingdom in the 7th and 8th centuries, warring with, dominating and eventually merging with Merica through dynastic union. This merged nation was dubbed “Angland” or “Angleland” owing to Mercia and Northumbira being primarily Angle, rather than Saxon nations. Meanwhile, despite minor Catholic communities the Anglish church would spread through the predominantly Anglo-Saxon nations. The church spread throughout the Isle of Angland (Great Britain) save for significant areas of Britain (Wales) which remained Catholic.
The church was formalised following the creation of Angland with the early Bishoprics being formalised under Saint Cuthbert (despite the historical divergence, roughly the same person as his PTL counterpart) and Prince Aedwine (the half brother of the Anglish King and an early figure in the formalisation of Angland, later canonised). The monastic tradition of Aidan was continued with monasteries, not cathedrals remaining the centres of power and points of focus for Bishoprics throughout the country. Lindisfarne remained the senior Archbishopric, (with the other being Glastonbury in Wessex) with others not significantly different to the Bishoprics of the early English Catholic church. Initially bishops for the people of PTL Scotland and Wales given vague territories to oversee conversion in with their territories and in some cases, new Bishoprics being created as and when deemed necessary . Another difference was the tonsure of monks (that is, how they shaved their head, being the front of the head rather than the crown)) and the placement of Easter, being several weeks later than the Catholic church. Something they shared with the Celtic Christianity of the PTL. It should be noted however that unlike the Prime timeline, without a significant Catholic Presence there was no Synod of Whitby that signalled the end of the Celtic Church. The other characteristic of PTL Celtic Christianity that was continued by the Anglish Church was that of penitence through exile. It became tradition that people who had committed great sins were exiled from Angland for an amount of time for a period of time set by a priest. In some parts of the Anglish church and some periods of history this expanded to leaving the Island of Great Britain all together. This was often a death sentence with Anglish missionaries facing aggression in Catholic Europe, especially given their status as known sinners.
The Development of the Church
In the centuries following the formation of the Church it would become tied with the throne of Angland. King Eanfrith built a large monastery in the Anglish capital of Denholm (Durham) with a chapel that would probably be described as a Cathedral by those in the Prime Timeline). However such large churches were rare in Angland. Like the PTL the early kings of Northumbria were canonised but this changes however with the formalisation of the canonisation of Anglish Monarchs (Primarily male but an allowance for female monarchs happened from the 8th century onwards) regardless of sanctity or actions. The worship of canonised monarchs became a significant part of the church, prioritising over the acceptance over non-Anglish saints who were canonised by the Catholic church (although Catholic saints were often accepted). Bishops and especially the archbishops of Lindisfarne were often political appointments, sometimes coming from the royal family itself.. Curiously the monastic focus of the church lead to a lack of church development with most villages having a simple altar, often decorated with local trappings and trinkets. Often these were open to the elements in small villages and even in larger towns little more than a thatched roof and stone walls to protect the altar. These altars would be visited by travelling monks or nuns from the nearest monastery but even to the modern day, don’t have fixed priests. While the initial clergy was primarily male it has never been exclusively so. Many practices are smilar to the Catholic Church such as infant baptism (although baptism in a natural body of water has been regularly recorded) and the giving of the sacrament as part of a service. In the early days of the church the sacrament and retelling of the last supper was one of the few fixed things about services with formalised services not coming about until the 12th and 13th centuries and moreso with the Invention of the printing press by Odo of Toulouse in 1413.
The Viking raids and subsequent invasion occurred as in the PTL but with a more southerly focus owing to the better defended and more unified Northumbrian Coast. The church served as a focus for the Anglo-Saxon peoples against the Vikings The Vikings themselves wouldn’t convert until eventually driven from their territory (an area covering Kent, Sussex, Essex and East Anglia historically dubbed “Daneland” in an echo of Angland). When a widespread conversion of Vikings outside of Scandinavia occurred it was primarily in the Viking territories of Normandy and the Channel Islands by French Catholic missionaries (another idiosyncrasy of Earth 451 is the continuation of a significant Viking descended and culturally distinct community in Normandy and the Channel Islands). Within a shorter period of Danish dominance and conflict the Danes who settled southeast Angland (Britain) remained primarily pagan.
Both Angland and Wessex expanded throughout the 8th and 9th centuries, cementing the position of the Anglish church in PTL Cornwall, Scotland and south Wales which were either vassal states or directly incorporated, indeed by the 12th century the Island of Great Britain and the immediately surrounding islands were either part of Wessex or Angland, which were then unified in the 13th century following the war of West Saxon Succession. By this point however the Anglish church had dominated Wessex for centuries. As said above 451’s nation of Wessex stretched from Cornwall to Kent and included more or less all the Saxon and Jutish kingdoms of the PTL Heptarchy. By this point
Throughout its history the church remained distinct from the Catholic church. This lead to a greater isolation for Angland compared to, for example, the Prime Timeline’s Kingdoms of England or Scotland. Neither Angland nor Wessex sent knights to any of the crusades to the holy lands. Indeed it can be argued that Angland suffered because of its faith, often being at odds with the Catholic powers over their focus on Lindisfarne over Rome and the canonisation of monarchs. It could be argued that this is one of the factors that has helped the same royal family remain as head of State of Angland since its inception. Indeed even after 451’s reformation, protestant nobility were hesitant to marry their Anglish equivalents and vice versa. There have been various religiously motivated wars between Angland and Catholic powers, particularly once the age of exploration began but even when war raged in Nouvelleterre (North America) or Africa the island nature of Angland meant it was never invaded (although naval attacks did occur). The effect over the centuries was to limit the prosperity of Angland compared to its prime counterpart and limit external influences.
With 451’s development of the radical churches (what could be called Protestant churches in the PTL) in the 17th century, in response to what was seen as Catholic excesses and corruption, anti-Anglish sentiment in the Catholic nations decreased. Angland mostly stayed neutral in the Radical Wars of the 17th and 18th centuries but often served as a rallying point for fleeing radicals before many of them travelling on to the Caribbean and Nouvelleterre
The Anglish church would strongly influence Angland’s actions in the age of exploration and Empire. Angland lagged behind the international power of its Prime Timeline counterpart and was slower to expand its territories. Indeed the church was a primary focus for early efforts with various groups of penitents setting out across the Atlantic or to settle the African coast and bring the Anglish faith to these new continents. Many of these colonies were moved or destroyed when other powers such as France, Castille or Portugal formally colonised these areas. Despite this several nations were founded that while technically independent of Angland, where linked by their mother church. In other cases these colonies were formally settled by the Anglish crown. In a handful of cases post-colonial nations primarily consisting of people belonging to the Anglish church have continued to the present day and these have come from both independent “Penitent colonies” such as Gambia and the Republic of Iroquois (a Native American majority Christian nation and former Anglish Royal Colonies such as Wulfesland (Southern Madagascar) and Saint Osric (Java)
The Modern Church
The modern church is somewhat more moderate than its medieval counterpart although it remains an important part of Anglish society. Many of the population only visit the church on key holidays such as Christmas, Easter (as said above, a different date to the Catholic and Protestant Churches) and the Saint’s day (A religious holiday that is held on the birthday of the previous monarch where all saints, both royal and not are celebrated). During my visit to 451 I was able to get some relevant information from the most recent census (2015). 77% of the population described themselves as Anglish but with 52% of them saying they go to services weekly. There are also significant communities of Catholics, Buddhists, Hindus and Mohammedans (the 451 term for Muslims) as well as a growing number of agnostics and atheists.
The tradition of Penitence continues but is less widespread and on a strictly voluntary basis. Most penitents carry out aid work similar to the PTL’s Red Cross in a variety of roles. While the Anglish church has monastaries and missions across the world, most of the work the Church does is non-religious such as education, setting up clean sources of water and providing healthcare. This continued tradition means that there are several million Anglish Christians outside of Angland itself.
The church primarily serves as a cultural focus for many. Almost any significant settlement has at least an altar (some of which date from the earliest days of the church), often close to places of natural significance such as riverbanks, forces and hilltops. Larger settlements have covered or enclosed altars, many of which are directly comparible to PTL churches, often attended by members of staff but not permanent priests (indeed priest is a term used in application to a specific service or event, the title used is almost always monk or nun. The clergy are split 54% male to 46% female with marriage not being allowed while a serving member of a monastery. However monks and nuns are allowed to leave the order at any point (but rejoining isn’t allowed if you have married or had children). Travel to altars and places of worship is more formally scheduled and the travel is usually done by car, motorbike or public transport. In addition to services, monks and nuns often carry out charity work such care for the homeless or vulnerable, as many have since their inception. This has expanded to more modern services such as supporting rehab programs.
Most monasteries are now located inside modern cities and have expanded beyond their traditional walls, incorporating modern dormitory blocks and administrative buildings. The two largest sites are still in Glastonbury (which has developed into a large city, roughly from PTL’s Street to Wells and the naiton’s second city) and more importantly Lindisfarne. The latter’s monastery covers the entirety of Holy Isle with the settlement around it being much more built up than PTL. Other signiciant sites include the Royal Chapel at Dunholm (Durham, still the capital city) and the shrine of Saint Aethelred in Shiefdora (Shefield). The head of the church is still the Archbishop of Lindisfarne (Wulfric the Ninth) and remains closely tied to the royal family.
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