Ere the World Ends
Fiducia Supplicans and The Coming Orc Hordes
Introduction
Earlier this week, the Roman Catholic Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith unveiled a declaration titled Fiducdia Supplicans that delves into the pastoral significance of blessings. You can access it on the Vatican website here.
Having read its contents, I'm compelled to share some concise reflections on the potential ramifications of this declaration. I had originally intended for this to show up in this week’s Narnian Digest, but my thoughts have outgrown the constraints, prompting this separate essay. Nevertheless, I'll provide a link to it in the upcoming Digest.
It's crucial to establish from the outset that I identify as a Reformed Protestant, firmly grounded outside the sphere of Rome. I openly admit that I don't profess to comprehend all the intricacies of that world. However, I deem it necessary to comment because I anticipate that this declaration will inevitably trickle down and impact Protestants.
My immediate assessment is that this declaration is not good for for anyone, including Protestants like me.
Observing numerous Reformed Protestants on social media joking and seemingly dismissing its relevance, I acknowledge the humor, but I contend that their perspective may be misguided. If anything, Rome's concession to the Spirit of the Age is poised to amplify the cultural pressure cooker, and I promise, the table and meal being prepared for Western Christians won't be to anyone's liking.
So, let us consider the impacts of this together.
The Pressure Cooker
As noted by
, Rome's capitulation to the prevailing attitudes on homosexuality marks a momentous event in world history. James Martin, a Jesuit priest and writer, has explicitly highlighted the significance of this shift. Mere days ago, Roman Catholics were strictly forbidden from blessing same-sex couples, but the recent changes, albeit with limitations (avoiding marriage ceremony semblance, etc.), now permit such blessings.
While the document doesn't explicitly endorse same-sex marriage, it is going to certainly intensify the pressure on devout followers of Christ to align their standards with societal norms of Mystery Babylon.
As a result, I fully expect two things to happen.
I believe that within the next year, we will see stories where Protestant Churches will experience participants in the Cult of the Non-Binary Deity show up on their doorsteps and saying along the lines of, “Hello birthing people, the Pope and the largest church in the West now endorse blessing gay couples. You should too. Now say the blessing.”
I also believe this added pressure will almost certainly provide more leverage to those in authority and they will use it to attempt to exert their influence upon us to make sure we bless members of their state-sanctioned Cult.
I wish my assessments were inaccurate, but since 2020, I've consistently voiced these concerns without seeing them disproven. The dividing lines are becoming more distinct, with Traditional Christianity standing on one side and Neo-paganism and its dark enchantment on the other. The world had risen from its disenchanted slumber, and now the coming war is about who will re-enchant the world. The old gods, the ones that led the nations astray long ago (Ps. 82), have returned along with their nercro-sacraments.
Advice for Churches
Another thought is this. I suspect this declaration will not only probably bring the Orc Cults to your door to receive blessing, but it will probably also bring disenfranchised Roman Catholic pilgrims out too. You need to be ready to minister to them and to disciple them.
I think that for those in cities, most will end up at Orthodox parishes. But I think in small towns where Orthodoxy is not present, they’ll probably end up in conservative Protestant churches that have liturgical leanings. Indeed, even in our small town whenever the United Methodist Church split happened, we had displaced Methodists who cycled through.
This brings us to a critical point. Beyond having a sword to combat the Cult, and an empty hand to bless weary pilgrims, what additional measures should we take?
First, you need to recognize that things in the West are bad. Like Humpty Dumpty, it’s had a great fall and all the king’s horses, and all the king’s men cannot put Humpty together again. It’s going to take a long time to sort this mess out. In light of that, you need to focus on the things that are within your sphere of control.
I can’t control what Rome does. Neither can you. We also can’t control who shows up at our doorsteps. But we can control the environment that they come into.
If you’re a pastor, these are the kind of things you need to focus on. One of those things is make sure that your church’s confessional standards are able to withstand the chaos that’s going to inevitably land on your doorstep. If there is any ambiguity at all on basic matters such as biological sex, how biological sex is expressed in the world in masculinity and femininity, human sexuality, and who can and can’t preach or be pastors, Leviathan is going to have a field day causing chaos in your church.
You also need to put in writing who are the recipients of Mother Church’s blessings, rites, and sacraments. At our church, those things are for the members of Christ’s Covenant, and we have that in writing. That means we do not bless, perform rites, or dispense the sacraments to anyone who is not a member of Christ’s body, because they are Covenant blessings. We actually have a document that our session of elders has signed off on that we send to anyone who asks.
You also need to make sure that your membership process is able to sort out true pilgrims and covert cultists who want to come and stir up issues in your church. You’re going to need a membership covenant that lays out explicitly the terms of covenant membership. You’re also going to need a membership class that teaches through this and your statement of faith so that everyone is aware where your church stands. I would also recommend an interview with your elder session after that’s done to make sure that the incoming member is not confused and understands what they’re covenanting to.
You also need to make sure that your church is not a part of a leftward-drifting denomination. If it is, need to leave now and make plans to re-group with more faithful conservative ones, especially ones with church courts that are going to give you and your church extra coverage if things get wonky. You will eventually have a church discipline case that goes sideways and is appealed at the local church level. You’re going to need a Presbytery (Preferably) or a Diocese that is going to have your back when you have to make tough decisions. The playing field is starting to take shape and lines are being drawn, and the last thing you need is your denomination making things more difficult by being ambiguous about where those lines are.
You also need to make sure that you are educating your children and your pastors. Do not send them to government schools or colleges. Gather a group together and start a homeschooling co-op at your church. This can be done with Classical Conversations or whatever you choose. Start in-house pastor’s colleges. Sure, unless you pull some strings, they won’t be accredited, but what will it benefit a man to receive accreditation and lose his soul?
In summary, you should aim at turning your church into a miniature Rivendell. Your church needs to become a place of beauty, truth, and goodness whose doors is open to weary pilgrims on their journey. It needs to be a place where the cosmic imagery and songs of the old world survive and can be passed on to all who enter your gates. But, make no mistake about it, it also needs to be a place that can forge swords and shields so it can be prepared to go out and do battle against the encroaching orc hordes. They are coming.
And, they’re coming to make their curses flow as far as the blessing is found.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I anticipate challenging times on the horizon. We've weathered difficulties in the past, but the trials ahead may be even more formidable.
The reassuring truth, however, is that Christ reigns as King. He has triumphed over paganism in the past, and He will do so again, whether or not we witness it in our lifetimes. It is imperative that this work begins now. The legacy we leave will pave the way for our children and their descendants. We may not leave them a renewed Christendom. But we can certainly begin laboring now to leave them miniature Christendom’s.
Perhaps God will use this turmoil to unify His true church. We may have new people joining the fight with us very soon that we had never imagined. I never thought I’d die fighting side by side with an elf. But I’m willing to die with friends of Christ. Aye. I could do that.
“Brothers shall fight and fell each other, and sisters' sons shall kinship stain. Hard is it on earth, with rampant whoredom; Axe-time, sword-time, shields are splintered. Wind-time, wolf-time, ere the world falls. Nor ever shall men each other spare.”
— Völuspá, the Elder Edda