What is the point of the Church of the Holy Light?

Argent Dawn
1

Is the church nearing a reformation crisis?

We’ve seen you don’t need to be an active member of the church to use the Light, or believe in it. So what exactly is the point of it’s existence? While they may act as a spiritual guide for a state or people, why do they need such grand works to do so? It must be expensive building and maintaining big cathedrals, abbeys, chapels and it’s ranks of priests who’s only real guidance is their three bullet point system on ‘being nice’.

Why does the Church of the Holy Light need such grand monuments and temples to a cosmic force that does not require it?

Going off this, it’s last few leaders have been revealed to be Old God worshippers. Who else under their steward has been compromised within the faith?

Should it’s worshippers rebuke the church’s lavish lifestyle and call for a more humble approach?

5 Likes
2

Well, the thing is, the Light is simply a large part of human culture, and even folklore. The belief in it has carried humanity through some of the darkest hours that they have faced in Azeroth. They even went as far as to name a whole city Tyr’s Hand, for instance. Their belief in the Light and it’s Three Virtues helped them against the orcs, the demons, the undead etc, so , I do think I can understand why they’d want big places to celebrate their worship.

It’s even gone as far as to influence the dwarves, gnomes and high elves to a degree, and with the arrival of the Draenei, Light-worship would only become even more prominent.

10 Likes
3

Definitely an increasingly hot market for Light-merchandise!
It’s all the rage amongst the middle to upper-class civilians.

Although my attempts so far selling Holy Water™, which is definitely not vials filled from the Stormwind Channel, has been unsuccesful.

I swear, people don’t trust a good-hearted merchant these days. Not even the influx of Draenei.

4 Likes
4

The Church is the institution around the human faith in the Holy Light. Tyr is an important figure in the Church, and was likely the original human diety when humans mistook the Titan keeper for a god. But he was a being whose sacrifice and worship gained humans their powers in the Light, much in the same vain as the Rastari derive the Light from Rezan.

I imagine Tyr was eventually superseded when humans began worshipping the spirit of the Holy Light directly, but he remains an important figure particularly among paladins.

The Church also teaches the core tenets necessary for one to be able to wield the Light, as well as lead a good life. Respect, Tenacity, Compassion… as well as a healthy dose of faith in ones own good purpose, and the will to call upon it.

1 Like
5

Light is sin, don’t let it in.

6

Sniff sniff

Heresy

7

WH is that way

:point_left:

8

You can’t stop the heresy train in the name of Khorne

2 Likes
9

too late i just did

10

Just like other religions and beliefs in the world of Warcraft, there are monuments and structures serving their belief, and visited by members able to serve such force, or not. Not everyone has the ability to use light but believes in it?

The same questions you make for Church of Holy Light, can be used for the Druidistic arts, Shamanistic arts, worships of Loa, elemental gods, dark gods, and more.

1 Like
11

Archbishop Benedictus has been mia since cataclysm aswell🤔

2 Likes
12

I’ve always pictured Tyr being considered a Saint after his ‘martyrdom’, and I could see his name being evoked in prayers. It would also be on brand to consider the likes Mereldar and Lordain as Saints of the Church and in recent times Uther and Tirion could fit the bill as well after their respective martyrdoms giving their lives in defense of others.

All those faithful of the Light who give their lives to defend others are martyrs of the Church and the most important among them are revered as Saints according to my very powerful headcanon. Go forth and invoke their names in your prayers to have Uther, Tyr, Lordain watch over you in your hour of need.

6 Likes
13

The god turned paragon and saint after the Holy Light supplanted the belief in Tyr the God.

I also picture angels as they exist in the mythos of the Church being largely identical in appearance to the Naaru, being a depiction of the angelic beings who revealed themselves and taught Mereldar and the first human priests how to wield the Light.

2 Likes
14

Yeah, I agree.

And if the Light is so powerful and protects the believers, then why do the Paladins wear armor, huh? Afraid to get stabbed? Will the Light not protect you? That’s what I thought.

Furthermore, for years and years the Church of the Holy Light was lead by Archbishop Benedictus, who was not only a traitor and a heretic himself, but also appropriated 500 000 gold from donations and taxes in order to purchase himself a private airship with cannons, a hot tub, servants and a private study, where no one but him was allowed.

And now years after he’s been exposed, the citizenry still pay taxes that fund the church, while they give nothing in return, while not even having selected a new archbishop since the last one’s deposition.

Do you ever wonder why is it that the Cathedral Square is so tidy, while the rest of Stormwind is a ghetto? They cramp all the organizations in the square in order to increase the property value of the Cathedral Square, so that more funds would be used to maintain it.

The Oprhanage is used to garner good faith from the citizens, because they strategically placed it next to the Cathedral in order to present an image that they care about the people and the innocent children, but when you take a look inside the Oprhanage, you can clearly see that compared to the rest of the square, it is a chaotic and understaffed mess.

If that wasn’t enough, the City Hall is also stationed inside of the Cathedral Square, not only increasing its net value (again), but also to keep an eye on the official ongoings of the City Hall, so that they know when and who to bribe and buy when any matter regarding the Church of the Holy Light comes up, so that the outcome would lean in their favor.

And now, as if it wasn’t clear to you how much of a sham the Church is, they finally have a zealous figure on the throne, who is an avid Light worshipper, who has great respect for the Church, seeing as he’s been part of it since before the Second War.

It’s honestly a travesty, and I’m surprised that the brainwashed masses just let it happen.

5 Likes
15

B̸͎̞̬͒e̶̞͔̺̍͐̽̕ ̸̱̘̝̭̬͌̐̎̚n̸̗̣̔̄̕͝ȯ̴͎͆ť̵̨͍͋̚ͅ ̵̞͓̰̾̀̆ã̷̻̅́͘f̶̡̺̺͕̃̀̈͝ṛ̸̞͎͓̉̔̍a̷̱͕̺̼͂̓͋͠i̵̼͓̐͛̂̀͘d̴̞̖̻̭͌͜

Depicting Naaru as biblically accurate angels would be a really hilarious imagery

9 Likes
16

In that same vain: Turalyon is in the weird position he’s a Martyr and a Saint… But still alive!

Explaining the way he easily took command over the Silver Hand!

Also officialy: Benedictus is on a hiatus, with almost nobody but the top of the Church hierachy knowing he was the Twilight Father.

Personally I feel they should just replace him with High-Priest Rohan and move past the cataclysm status-quo…

2 Likes
17

Some might even call him a Living Saint.

Sankt Turalyon…

4 Likes
18

When will the a priest from Westfall rise up and demand the church to reform, only for it to lead to a schism and create Light-protestants who build wooden chapels?

1 Like
19

Would be great to euh not bring OOC theme into IC.
Thanks beforehand - a Religious Roleplayer

1 Like
20

Please expand and post in the headcanon thread.

Thanks

He actually never got exposed and the Church maintains he’s still on a mission to aid (convert) the dragons.

The second in command (the Legion cultist) went and joined him, according to the Church.

I think High-Priest Rohan should be the new Archbishop, to break humam hegemony of the Church tho.

2 Likes