Traditional Kirlawan cross
The Bishopal Church of Kirlawa (Kilani: Eaglais Easpag Kirlawa) is a Hosian church in Kirlawa and full member of the Luthori Communion. The majority of Hosians in Kirlawa belong to the Aurorian Patriarchal Church with the Bishopal population representing a small minority. Traditionally the Kirlawan Church has been heavily influence by the church in Dorvik.
Like other members of the Bishopal Communion the Kirlawan Church has traditionally described itself as "both Luthoran and Patriarchal", on the basis that it rejects archpatriarchal authority and accepts the objections of Martyn Luthor to traditional church hierarchy while still believing that it represents the continuation of the universal church established at the Council of Auroria. The liturgy of the Church derives ultimately from the Selucian Rite.
Factions[]
Traditionally the Low Church has been stronger than the High Church faction. Its constitution affirms many relatively conservative theological beliefs, its liturgical form of worship is traditional, and its organisation embodies a belief in the appropriateness of the historical episcopal hierarchy of archbishops, bishops, and dioceses.
Provinces[]
The Episcopal Church has two Provinces, the Province of Salubris, and the Province of Telon, both headed by Archbishops. The Province of Salubris includes the Kirlawan administrative units of Uwakah, Dirlana and Dirguzia, whilst the Province of Nuchtmark absorbs Nuchtmark and Telon. The Archbishops oversee the running of the Church and represent the two senior figures within the Church. The Archbishop of Uwakah has primacy, and is regarded as the spiritual leader of the Episcopal Church of Kirlawa.
Archbishop of Salubris Archbishop of Telon Clément Van Berlo Burleigh Gow
Dioceses[]
The Episcopal Church is split into thirteen Dioceses, each headed by a Bishop. The first five dioceses in the Province of Salubris are located in Uwakah, Cadoria in Dirguzia, and Nisira in Dirlana. In the Province of Telon, all but Carmine are located in Nuchtmark, and Carmine covers all of Merkan.
Province of Salubris Province of Telon Ukhana Luthi Micana Chromide Zobagon Veritas Takana Nuncata Patrye West Nuchtmark Cadoria Carmine Nisira
Membership and Distribution[]
The Church has nearly five million members, split into 5,884 parishes. Over three-quarters of Episcopalians are located in Uwakah and Nuchtmark. The strength of Episcopalianism lies in urban areas close to the Dioceses of Bishops, where parishes can be overseen, and a loyalty is affected towards their local episcopal hieracrhy. This helps to explain the strength of the Episcopal Church in Uwakah and Nuchtmark, where Protestantism is more universal in nature, spread through various sections of the community. However in the regions of Merkan, Dirlana and Dirguzia, Protestants tend to be located largely in rural areas. This wide dispersion of Protestants does not bode well for the hierarchical nature of the Episcopal Church, and helps to explain its weak nature in these three regions, which combined only account for less than a quarter of total Episcopal members.
Dirguzia[]
Dirguzia falls into the Province of Salubris. It contains the Diocese of Cadoria, and has over half a million followers, with 533 parishes. Although within the province of Salubris, it has a strong linkage with Nuchtmark and the province of Telon, and many of its Priests are trained in seminaries in Nuchtmark, rather than in Uwakah. The Episocpal Church in Dirguzia is perhaps the most High Church within Kirlawa, largely because of recent immigration, and because of the influence of the Catholic Church proper within Dirguzia. Low Church congregations are more prominent amongst Episcopalians in rural parts of Dirguzia, especially within the Bible Belt
Dirlana[]
Dirlana is a part of the Province of Salubris and contains the Diocese of Nisira. Over three hundred thousand Episcopalians reside here, in 252 parishes.
Merkan[]
Merkan is the weakest portion of the Episcopal Church if Kirlawa. Covered with one diocese, the Bishop of Carmine, it contains 290,000 members, located in 205 parishes. The Diocese of Carmine has been heavily influenced by Calvinists from Dundorf, which has given Merkan Episcopalians a distinctly Low Church outlook, and means that High Church Catholicism is rare in the Diocese, limited to a few urban parishes.
Nuchtmark[]
The largest number of Episcopalians within a single region resides within Nuchtmark, which contains the bulk of the Province of Telon, and five Dioceses. Over two million Episcopalians reside within just under 2,500 parishes. As with Uwakah Episcopalians are a mix of rural and urban congregations, although unlike Uwakah Low Church practices are dominant within Nuchtmark.
Uwakah[]
Episcopalianism in Uwakah has always been particularly strong because of the influence of the neighbouring Dorvik Episcopal Church. It has slightly over 1.8 million members split into 2,396 parishes. Five Bishops oversee the area, and the Archbishop of Salubris is also resident within the province. The region receives some support from the Dorvik Episcopal Church, and fifteen parishes in the remote northwest of Uwakah actually exist within a Dorvik Diocese. As mentioned earlier Episcopalianism is fairly widespread in Uwakah, being found in urban and rural areas, with urban areas leaning towards High Churchmanship, and rural areas towards Low Church services.