In conversations with people online and in person there is sometimes a bit of misunderstanding regarding what role religion is to play in the settlement under the proposed constitution. People have described it as being a theocracy. This charge has some merit in that the literal definition of a theocracy is a state in which an established priesthood wields power. And, if you look at the diagram you will note the Christian Church(es) do have some power. But some power is not what is generally meant when a person describes a theocracy. There has also been some confusion on how much power Christianity, through the office of the Patriarch actually has with critics likening it to a prime minister in a constitutional monarchy; in complete control of the agenda. This confusion seems to stem from the use of the word advise which has taken on a constitutional meaning that is significantly different from its common definition. The advice a prime minister gives (in the constitutional sense) is practically an order. This is not the meaning used here. The Role of Christianity in the SettlementThis settlement, while largely secular, is not entirely so. Indeed, it is intended to be a refuge for Christians fleeing persecution. This is not a small concern. In many areas where climate change will make living increasingly difficult, Christians already face persecution. Ratcheting up the pressure on these states is not going to make them more tolerant. It is also true that in these states Christians are sidelined from participating in government. So with these two facts in mind you might be starting to see why Christianity is specifically protected in the constitution. These Christians, who are envisioned to make up a majority of the population, still follow different sects, or denominations, of Christianity. Constitutionally, all of these sects are a part of the 'Nicene Church'. The Nicene Church is not a church in the traditional sense. Rather, it is an ecumenical body of Church leaders who meet to resolve disagreements that arise and pursue the goal of Christian unity. From among their number they elect a Patriarch whose primary role is to represent Christianity as a whole when dealing with the government. Since history is littered with rulers who didn't want to be reminded of their misdeeds, and subsequently refused to even see religious leaders, access to the monarch by the Patriarch is constitutionally protected. There is good science to back up the desirability of having this role. It is well known that leaders are known to become less empathetic over time. This is largely a result of being insulated in decision-making and from who it effects. The main way to combat this is to invite more people into decision-making -or- as is the case here, enforce it by law. Is This Role Unreasonable?'Reasonableness' is subjective but for the fun of it lets look at the Patriarch's theoretical maximum power
right after the settlement is founded. While the exact number of settlers involved in the initial effort is hard to gauge, its a simple truth that more is better for a whole host of reasons. Lets say 1000 settlers for argument's sake. The Patriarch, due to their guaranteed seat on the Royal Council, can't be a member of the Legislative Assembly. One guaranteed seat is nice but the actual power it wields is dependent on how many other seats are also on the Royal Council. Minimally this number is 13: Heir to the Throne, Patriarch, 10 nobles, and the Chief of each clan. That last category is the one that will decrease the Patriarch's power the fastest as new groups arrive and are granted clan status. The greatest power the Patriarch has isn't the single vote they can cast but instead is their ability to speak before the Royal Council on behalf of the Church. On the other side of things, a protected right to be heard isn't unreasonable, in most countries its expected for the government to listen to the people and groups that might have grievances. The draft constitutional simply extends an extra protection to a rather important group.
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Published ResearchAs the project develops and gaps in understanding are filled finalized plans will be posted here. The end goal being a comprehensive plan for settling Antarctica. All plans subject to update as new information is learned. Archives
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