Humanity's Way Forward in Harmony with our Sacred Earth Mother
WHO, WHAT, WHY, HOW...
Revision At Autumn Equinox, 2021
On September 22, 2021, Sophianic Animism USA embraces change in the form of a more complete fulfillment of the original vision that led to the formation of our religious assembly.
The fundamental change is that we are relaxing considerably the requirements for membership. This development is not a single "atomic" change but a multi-faceted one that has and will have numerous implications and ramifications. We begin by repackaging the past requirements for membership as applying to an "inner circle" type of membership -- thus, creating a large space for "general membership" involving far less stringent requirements. We have captured the essential details by revising three of our founding documents, which visitors are welcome to read here:
Tenets and Practices of Sophianic Animism USA
Sophianic Animism USA Membership
(The same documents appear in other contexts below in this page.)
The body of changes applied to the three documents re-contextualizes the remaining documents, which the SA USA CNS or governance body has reviewed and revised at the end of 2021.
What is Sophianic Animism?
Sophianic Animism USA is a non-Christian church based in the USA and specific to that nation and its people. Other Sophianic animist assemblies are developing progressively over time in other lands. SA USA includes and hosts an International Conference of National Collegiums of Sophianic Animism in order to facilitate communication and collaboration among national SA churches.
For details, site visitors are invited to consult a variety of publicly-accessible founding documents of the church via links found on this page, starting with a basic explanation of our paradigm or worldview, Sophianic Animism in 500 Words, which can be read as text or heard via an audio recording.
Read; Sophianic Animism in 500 Words
Listen to: What is Sophianic Animism (the same material but in spoken form)
Tenets and Practices of the Religion
Every church or religion has tenets and practices. Ancient Gnosticism, which has been described as an alternative to all forms of religion (and which other scholars describe as a religion), from which SA takes its foundational elements, had tenets too. Tenets are the fundamental propositions of a worldview. What are the tenets upheld as truth by Sophianic Animism USA and the religion's correlated practices? Read this document to learn about them.
Benefits of Sophianic Animism
Why bother with religion unless it conveys tangible benefits (and doesn't end up robbing the individual and the community by having a downside that arguably outweighs any good that it might do)? Sophianic Animism USA intends to convey specific benefits to its practitioners and to the larger community. Explore those benefits here.
Values, Vision and Mission
The fundamental values of SA are touched upon in the Tenets document and are further explained in connection with the vision and mission of Sophianic Animism USA. The parts of the interlocking triad - values, vision and mission - are explained in a foundational text for members and site visitors.
We also invite you to read about the Nine Loves of Anthropos-11. (A-11 is the next stage of human evolution that is already beginning to manifest.)
Read:
Nature, Structure and Status of the CHurch
"What are its parts and how are they put together, and what is the overall result?" That is a reasonable question for curious and possibly-interested people to ask. It is a question that the team that developed SA USA had to ask and answer, as well, and there is every reason to share the answers with the public; so, site visitors are invited to read them in this document.
The SA USA collegium is not a legal entity of any kind; however, the law of the land is constrained under principles of common law to recognize its existence as a church. Accordingly, no actions have been taken that would create an organization structured as a legal entity. The church was created (in December, 2020) via a Declaration of Formation, the textual content of which is available for public viewing and consideration.
Assets are handled via a trust relationship established via documents that appropriately remain private, but a summary of that trust relationship and the way in which it was created is available for viewing and consideration.
in the interests of clarity, we also provide a document that addresses an important issue concerning authority from the Sophianic Animist perspective - notably contrasting with the Christian perspective that has been explicated in certain essays and comments presented elsewhere on the Internet
Read:
- Nature, Structure and Status of the Sophianic Animism USA Church
- Sophianic Animism USA: A Gnostic free church - Declaration of Formation
- Sophianic Animism USA Summary of Declaration of Trust
- Authority and Sophianic Animism USA
MEMBERSHIP
Although we surely want Sophianic Animism USA to grow, it is not positioned as a religion that is likely to reach and appeal to large portions of the human population very quickly and easily.
Sophia's Story, Her Correction and the opportunity for a relationship of interactive magic and direct divine instruction with Her are vitally important considerations, regardless of the decisions of individuals to accept or decline what SA USA offers in support of those considerations.
The bar for membership in SA USA has been set high cognizantly and thoughtfully. Genuinely interested and appreciative individuals will take the time to learn and grow, develop skills and reach the bar in due time. Those whose interest is at most casual and passing won't. And that is as it should be.
Here's a document, that - uniquely among SA USA's founding documents - is formatted as a Q&A session, that undertakes to set forth some important points concerning membership.
Read: Sophianic Animism USA Membership: Criteria, Details and Guidelines
GOVERNANCE
We could tell you who the individuals are that are responsible for governance of SA USA at the national level, but much more important is how governance is structured and how it functions. The approach taken by SA USA is an example of Themocracy - inclusion of the letter "m" is important, as this approach has nothing to do with theocracy. We hold Themocracy to be the ancient way, revived and renewed, in which the saner and more humane society of the future will be managed. For now, we are intent on proving its efficacy and demonstrating its benefits within the boundaries of the SA USA collegium.
The first document presented here concerns ten defined ministerial roles and related positions by which a team of individuals is functionally organized so as work effectively in cooperation and collaboration for the benefit of our Goddess-centered community.
The second document relates to an important function of the governance body (called the CNS - "central nervous system"), canonization of artifacts. (SA USA's view of canonization and scripture is detailed in the Tenets document, previously referenced.)
The third document relating to governance outlines a Grievance Resolution Procedure based on Sophianic ethical principles and values.
A key feature of all the concepts exposed in these documents is that the structure and process outlined, in its entirety, is scalable by design, and thus equally applicable at local and national levels.
Read:
- Sophianic Animism USA Minsterial Roles
- Canonization in Sophianic Animism USA
- Sophianic Animism USA Grievance Resolution Procedure
HEALTH MAINTENANCE AND HEALING
Sophianic Animism USA declines to take an activist role regarding numerous types of issues. The admonition to "choose your battles" is certainly applicable. However, we must stand up and stand out as the only religion we know of that feels absolutely compelled to be involved in health activism due to the grave situation involving attacks on human well-being, and even the human genome, that are currently underway, based on propagation of much false and fraudulent information that is used to create groundless fear and a pretext for tyranny. Please review thoroughly and thoughtfully the SA USA church's evidence-based and carefully-considered health-related positions and policies.
Read: Health Maintenance and Healing in Sophianic Animism
LEXICON
Are you confused or befuddled by any of the terminology you have encountered in our Website? Then perhaps you will benefit from reading the lexicon that we have prepared to define terms commonly used in our literature (including this Website) that are likely unfamiliar to the general public or that have special meanings in the context of the SA worldview.
