Inkolo Esintsundu Sizwe Syncretism

(Longhand draft for cultural protocols: needs edit)

Ibutho's state religion is Inkolo Esinsundu Sizwe Syncretism (IESS) (OOC: meaning African World Religion Syncretism, a Syncretism of Terran and real world African World religions and denominations). IESS Is based on Zulu religion, called 'Inkolo.' The Creator God and First Man is uNkulunkulu. uNkulunkulu's wife and the First Woman is also called uNkulunkulu. Below uNkulunkulu, there was a large pantheon of Gods largely made up of important ancestors of the Ibutho including all Ibutho monarchs. A new celestial rank called Upon the Hands of God was created in 3643 by uNkulunkulu as related to HM King Mlungisi in intercession and all Gods below uNkulunkulu were demoted to it: 'Yena ohlezi phezu kwesandla sokunene sikaNkulunkulu' meaning Upon the Right Hand of God for men, and 'Yena ohlezi phezu kwesandla sobunxele sikaNkulunkulu' meaning Upon the Left Hand of God for women. As a result, IESS is today a monotheistic religion. Any African can be raised to Sit Upon the Hands of God posthumously by the IESS. The critereon is extraordinary contributions in credit to or defense of African World interests and is determined by an IESS council of iZangoma (OOC: meaning Mediums or Priests), the Queen Mother or her representative, and laity.

IESS is based on the ritual orders of Inkolo: asceticism, fasting, contemplation, prayer, meditation, intecession, divination, speaking the spirit of the time and of men, healing, observation, definition, and comparison of nature, and quelling the wrath of heaven. Most of these disciplines are reserved to the clergy. The primary congregational ritual, held at least weekly, is called uMkhuba yase nibazise enenhlonipho meaning The Rite of Reverent Regard. It consists of the laity and clergy processing to the pulpit of the sanctuary in pairs, prostrating before one another, exchanging affectionate greetings, and uttering declerations of one another's African beauty, ingenuity, decency, and grace.

The IESS is heavily incluenced by and regularly incorporates practices of other African World religions and denominations. The primary influences are the African Methodist Episcopal Church, African American Baptist churches, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, Ifá, Ancient Egyptian polytheism and Akhenatenism, Nyame religion of the Asante Union and Republic of Ghana, Islam of the Manden Empire and Republic of Mali, Islam of the Wolof Kingdoms and Republic of Senegal, and Islam of the Sokoto Caliphate. IESS incorporates these practices both deliberately and in response to new African members. Any congregation of any African religion or denomination can join the IESS by adopting The Rite of Reverent Regard, affirmation and depiction of God as ethnically African, and an Africans-only membership policy. Currently, the largest Reverent Regard affiliates of the IESS are the St. Sarahae Ts’iyon denomination of the Coburan Apostolic Tewahedo Church, and the Asli-Ibutho denomination of Ahmadism.

uNkulunkulu uFuthi ezinsundu babusi [OOC: meaning God and the Blessed Africans, AKA Babusi, AKA The Holy Script], is the IESS Holy Book. It is written in the Nsibidi script. It chronicles the creation of humanity and the history of the Ibutho and Ezinsundu, includes divine commandments for iZangoma, Kings, and adherents, and details the works and methods of prominent Ibutho and Esinsundu historical figures. The Holy Script is used in all IESS rituals and serves as the basic curriculum in Ibutho schools and universities. The Holy Book must be updated by an iZangoma council once every 100 years. The current edition is some 3000 pages long and was published in 3648.

Within Ibutho, the IESS regulates all religious worship, including religious practices by non-IESS adherents. The IESS is led by a Crown Sangoma who is appointed by the Queen Mother and operates through a council of High iZangomas. A Sangoma selected by the Crown Sangoma in consultation with the Queen Mother often serves as Minister of Religion in the national government. The IESS is divided into 3 main camps:

[Rites of All Heaven] ([all IESS rituals]),

Most ethnic Ibutho

Some Malan, Asli, Ikpi, and Kuragao naturalized citizens and foreign residents

[Rite of Reverent Regard] (Less than all IESS rituals, or Rite of Reverent Regard only]),

Includes all naturalized citizens and foreign residents who practice formal religions:

Their clerics are appointed by the state (the Queen Mother and the Crown Sangoma specifically)

Esinsudu SIzwe naturalized citizens and residents whose congregations have not completed the             gradual transition to full IESS Sympathy

Some ethnic Ibutho admirers have taken up membership in foreign African congregations                 operating in Ibutho

And non-Esinsundu (non-Africans) who are not permitted to Make Sympathy and worship with the             IESS, but whose places of worship are nevertheless regulated by the IESS under Ibutho law

and [Unreformed Inkolo] (ancient Zulu religion practiced by indepedent iZangoma without IESS and state oversight).

Athiesm is heavely frowned upon socially and by the state. However, non-observance and infrequent attendance are not uncommon, and agnosticism is considered inoffensive and even encouraged as a sign of thoughtfullness by some iZangoma.

Percentages: Inkolo Esinsundu Sizwe Syncretism: 97% -Rites of All Heaven: 84.5% -Rite of Reverent Regard: 5.5% -Unreformed Inkolo (pick a better name): 5% -Non-Esinsundu: 2% Atheist/Agnostic: 1.5% Informal or Solitary Observance: 1% Other: 0.5%