Oseyim

Oseyim עושים
Type	Yeudi-Hosian sect
Theistic philosophy	Strict monotheism
Supreme divinity	Elyon
Major Prophets	Ariel, Elior, Eliyahu
Holy City	Yishelem
Scripture	Katub, Annunciation of the Yeudi
Patriarch of Yishelem	Solomon
Headquarters	Birahteynu, Beiteynu
Founder	Abraham the Just
Founded	33 (traditional) 890 (attested) 1048 (condemned by other churches)
Separated from	Yeudism, Hosianism
Liturgical language	Classical Yeudish, Classical Brmek

The Osean Church (from Yeudish; עושים, ʿOseyim, meaning "the Observers", from עושי הכתב ʿOsey HaKatub, meaning "Doers/Observers of the Katub"; Classical Brmek: כתבקי Katubqai, meaning "People of the Katub") is a Hosian body that views itself as the historical continuation of the original Hosian church established by Eliyahu and his Apostles, preserving the traditions of the early church unchanged, and rejecting the canonicity of the ecumenical church councils.

Its original adherents are said to have dispossessed themselves of all their goods and lived in religious communistic societies, a practice which has since been mostly abandoned.

Organization and leadership

Administratively, the church is divided into the dioceses of Yishalem, Barn, and Uthena, each of which is headed by a patriarch claiming matrilineal descent from Abraham the Just, But Since the growth of 2334 the dioceses have reached all over the world. The diocese of Bira is still the church’s highest authority on earth.

History

In 890 an unnamed Hosian sect was described as observing the Law of Ariel and holding it of universal obligation. 40 years later the term “Oseyim” was first used to describe a “Yeudizing” Hosian sect stubbornly clinging to the Law of Ariel.

Most early sources portray Oseyim as traditional yet ascetic Yeudis who, for example, restricted table fellowship only to gentiles who converted to Yeudism, practiced religious vegetarianism, engaged in ritual bathing, and revered Yishelem as the holiest city. Some Oseyim, however, accepted unconverted gentiles in their fellowship.

By 1048 the Osean controversy had become significant enough that a council of the Hosian Church was called, the Council of Leona, which condemned the doctrines particular to the Oseans. The Council resulted in the persecution of Oseans, and those who were persecuted by the Hosian Church in other countries found refuge in the Sacred Monarchy of Beiteynu under the leadership of the patriarch of Yishalem.

In the late 12th century Oseans were invited to settle in Sisula and Uthena and patriarchs were appointed to them. They quickly won many converts there and are believed to have been the primary influence on Ahmadism with regards to the latter’s views on Eliyahu Hosios.

Views and practices

Osean Synagogue in Barmenia

Oseans reject many of the views central to most other Hosian churches such as the binitarian nature of God, the pre-existence and divinity of Eliyahu Hosios, the latter’s virgin birth, and his Great Hiding as an atonement for sin.

They emphasise the oneness of God and the humanity of Eliyahu Hosios as the biological son of Sarahae, who by virtue of his righteousness, was chosen by God to perform two functions as the Yeudish Messiah during his ministry – those of prophet and king – after he was anointed with the holy spirit at his baptism.

Of the books of the New Word Oseans only accept a version of the Annunciation of Theodore, referred to as the Annunciation of the Yeudi, as additional scripture to the Yeudi Bible. This version omits the first two chapters (on the nativity of Eliyahu Hosios), and starts with the baptism of Eliyahu Hosios by Matthias.

Oseans understand Eliyahu as inviting believers to live according to an ethic of social justice that will be standard in the future kingdom of Heaven. Since Oseans believe that this will be the ethic of the Messianic Age, they go ahead and adjust their lives to this ethic in this age. They therefore believe that all Yeudis and gentiles must observe the commandments of God, in order to become holy and seek communion with God; but that these commandments must be understood in light of Eliyahu’s expounding of the Law of Ariel, which he taught during his Sermon on the Mount.

Abraham the Just

Abraham the Just, the brother of Eliyahu, was the hereditary leader of the Hosian church in Yishalem; followed by his matrilineal descendants whom Oseans regard as the legitimate apostolic successors to Abraham the Just as patriarchs of the Hosian church in Yishalem. Oseans also view the patriarch of Yishalem as the lawful high priest of all Hosians, by virtue of being descended from Abraham the Just.