Epistemology of our Beliefs and Convictions
Religion

We are a catholic church modeled after the earliest traditions and teachings, thus we are  
universal church encompassing the needs of all who enter our doors, hearts, and lives.  As was  
originally taught there are not Judeans or gentiles only those who truly believe, so it is within our  
religious realm.  Our clergy trace their Holy Orders back to the very origins of the Christian faith  
through the apostles and their successes through an unbroken chain of consecrations and  
ordinations (Apostolic Succession).  

Order of Worship

We believe that the most fundamental form of worship is through imitation, thus we strive show  
our praise by imitating the love of the creator in all things we do and in the way we do them.  We  
believe that the coming together to experience the mysteries of the faith is an important aid to  
spiritual growth and thus we honor the creator together in the performance of the mysteries  
through sacraments.  We believe in such sacraments as, Baptism as a public statement of a new  
beginning and washing of the old ways, Confirmation as the announcement of a new commitment  
to follow the divine path of creation,  Communing in breaking of bread and pouring our of wine  
to honor the most divine, and other time honored and ordained sacraments of the universal  
church.

Mysteries of Faith

We believe in the mysteries and magic of faith, that through these "all doors are open to those  
who knock" and from those initiated, baptized, and confirmed into the universal church no  
secrets shall be hid.  We are Esoteric in that we believe that the creator works within each one of  
us to fulfill creation, “The kingdom of heaven lies within you.”  and that no man or woman stands  
between the creator and other person holding the keys to salvation.  We are Esoteric in that we  
believe that knowledge is fundamental  to an individuals spiritual growth and thus we seek out the  
truths of creation in our lives and in our worship.

Divine Feminine and Masculine

We believe in the divine feminine aspects of creation and the most Holy Mother, who we see  
reflected in all of creation though our own mothers, sisters, and daughters.  We believe that only  
when the chasms that has grown, over the millennia, between the feminine and masculine aspects  
of creation can be closed will humanity find again the original peace of creation given to us in this  
life by the creator.  We welcome both women and men into the community of the abbey as lay-
people and clergy, to find spiritual piece and understanding amongst our members, in the divine  
sight of the most Holy Mother and Creator.

Nostalgic

Although we are a modern community sharing in the blessing of these times we are nostalgic for  
the more simple times when the creator walked among us and life was free from the pressures,  
constraints, and interruptions of the modern world.  We offer to all who wish to follow a simpler  
and anciently traditional life framework in which new ideas, methods, and technologies can be  
joined together to improve our daily lives, while emphasizing our spiritual growth and  
development individually and collectively.  

Loving

We are a abbey of love. We accept Saint John's testimony that God is Love For us, Christ's  
ministry is the law of love: “Love the Lord, thy God, with thy whole heart, thy whole mind and  
thy whole strength; and love thy neighbor as thyself. On this Rest the Law and the prophets.”  
Saint Augustine epitomized Christian Ethics in the precept, “Love and do as you will.”

Spiritual and Mystical

"To those who have ears let him hear" We seek to draw back the veil, first to discover the deeper  
intellectual import and then the experiential dimension, which is the true meaning of spiritual  
symbolism in scripture, ritual, liturgy and theology.

Fellowship Based

Our church is a spiritual fellowship, a community  of followers of the Spirit. We give ourselves  
and others encouragement to live the truth. To live the truth is to become ever more the Christ,  
the true Self of all and the source of real happiness and abiding fellowship.

Universal

There is only one true Creator, however and by whatever name this Creator is known or  
worshipped and there is only one holy universal Church, regardless of the cultural form it  
happens to assume in a given time and place. We revere all the saints, sages, and holy ones of all  
ages and places. We believe that the Most Divine and Holy Spirit acts through her grace and love  
everywhere, regardless of age, sex, race, creed, culture, or orientation.

Lawful

We believe it is our obligation as Christ stated to "render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's and  
unto God that which is God's." and thus we believe we all, collectively and individually, must  
follow the laws of the land we live in.  However, good people do sometimes make inefficient or  
simply bad laws, and as such, we encourage our members to follow the wisdom bestowed upon  
them by the Creator, to work within the rules of their government to seek peaceful and positive  
changes to those laws, in order to have a more harmonious and peaceful world for all people to  
live in.

Educational

Illiteracy breeds fear and superstition and these are the breeding grounds for intolerance and  
tyranny toward those who look, think, believe, or behave differently then we do.  When fear and  
illiteracy reign then oppressive dogmas and traditions of man replace spiritual truths that are  
given to and instilled within each of us by the creator.  To combat this we believe that each of us  
should be educated no only in areas of our interests, but also with factual knowledge of  
humanities past.  The cultures, languages, and spiritual beliefs of our ancestors continue to play  
an important part in our social and religious institutions today.  By better understanding the  
spiritual journeys of our ancestors, we can better prepare ourselves for our own individual and  
group spiritual journeys today and tomorrow.
 

Abbey of the Most Holy Mother
870-206-0160
abbot@holymotherabbey.org