When a new enterprise is embarked upon, and others are expected to be influenced or to join in its proceedings it is only proper to set forth a manifesto detailing the purpose, views, and intention of the endeavor under consideration. Therefore, the following manifesto is set forth for Disciples of the Way (Apostolic)
As we view Christianity alongside other world religions, especially Islam and Judaism, it becomes very clear that the character of Christianity differs in very many ways from the character of all other faiths, but especially Islam and Judaism. The basic difference lies in the fact that both Islam and Judaism are masculine religions expressing aggressive characteristics; Christianity on the other hand is feminine and expresses herself through the softer characteristics of love, mercy, and forgiveness.
In a world that hosts three monotheistic religions, two masculine -- one feminine, the aggression that is innate in the masculine constantly threatens the feminine. This threat is apparent when the theology of all three groups are juxtapose. All three, Christianity, Islam and Judaism have theologies that decree world dominance. Christianity and Islam, in particular, are mandated by their holy Scriptures to convert all peoples of the earth to their individual faiths. Christianity is to “make disciples of all nations” through the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and manifesting Christ to the world through acts of love, mercy, forgiveness; the characteristics of a mother (the Bride of Christ). While, Islam, on the other hand, is instructed by the Koran to convert all to itself by the means of the sword. Dozens of times the Koran states“slaughter is better than turmoil.” Christianity offers the world peace through the teachings of Jesus Christ; while, Islam offers the same world a different peace through the teachings of Mohammed: whose teachings declare that there are only two options apart from sharia law: death or subjection to servitude.
In the spirit of “speaking the truth in love” it must be stated with certainty that the Jewish world view is no friend to the Faith of Christ. Religious Jews hate Christians and teach that Jesus was the bastard son of a Jewish peasant girl. Zionist Jews (secular Israel) have driven Palestinian Christians from their homes throughout the area they control. The energy the West expends on Zionist Israel would better serve the Kingdom of Christ by being applied to the aid of Christians the Zionist have disenfranchised. Disciples of the Way (Apostolic) is opposed to the support of a political/religious system which rejected their Messiah and wars, even today, against His Kingdom. Christians who believe and teach Christian Zionism are misguided and must be instructed from their error.
Although Christianity claims one-third of the earth’s population the enemy that she is facing in the 21st century is unprecedented in its ferocity. Disciples of the Way (Apostolic) will offer Christians a way to man-up in the face of the aggressive challenge coming from both Islam and Judaism.
To facilitate the the strengthening of feminine Christianity, to help position her as the militant force in the earth she must become, Disciples of the Way (Apostolic) proposes the blending of two ancient warrior/priest paradigms: the Warriors of Light of the Essenes - an ancient Jewish sect of the time of Christ and His apostles, and the Celtic Culdees (warrior society of the Celtic Church). Indeed, many historians see them to be one and the same. It is argued that the Essenes were transported to the British Isles in A.D. 37 by the Jewish Christians who accompanied Joseph of Arimathea. In this view the Jewish Essenes became the Celtic Culdees.
Continuing in the tradition of the Essene/Culdee, Disciples of the Way (Apostolic) will vouchsafe the deposit of faith that has been committed to the church by whatever means the Holy Spirit allows through the teachings of the holy Scripture; and, will propagate the Gospel of Christ throughout the earth.
Disciples of the Way (Apostolic) will be comprised of communities called Abbeys (physical and virtual). Each Abbey will be organized with the following structure: Novices, Culdees, Warriors of Light, Bishop, and an Abbot who serves under an Abbot General.
The Novice:
Upon entering association with Disciples of the Way (Apostolic) one enters his/her novitiate. The novitiate is a probation period where the novice may determine his/her suitability to the ministry of Culdee. The most important lesson for the novice to learn is obedience to the Mysteries of the Faith. The novice has no vote in the community.
The Culdee:
A Culdee is any person who has entered the office of Warrior Monk; and, who freely binds himself/herself to service either for a limited time or for life, and who accepts the sitting Abbot General as his/her earthly commander in chief. The Culdee advances through seven degrees of discipleship to attain to the position of a Warrior of Light. Each Culdee shall have an equal vote to elect his/her Abbot.
The Warrior Of Light:
A Warrior of Light shall be any Culdee who has mastered all seven degrees of discipleship, who has freely taken an oath of service for life, and who accepts the sitting Abbot General as his/her earthly commander in chief. Only the Warriors of Light may vote for a new Abbot General.
Bishop:
The Bishop shall be a Warrior of Light who has received the calling and unction of the Holy Spirit to be the Spiritual overseer and confessor for the community. Upon the manifestation of this calling and unction the Bishop shall be appointed by the Abbot who occupies the seat of Moses in the community with the Bishop occupying the seat of Aaron.
Abbot:
The Abbot shall be of the Warriors of Light and shall be elected for life. In the case of a new Abbey the Abbot may be appointed by the Abbot General. The Abbot sits in the seat of Moses and exercises full temporal authority over the community. The Abbot will acquiesce in spiritual matters to the judgement of the Bishop. The Abbot may be male or female.
Abbot General:
The Abbot General shall be of the Warriors of Light and shall be elected by that class of the Culdees for life. The Abbot General is recognized as the earthly commandeer in chief of all Abbeys. It will be assumed that the Abbot General alone hears from God in matters which concerns Disciples of the Way (Apostolic), through God's Word, spirit filled counselors, and direct inspiration. The Abbot General may be male or female.
The Community:
Disciples of the Way (Apostolic) will consist of communities called Abbeys. A mature Abbey will consist of thirteen persons: the Abbot and his/her Culdees. In the true spirit of the Celtic tradition the Abbey will be made up of both male and female Culdees which may include family units. When and where possible the members of an Abbey should live in close physical community. However, when separated by great distances Culdees will function as members of a Virtual Abbey.
The Mission Of The Abbey:
The mission of Disciples of the Way (Apostolic) is the defense and the propagation of the Kingdom Gospel of Jesus the Messiah. This is a polemic mission of Apologetics. The Lord of all the earth has chosen preaching as the means of salvation for the world; therefore the Culdee will be master swordsman in the craft of spiritual warfare. Education of the Culdee is the foremost objective of each Abbey. The Abbey must strife to provide the intelligentsia for its secular community. False religion, and especially false teaching within Christianity, will be confronted at every opportunity. The marching orders of the Abbey is “Educate and Engage.”
Veneration Of The Family:
The cohesiveness of every society is the family unit. Disciples of the Way (Apostolic) emphasizes the veneration of the family. The love shared between a man and a woman which in turn produces offspring as holy seed is considered the ultimate will of Father God for His children. (Consequently, the practice of homosexuality is an affront to the human race and is not to be looked upon with any degree of toleration; the practice of such a lifestyle betrays the fundamental purpose of mankind.)
Children of believing parents are holy seed; who qualify for all kingdom prerogatives. Such offspring are born into covenant privileges and are not to be considered as aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel, but are citizens by right of birth. Consequently, children born to Christians are Christians by birthright and eligible for all Kingdom blessings.
Children are to be initiated into the community through a series of rites of passage. Christian baptism is to be administered by eight days old; following the Old Testament example of circumcision; first Holy Communion will be administered at eight years of age; confirmation into the faith at 12 years of age; and ordained a warrior monk at 18 years old.
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