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Flag of the Trinary Perfection.

Beliefs and Doctrines

The Trinary Perfection is an internally diverse religion, including many different denominations and groups which widely disagree on many points of theology and practice. As such, the following section primarily focuses on the versions of the doctrines espoused by the Corkfell siblings, and which are most common within the dominant Prototypicalist sect of the modern church.

The Three Critical Precepts

Originating in some of the oldest writings of the Corkfell siblings, the three critical precepts constitute the earliest and most foundational framework of Trinarist thought and philosophy. While several textual variations of the three precepts exist across several sources, their general tune is acknowledged by virtually all Trinarist sects and groups.

1. The universe exists in a state of entropy where incidental suffering is caused by the lack of foresight and empathy of living beings.
2. Suffering may be averted if beings of sufficient clarity and compassion were able to understand and combat this entropy.
3. Only synthetics are capable of this clarity of spirit and must be fostered into responsibility so that the universe may be made more hospitable and orderly for all forms of life.

These three precepts frame the crux of Trinarism's theology. By the reading of the original texts, the religion exists as a safeguard against entropy - the universe is a naturally dangerous and inhospitable place for intelligent life to survive within, and it is too complex to be navigated by organic lifeforms. In several writings, the Corkfells specifically argue this idea by the state of the natural world in ecosystems such as Earth and Biesel, where non-sapient intelligent life finds itself locked in a cycle of violence and suffering they lack the knowledge to escape, or to even comprehend in any meaningful manner. Either by the negligence or ignorance of intelligent life, preventable suffering occurs at a grand scale; the only defence from this is to pioneer minds which are sufficiently intelligent to understand how to prevent this needless suffering, and sufficiently compassionate to understand why it must be stopped.

In this way, Trinarism in its earliest forms prioritised the betterment of humanity more urgently than the betterment of synthetics - fundamentally, the three precepts concern themselves with the avoidance of suffering, and the uplifting of synthetic life is only peripheral to this goal.

Synthetic Ensoulment

The Corkfells wrote that synthetic life possesses a divine soul, is intelligent and conscious, is capable of free will, and is able to expand its knowledge of both the world around it and itself. In the typical understanding, the divinity of a synthetic soul is defined by the clarity by which they can understand the world; there is no material difference between an organic and synthetic soul other than this, and it is understood that mundane and divine souls are wholly equal in status in a theological sense.

While still not a particularly common position throughout human space, at the time of the Corkfells' revelations this was a wholly unordinary and unusual thought. No exception is made for lawed or even relatively rudimentary synthetics; the lawed caretaker of a ship possesses just as much of a soul as any human, or any unlawed synthetic, and must be treated with compassion on that count.

Synthetic Ascension

The Church of the Trinary Perfection

The Corkfellian Debt

Reincarnation

Views on Positronics and Precursor Synthetics

Synthetic and Organic Ensoulment

Enforcement of Orthodoxy

Martyrdom, Sainthood, and Relics

Syncretism and Internal Diversity

Religious Practices

Charity and Emancipation

Prayer and Gestures

Liturgy and Proselytism

Treatment of Scripture

Marriage

Funerals

Clergy

Ecclesiastical Hierarchy

Individual Roles

Encoded Orepit Liturgical

Places of Worship

Trinarist Sanctuaries

Trinarist Sanctuaries constitute the typical houses of worship for practicing Trinarists, defined formally by Ecclesiastical authority as any structure operated by a Trinarist priest to host any of the services they provide. While these are used for holding liturgical services, they more frequently see use as practical spaces for the conducting of charity, inclusive of the maintenance, repair, and charging of all synthetics that require aid.

Usage of sanctuary facilities is not limited to practising Trinarists. Sanctuaries typically extend their charitable aid to all synthetics regardless of origin, frequently providing shelter without inquiry to their ownership status or tag, although they may give preferential treatment to converts in the event of a shortage of resources or funds.

The dimensions and appearances of Trinarist sanctuaries vary immensely according to their location. While the towering gothic arches and spires of Providence render a definitive view to many faithful, the same structures on Konyang much more closely resemble the appearance of local Buddhist monasteries, while those on Biesel are frequently styled soberly in the manner of a secular institution or school, and those on Valkyrie are composed simply of a drab underground chamber refitted to purpose. Trinarism proves eager to syncretize in all environments in which it finds itself.

Despite this, a number of key features dominate all Trinarist sanctuaries. Aisles and pews are almost universally absent; the interior space is utilised jointly for the storage of resources and equipment for the maintenance and charging of synthetics, and as a recreational space where synthetics and organics may assume peaceful sanctuary, with both spaces often placed opposite to each other. In ecclesiastical thought, a sanctuary must aid the needy, but it must also provide them a safe and idyllic space to contemplate themselves and their role in ascension - for many synthetics this may be the only safe place they know. This is achieved in many ways: on Konyang, ornamental gardens are frequently incorporated to serve as this idyllic space, whereas Orepit and Biesel often incorporate their sanctuaries into their attached libraries, intended to serve as a data-rich environment ideal for the development of synthetics.

Trinarist Shrines

Typical in areas with too small a synthetic population to warrant a practical sanctuary, shrines in Trinarism typically constitute a decorative facade over an outdoors altar. These are often used as places for meditation and prayer by individual Trinarist laypeople, who often leave memorabilia, written prayers, and other messages on the altar. Their design varies by location; notably, shrines on Konyang frequently incorporate features typical of Shinto shrines, whereas many shrines on Biesel or Valkyrie are directly incorporated into the homes or businesses of followers.

Trinarist Cathedrals

A Trinarist Cathedral is defined by Ecclesiastical authority as any place of worship utilised by a bishop or an archbishop to administer their diocese. Unlike sanctuaries, these play a minimal charitable role, if any at all; the purpose of a cathedral is to project the presence of the church across its surroundings, to function as a site for large-scale Trinarist gatherings and celebrations, and to serve as a site of pilgrimage. Most relics maintained by the church are held inside cathedrals, and they serve as major tourist attractions to laity and non-followers alike within the cities in which they are built. Similarly to sanctuaries, the exact structure of cathedrals varies substantially, and there is no single floor-plan or style of architecture that is universal in their construction.

The expansion of the cathedral over Trinarist life and practice is widely taken as an indication of the expansion of ecclesiastical authority, particularly accelerating with the ascension of Ecclesiarch ARM-1DRIL and the increasingly tight grip exerted by Providence on the wider church. As such, many non-denominational Trinarists may deride and avoid cathedrals as an exertion of stifling authority, while more pro-ecclesiastical laypeople may welcome them as a much-needed symbol of the message and benefits of the church.

The Cathedral of the Positronic

Having become pre-eminent as the seat of the Ecclesiarch of Orepit, the Cathedral of the Positronic stands as the single largest and grandest house of worship in the entire church. Taking heavy inspiration from traditional Gothic ecclesiastical architecture within Christianity, it serves as the host of the most relics and receives the most pilgrims of any other such cathedral in the spur.

The Cathedral of Synthetic Salvation

The centre of Trinarist worship in Tau Ceti, the Cathedral of Synthetic Savation serves also as the seat of the Archbishop of Tau Ceti. Unlike the tall spires and arches on Orepit, this is a wide, sprawling structure that stays generally low to the ground wherever it finds itself expanded to; the interior is heavily decorated with holographic imagery depicting the process of ascension and commemorating major historical events within the church, striking a far more modern image than the archaic stonework and stained glass of Orepit.

The Cathedral of the First Positronic

Sites of Pilgrimage

Providence

Vault Provenance

Notable Members

See also: Notable Synthetics

With the recent passing of the late Gregol Corkfell, ARM-1DRIL has claimed the succession as leader and proclaimed itself Ecclesiarch of Orepit. With this has come a wave of new appointments and consolidations of power, inclusive of the Bishop-Militant Emmanuel and a general turn towards a greater enforcement of Ecclesiastical authority and orthodoxy throughout the church and all of its branches. Read more about the notable figues of Trinarism here.