The Prelacy

The Prelacy is a sect of the Army of the Truthful that deals with interpretation of the Codex of Flame in accordance with Truth for implementation in the Law of Flame, which is enforced by the Inquisition of Truth. It is led by Archlector Isambard Trask.

Background
The Prelacy is a collection of scholars, priests and clerics who adhere to the doctrine of Truth. They act in an official capacity for the Kingdom of the Light in regards to interpretation of the Codex of Flame and codifying it into the Law of Flame.

Unlike the Clergy of the Holy Light of the south, the Prelacy is focused upon collective consensus as opposed to strict hierarchy. Jurisprudence and the dominant school of thought is generally promulgated downward from the Archlector, although this diffusion of theory is not codified in law, only practice.

Schools of Thought
Jurisprudence, or creeds as they are often called, are divided into two main extant branches within the Prelacy. There is a third, Abbendism, although it is outlawed within the Kingdom of the Light.

Mercy Creed
The Mercy Creed, composing roughly a third of the Prelacy, agrees on the strict punishment of apostasy and other crimes within the bounds of Truth.

However, the mercy creed believes in a certain amount of leniency extended for both those unfamiliar with Truth as well as first-time offenders.

The mercy creed is known for advocating for a bottom-to-top theory of expanding the Kingdom of the Light, believing in a popular movement of Truth bringing about the Light's kingdom in all places, and a gradual implementation of the Law of Flame with an emphasis on education.

Sanctity Creed
The Sanctity Creed, composing the remaining two thirds of the Prelacy, differs from the Mercy Creed in that it believes in strict, literalist punishment and and a top-to-bottom approach of expanding the Kingdom of the Light.

The current and dominant creed among members of the prelacy and Truthful as a whole, the top-to-bottom approach entails an elite vanguard of crusaders expanding the Kingdom by sword, and promulgating Truth by force if necessary upon the conquered populace.

Duties
Duties of the Prelacy include preservation of sacred texts, transcription, safeguarding of artifacts, interpretation of texts, education, and bureaucracy among others. A cleric of the prelacy may fight upon the front line, although it is not expected, generally speaking.

Administration
In addition to the intellectual and spiritual duty enjoined upon the prelacy, the more mundane task of administrating the territories under the Kingdom of the Light's control falls to the Prelacy.

There are four bureaus under the jurisdiction of the Prelacy. They are as follows:

Leadership
Leading the sect is the High Scholar whose duty it is to ensure that all of the bureaus under his care are operating at the best performance possible. It is also the duty of the High Scholar to speak on the Council of Truth, providing one third of the voting power required to make grand changes to the Kingdom of the Holy Light. Finally, it is the High Scholar who produces and presents decrees for the Council of Truth and the Light’s Kingdom, making the High Scholar the “Voice of the Truthful.”  The current High Scholar is Isambard Trask, a former Knight-Champion of the Grand Alliance and Knight of Stormwind, known now as ‘the Declamatory’ for his penchant to speak loud and often about matters of faith. He has also taken the title of ‘Archlector’ in recognition of his earlier tasks; it serves as the same rank as ‘High Scholar.’