Chapter 32
Translator: volt
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Doctrine
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< Doctrine >
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"... Nemo? "
"Eleanor."
Eleanor Dare dared to speak up.
"I can't... I just can't understand it. I don't know what it means to put people first, to cherish all of humanity."
"... "
"Please, enlighten us in our ignorance. I just can't... uh... "
"When you pose a question."
Nemo placed his hand on her head.
"Do not hold fear in your heart."
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"The desire to know is the noblest part of your soul. To feel shame in ignorance and yearn for wisdom—that is the greatest mindset you can embrace."
"...If that's true, then please, tell us."
At her words, Nemo slowly turned to those around him and spoke.
"The true light that comes into this world gives light to everyone (John 1:9). Those who receive Him become children of God (John 1:12).
Do you understand? The Lord shines His light upon all who live. He who came as light becomes the light of all humanity, dwelling eternally in their hearts.
The Lord who came as light resides in every heart. Nurture that light, and you shall find salvation.
Are you not the Lord's equal children, formed by His own breath blown into the dust?
Follow the conscience He has given you."
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Thomas Harriot's hand trembled as he gripped his pen.
Everyone fell silent.
The Lord dwells in every heart. Find salvation through Him. Follow your conscience.
This was no mere pleasant sermon. This was...
A new doctrine.
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"The Lord is truly merciful. Care for all humanity and shape them in the likeness of angels. At the resurrection, you will be like the angels in heaven (Matthew 22:30).
Feed them well so they do not steal from the hungry. Give them love so they do not kill. That is the true way to keep His commandments."
At the angel's words, everyone held their tongues.
His message was not merely kind.
It was a sharp blade.
Everyone felt it.
This was entirely different from the words Nemo had spoken before.
He who had only urged them to love one another and repent was now clearly addressing the church's doctrines.
They stood at a crossroads.
This was Nemo's will.
They believed it was also the Lord's.
No one imagined it came from the Korean Christian Denominations Encyclopedia (1997 edition) left behind by Nemo's 'Father'.
There was a reason Nemo chose this doctrine.
By vaguely emphasizing 'follow your conscience', conflicts over doctrine within the sect could be minimized.
If doctrinal disputes arose, questions like 'What is an angel?' or 'How should angels act?' would pile up among the faithful...
They would become arrows and shackles flying straight at Nemo.
Thus, by preventing doctrinal strife, he emphasized social action and the pursuit of knowledge, channeling passion in another direction.
A safe one, especially so no arrows turned back on Nemo himself.
This doctrine safeguarded Nemo's own freedom and safety.
"Th-then... does that mean we must care for all of humanity?"
"Yes. That is the Lord's will."
This time, Manteo spoke.
"But... I've heard the Lord is jealous. He punishes those who serve other gods."
"... "
"And beyond the eastern lands of Europe, I've heard there are so many who worship other gods or the same God differently. Whom should we care for and whom should we abandon..."
"The Lord."
Interrupting Manteo, Nemo spoke as the sun blazed brilliantly behind him.
"Abandons no one."
"...Ah!"
"He made every nation of humanity from one blood and settled them across the earth (Acts 17:26).
How can you divide Catholic from Anglican, Englishman from Frenchman or Algonquin?
Care only for the Lord's myriad peoples."
This doctrine served the same purpose.
The less internal doctrinal strife between factions, the freer Nemo became.
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Regardless of the behind-the-scenes truth, all were stunned into silence.
Harriot's hand stilled, White murmured the Lord's Prayer, and Gonzalez clasped his hands demurely.
Everyone trembled faintly, embracing this wondrous moment.
Original sin, justification by faith, priesthood of all believers, and so on.
From the outside, they seemed like empty quarrels.
But petty debates over how many angels fit on a pinhead or whether laymen should drink wine at communion determined everything.
Doctrines were the skeleton of the church. From them extended its structure and worldview.
And now, that very doctrine was being revealed.
Those like Harriot and Ralegh could swiftly envision the church to come.
An egalitarian, democratic, free church.
One that, under normal circumstances, lacked a center and might scatter or weaken at any moment.
Where egalitarianism became anarchy, democracy disorder, and freedom licentiousness.
Yet.
They had an immortal angel as their center.
This church would neither corrupt nor vanish.
-"Follow the conscience given to you by the Lord."
This light would not be a feeble glowworm but a blaze to scorch the world.
The Lord had issued a new commandment.
Humanity.
Dedication.
Like apostles filled with the Holy Spirit, they were now bound to spread this word to the world's corners.
They had been chosen for this holy duty.
For this, the angel descended to Croatoan, the world's edge.
For this, he saved thirty Englishmen and the Spanish forces.
For this, he converted Walter Ralegh and performed miracles before multitudes.
Eleanor Dare, Thomas Harriot, Manteo, Vicente Gonzalez, John White, Walter Ralegh.
Six in all.
Exactly half the Lord's twelve apostles.
Walter Ralegh, enraptured by the realization, shed tears...
"...Huh?"
"Walter Ralegh, what is it?"
"No, I, well..."
Suddenly, something struck him.
He fidgeted, breaking into a cold sweat. Amid the puzzled stares, Ralegh squeezed his eyes shut and asked the angel.
"It's... a trivial question. I'm truly sorry to raise something so petty and childish in this moving, sacred moment, but..."
"Just speak."
"That... uh..."
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Thomas Harriot.
Why plant this curiosity in my heart and let it creep up now, of all times?
Thinking this inwardly, Ralegh shut his eyes tight and cried out.
"Aren't Adam and Eve the ancestors of humanity?"
"Hm."
"And among their children, Cain, Abel, and Seth—the Bible mentions three sons!"
"Indeed."
"How did they have descendants?!"
"... "
"...W-well, does that mean incest? Or were there other created humans not in the Bible?
If the former, then humanity inevitably sinned, making us all sinners... No, did the Lord lead us to sin...?
If the latter, why do those who never ate the fruit bear original sin...?"
As Ralegh cautiously finished, the angel smiled faintly.
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Silence fell instantly.
The others shot Ralegh reproachful looks for asking now, yet pricked up their ears, curiosity piqued, focusing on the angel's lips.
'...Why?'
'Come to think of it...'
'Who did Cain marry? His sister?'
'Adam lived 930 years, so probably unmentioned children.'
'Was incest not sin back then?'
In the hall now brimming with irreverent curiosity, the angel's voice soon rang out.
"You... are foolish."
"...Pardon?"
Sir Ralegh's eyes widened at the sudden words as he looked up at the angel.
His expression barely changed, but disappointment tinged his voice.
"I thought you wise, yet how can you shatter the Lord's holy, serene moment with such wordplay?"
"...Forgive me."
"Nothing is harder than giving meaningful answers to meaningless questions.
However."
The angel smiled gently.
"I have a story for you."
"A-anything, speak! My ears are open to you!"
"Do you truly believe the Lord created the world in six days?"
"...Pardon?"
The unexpected question left Ralegh speechless. The others trembled, minds blank at the angel's words.
The angel had just denied Genesis 1 from his own lips.
"B-but... then what of the Sabbath..."
"You."
Interrupting Ralegh, Nemo's holy voice resounded.
"Do you know what makes day and night?"
"...The sun and moon."
"Yes. Then when did the Lord create the sun and moon?"
"After He created light, separated heaven and sea, and made plants and fruits—on the fourth day... Huh?"
"You. How did you count to the fourth day?"
"...Ah."
This was the teaching of Origen, the third-century Church Father.
"The Word is infinite, but human words and writings are finite. The Word is infinite, yet the intellect and hands recording it are finite.
Holy Scripture gathers the Word, but the infinite Word cannot be fully contained in the finite. Thus, Scripture abounds in metaphors."
Ah.
"Revere Scripture as holy, yet do not fixate on every letter and stray from the Word. Those obsessed with the letter worship the letter as an idol."
"...I dared confine the Lord's will to mere words—my sin is great!"
"If you understand, that's enough. Now..."
"...But I still don't see how this connects to whether others existed besides Adam and Eve. Pity my ignorance."
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Ralegh peeked up at Nemo from his bowed head.
For the first time, a troubled look crossed Nemo's face.
Nemo remained silent for a long while. Time dragged until the waves and their uncomfortable kneeling postures grew distracting.
Finally, Nemo spoke.
"...The faithful's questions please the Lord.
When the Lord received Peter, Jacob, Thomas—what did He say?
He is King of all men, Lord of all things. Yet when He came to earth and gathered people, how did He call them?
Did He call His followers servants?"
"N-no."
"Then what?"
"...Disciples."
"Your words are true."
Nemo's voice was solemn, yet his smile gentle. It held a great king's dignity and a mother's tenderness.
"Disciples learn and question. The Son of Man received disciples, not servants—this proves He wished people to question, does it not?"
"Ah, aah!"
"Ask, and it shall be answered. Seek and seek again. Strive to know and understand.
Question.
That is my second commandment to you."
"...Ah! I was truly foolish..."
"Thus, I shall answer you now."
Overwhelmed by emotion, Ralegh momentarily forgot his question, then recalled it.
Ah, right.
He had asked how Adam and Eve's children reproduced.
Was humanity born of incest?
Or were there other humans?
If the former, was incest not sin in the beginning?
If the latter, why did original sin persist?
Nemo answered.
"...Have you seen the dawn of creation, or that ancient past no one remembers?"
"... "
"Have you seen when beasts and minerals blurred, when all creatures' distinctions faded...
When monkey fathers and human fathers were one?"
"Monkeys and humans... Pardon?"
"Yes."
"A-ah... Pardon?"
"Indeed."
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"...This universe is far older than you imagine. Between heaven and earth lie more things than your philosophy dreams.
Rejoice in that truth. Rejoice that more remains to discover than what you've found. Praise the Lord, eternal beyond eons."
"...Pardon? Uh, uh, yes?"
"Cling not to the tale of Adam and Eve. Hold only their sin and pride, and the Lord's immense love."
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No one dared speak amid the shocking words.
"...Thus shall you gain wisdom."
Nemo continued before his shell-shocked followers.
"Scripture holds the Word of truth, but Scripture is not the Word itself. The Word is infinite; Scripture is human. Always seek.
Explore the Word spanning this world the Lord shaped, and pursue knowledge of His will! Illuminate ignorance!"
"...A, amen."
Eleanor, imagining humans clambering like monkeys, murmured blankly. Nemo nodded to her.
And then.
"Ah, aah...!"
Vicente bolted up and strode to the back. All stared in surprise, but he didn't stop.
The Spaniard called out.
"Come out now. I know you're there."
"... "
Kuduk.
A man hidden behind a tree trunk slowly stood and knelt before Nemo and the apostles.
"S-sorry. I, I, I couldn't contain my curiosity, so..."
"... "
"I am Francis Bacon.
Th-thank you for... s-saving me. I'll never forget that grace. I wanted so badly to see you again..."
Nemo walked through the crowd to Bacon, who still trembled.
Shaking all over, he repeated, "The Lord truly exists. Truly, truly...!"
"It's alright."
"... "
"You look like you have something to ask."
"...Yes? No, I... I do have a question...!"
Kneeling, Bacon half-sobbed his query.
"Why... why did you save me? Am I not responsible for your assassination attempt?"
Nemo leaned close and whispered.
"...When a person saves another, seek no reason."
Bacon's eyes widened.
He bowed repeatedly, trembling.
"Th-thank you..."
A man approached the weeping Bacon, steadying him. Nemo asked him.
"And who are you?"
"Pardon? I'm just an actor. I came for inspiration and sightseeing, and when the doctor here suggested it..."
"An actor? Not a playwright?"
"H-how did you...?"
"I've seen your portrait."
Recognizing the familiar face, Nemo smiled and nodded.
"Then, Mr. Shakespeare, please take good care of Mr. Bacon."
Shakespeare, stunned to hear his name from the angel, shuddered briefly before nodding blankly.
"You all are humanity's light."
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"Fulfill your duty."
They offered prayers to the angel.
Harriot finished his records.
The Gospel would be rewritten.
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