The Gilnean Declaration of Free Ecclesiastical Investiture was a declaration made by King Genn Greymane of the Kingdom of Gilneas following the separation of Gilneas from the rest of Azeroth by the creation of the Greymane Wall in 1124 F.A.. The declaration instated the rite of free investiture, where the liege lords of Gilneas proper could appoint their own bishops/heads of their diocese. The declaration allowed for the appointment of various bishops outside of the control of the Archbishop of the Holy Church and later resulted in the appointment of Archbishop of Gilneas, Seryl I.
Reasoning[]
The declaration was made in part due to the separation of the Gilnean peoples from the Church of the Holy Light as a proper district of the church's ruling. Deciding that investiture would ensure the continuation of the light's doctrines after being sealed off from the Church as a whole, King Genn Greymane passed the Declaration of Free Investiture, which allowed secular lords to appoint bishops over their region. To oversee the kingdom as a whole however, King Greymane took it a step forward and declared Fenegan Nessing, the lead bishop within Gilneas City as Archbishop of Gilneas. Dubbed Seryl I, the new archbishop worked in tandem with the priests of Gilneas in order to prevent corruption from overbearing the kingdom with the new lord's freedoms. As such, while Lords were permitted to appoint as they pleased, said bishops would under go scrutiny from the main body of the church within Gilneas City, and those deemed heretical were sometimes excommunicated or removed from post. This was done to avoid simony, or the selling of church positions, or appointment of overly corrupt officials within the body of the church.
Stance Today[]
The Declaration remained active until the creation of the Diocese of Gilneas which removed all former diocese within the kingdom. As per request, the king over turned the decree, though it was made a point that should Gilneas be restored, secular lieges should be given say in who is appointed to the various priests appointed to their regions.