Determining the Orthodoxy: L4 & L5

L4: Formalized Membership

The formalized membership body is the official home of the doctrine. It is set up partly to enable adherents to serve their identity and interests in society. However, above all, it exists to provide a focus for organised dedication to the perpetuation and use of the orthodox doctrine. Non-member adherents may, and often do, develop the doctrine independently but the likelihood of abandoning the strict orthodoxy then increases greatly.

Centre

Dynamic Duality: The created institute is a social embodiment of school's orthodoxy, and this is a group matter. At the same time, maintenance of the institution is the task of each individual member who cares about the doctrine and its orthodox perpetuation.

So, in the Tree, this level becomes a single balanced Centre:
 L4_B is labeled Membership Institution.

Psychosocial Pressure :

The Stage pressure is autonomy—the members of the institute need to personally choose to work in it and for it or energy will fade away and little will get done. The Root psychosocial pressure is well-being which links with the expectations of members to benefit from their social body sustains and the way it represents the doctrine in wider society.

Channels

L4 ↔ L3

The institute is maintained by its members' continuous focus on the doctrine and its proper formulation and application. So repetitive re-statements of the doctrine, examples of the value of the doctrine and especially creation of standardized materials-L3_P are basic ways to identify with the School and the School to know itself. Members typically find this work gratifying and their acceptance and appreciation by the School keeps them involved and supportive.

L4_B ↔ L3_P Channel is labeled: School Identification.

Membership bodies-L4_B support dissemination-L3_S in order to attract new adherents. Events run in this way allow informal contact between members and interested individuals and provide an opportunity to explain the role of the institute-L4_B.

L4_B ↔ L3_S Channel is labeled: School Expansion.

L4 ↔ L2: 

The membership body-L4_B grows through new individuals joining, but requires such applicants to be indoctrinated via mentoring-L2_B.. This is to ensure genuine adherence to the orthodoxy, and protect the reputation and future of the school. So this activity is promoted and endorsed. Those engaged in personalized mentoring-L2_B promote their membership and endorse the membership body in regard to its concern to maintain standards.

L4_B ↔ L2_B Channel is labeled: School Endorsement

L4 ↔ L1:

The doctrinal fundamentals (L1) do not determine or affect the membership association (L4) directly, and vice versa, so there is no direct channel.

L5: Recognized Guardianship

If the doctrine is to outlive its founder and early adherents, a focus on guarding is integrity and ensure orthodox transmission is necessary. The doctrine is transmitted in practice: first, by following statements of the orthodoxy without argument or doubt; and second, by appreciating the doctrine through listening and learning from charismatic masters, and naturally identifying with them. These approaches naturally impact on Centres in other levels.

Centres

Dynamic Duality: The two types of guardians of the doctrine tht were identified: socially determined orthodox leaders and emergent personal masters of the doctrine correspond to the duality.

So this level in the Tree will generate two polarized but connected Centres:
L5_P and L5_S.

L5_P is labeled Doctrinal Expositions by Masters
L5_S is labeled Orthodox Leaders' Formulations.

Maintenance of the school as a viable group unified by its doctrine depends on orthodox formulations. Depending on the unpredictable views of charismatic masters is risky as they may lead to doctrinal schisms that split the membership body. So the social pole is dominant and placed on the right in the Tree.

Psychosocial Pressure :

The Stage psychosocial pressure is certainty, which is what adherent must accept and what guardians must communicate as part of their role. The Root psychosocial pressure is understanding: all pronouncements by guardians must be properly understood if they are to function as the basis for effective and secure transmission of the orthodoxy.

Channels

L5 

The two L5-Centres are linked because Masters get their strength, trust and validation from their deep immersion in and appreciation of orthodox formulations. Orthodox formulations benefit from life injected by Masters, but only as long as divergence does not go too far. Masters reject rules and slavish adherence to custom, and so what they say has the potential to sow division or even create a schism.

L5_S↔ L3_P Channel is labeled School Tensions.

L5 ↔ L4

The requirement for secure transmission puts an onus on the membership body.

What orthodox leaders say counts because their formulations are the basis for the rationale of the institute, and create the common bond of members. Official orthodoxy provides the substance of its mission to perpetuate the doctrine. 

L5_S↔ L4_B Channel is labeled School Unification.

The opportunity to learn from charismatic masters is typically highly valued and sought after by members and the membership body looks for ways to take advantage of this by creating events. Expositions by masters generate excitement and may attract large crowds.

L5_P↔ L4_B Channel is labeled School Enthusiasm.

L5 ↔ L3 

There is a natural link between guardianship of the doctrine and its dissemination. In this case, there are 4 possible channels.

Orthodox leader formulations (L5_S) directly impact on the creation of standardized materials (L3_S). Those materials are expected to adhere to conventions and may need to be approved as orthodox.

L5_S ↔ L3_P Channel is labeled Doctrinal Conformity

However, dissemination projects (L3_S) are only indirectly impacted by orthodox formulations. Projects seek to expand and support the institute (L4_B) and this is what determines what particular aspects of the orthodoxy should be disseminated.

So there is no directL5_S↔ L3_S Channel.

Expositions by charismatic masters (L5_P) will directly activate and facilitate dissemination efforts, and the projects may also engage and involve the masters who often desire to participate.

L5_P ↔ L3_S Channel is labeled School Initiatives

However expositions of masters (L5_P) are too idiosyncratic and potentially socially risky for an ordinary member to use them as the basis for creating standardized materials (L3_P) unless and until aspects of those teachings have been vetted either by the orthodox guardian (L5_S) or by the membership body (L4_B).

So there is no direct L5_P ↔ L3_P Channel.

L5 ↔ L2 & L1

L5 ↔ L2: Guardian positions (L5) do not directly influence mentoring (L2) which must focus on the immediate need to provide doctrinal understanding related to a particular person and issue. Any influences would need to be mediated by the membership institution (L4) or dissemination activities (L3). Nor does mentoring (L2) influence guardians (L5). So there is no direct channel.

L5 ↔ L1: As at L4, affirming fundamentals (L1) does not influence guardians (L4) and vice versa. So there can be no direct channel.

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• Continue to Levels 6 and 7 which enable modification of the orthodoxy.

Originally posted: 4-Dec-2022. Last updated: 10-Apr-2024.