The Decree Passive
The Decree Passive is a canon law, detailed here on Lexicanum. This article provides my fanon history and interpretation of the law, and its practical implications.
The Decree Passive is a decree promulgated by High Lords of Terra in 288.M36 in the aftermath of the Reign of Blood which placed severe limitations on the Ecclesiarchy's ability to wage war. It forbade the Ecclesiarchy to "gather, train, promote, sustain or in any way command any force of men under arms."
Despite the fact it is most commonly presented as a restriction forced on the Ecclesiarchy by the High Lords, this is not entirely accurate. Sebastian Thor was the Ecclesiarch, a High Lord of Terra himself - the Decree was more an agreed negotiation than something imposed on the Ecclesiarchy. Nor did Thor accept a restriction grudgingly or as a necessary-evil to allow the Ecclesiarchy to survive - he saw it as advantageous, allowing the Ecclesiarchy an independence of action as well as a dedicated internal policing and investigation arm.
Men is interpreted narrowly and pedantically as "human males" - it is this interpretation which allows for the vast majority of the Ecclesiarchy's forces (including the Adepta Sororitas). "Men" are both human and male - so non-humans do not violate the Decree, and neither do women. In practice, non-humans are not commonly employed by the Ecclesiarchy because of the anathema against xenos (although xenos mercenaries could be employed and would not violate the Decree).
"Human" and "male" are defined genetically, according to the policies of the Adeptus Mechanicus biologists. Mutants and abhumans, while deviant, are human (certain strains of human-derived entities are deemed to deviate sufficiently they are no longer human, such as the Scalies found on Necromunda and in the sewers of the 'Dust Zone).
Males are those possessing both X and Y chromosomes - XYY or XXY trisomy would violate the Decree. Neither gender identification based on non-chromosomal factors, or surgical, traumatic and / or chemical castration and / or emasculation are considered when determining "male" status (this applies beyond the Decree in the wider Imperium, also). In practice, genetic testing is rarely used - instead, gross external physical examination is relied on to determine both human and male status. Surgical alteration or other deceptions to circumvent the Decree are, however, all-but-unheard of - the risk of discovery and subsequent penalties is too great. Technically speaking, the Decree is a prohibition against males, not a requiring of females. In theory, a human with a non-male gender would not violate the Decree. In practice, the Imperium does not recognize genders other than male or female so this does not apply. Although Astartes are arguably genderless transhumans, they were humans with XY chromosomes at conception and appear superficially male to gross external physical examination; they are considered "men" for the purposes of the Decree.
Servitors with Y chromosomes (even cloned or vat-grown) violate the Decree. It is for this reason the Gynosynthaeces Tactical are created from vat-grown females.
The Ecclesiarchy possesses a void fleet which includes armed warships. Commanding officers of armed vessels are female, as are officers and ratings below them who participate in the use of weapons. "Use of weapons" is generally understood as anything directly related to the discharge of the weapon - including target selection, aiming, loading, actual firing and issuing orders to do these things. Similarly, armed ratings and officers (armsmen, marines, etc.) aboard Ecclesiarchy voidships are female. Other roles including cleaning, maintenance and housekeeping duties may be performed by males and men may, of course, stand any watch on unarmed vessels.
However, the fact men cannot serve in all roles on warships limits their career progression - either they must remain on unarmed vessels, or accept they will never rise high in the chain of command. On Ecclesiarchy ships "rising high" is a literal as well as figurative statement - most have a tower (often styled as a statue of a saint or an aquilla) aft and above the navigation bridge (or wheelhouse) housing the senior officers' quarters, private chapels, recreation facilities as well as the command bridge. This tower is visible through the wheelhouse's main dorsal window, which takes the form of a stained glass ceiling. If an officer is promoted to the tower, she is said to have "broken the glass ceiling". Because of their gender, men cannot rise to the command ranks of a warship and so always remain "under the glass ceiling".
A New Doctrine
Sebastian Thor was a faithful and pious man, but at the core of all strains of the Imperial Creed lies a fierce pragmatism. The Creed was established as a means to unify the Imperium and ensure Manknd's survival in the face of a hostile galaxy. The High Lords of Terra all knew this and understood that to weaken the state cult would have consequences beyond the theological. Nevertheless, it was essential to curtail the military power of the Ecclesiarchy and to do so in a manner which was not easily circumvented, but also which did not leave the Adeptus Ministorum defenseless. The Decree Passive easily achieved the first on paper, and by the use of archaic language and a narrow interpretation the third was also achieved. To avoid it being circumvented, the mechanisms of the cult itself - rather than the Imperium as a whole - were used. Based on the arguments of Thor himself, the Decree Passive was promulgated not as a law or restriction, but a matter of doctrine or dogma. Much ink was spilled, many debates had and thousands of homilies given on precise theological interpretations and justifications, but the bottom line was simple - it was the teaching of the Ecclesiarchy, of the Emperor Himself even, that His church should have no warriors who were not human females. Many of the post hoc theological arguments dovetailed neatly with the Ecclesiarchy's teaching on women that their primary function is as wives and homemakers; all humans are children of the Emperor but sons go out to expand His empire while daughters remain at home and care for Him. In this theology, the Ecclesiarchy was the "home" of the Emperor but had no direct influence on foreign or military policy - an interpretation which both the Ecclesiarchy and the rest of the Terran Adeptus found advantageous. In erecting a wall between the church and the military, the High Lords both curtailed the Ecclesiarchy's influence over the rest of the Imperium, and also gave the Ecclesiarchy an independence of action. The depiction of a woman's role as an Ecclesiarchy warrior as a spiritual, religious calling encouraged piety and asceticism, meaning they internally policed the church for excesses of ambition or greed. The doctrine that only women could be warriors for the Ecclesiarchy was also easily interpreted and presented as that women could be warriors only for the Ecclesiarchy - this was popular on worlds without an excess of population where to shovel women into the meatgrinder of Imperial tactics was disadvantageous, or where encouraging traditional domesticity was valuable for socio-economic or public order reasons. As the Decree exists at a doctrinal level, punishment of a violation of it lies first with the Ecclesiarchy - while it is a criminal act and heresy is a secular as well as an ecclesial crime, an ecclesial court has primacy of jurisdiction in the event of a conflict. The Ecclesiarchy polices itself but reserves the right to decline to prosecute in individual cases - instead handing the case over to the secular courts. Similarly, the rest of the Imperium (be it local law enforcement like the Arbites in the case of an individual preacher raising an army or the High Lords in the event of a Cardinal doing the same) allows the Ecclesiarchy latitude but only in so far as the spirit of the law is maintained. Historically, the Ecclesiarchy has conspired to remove a troublesome cleric - turning a blind eye to or even encouraging his raising of an army, and then stepping aside and allowing the trial to proceed in secular courts. Generally speaking, experienced clerics and even secular law enforcement are now wise to this crude policy and it is not often used. But, as a consequence, the Decree Passive is now followed to the letter (and perhaps more strictly than it needs to be) in order to deny even a suggestion of impropriety.Interpretation of the Decree
The Decree is made up of individual elements. Generally speaking, they are understood to be;- The Ecclesiarchy
- gather, train, promote, sustain or in any way command
- any force
- men
- under arms
The Ecclesiarchy
The Ecclesiarchy is understood as not just the organization as a whole, but members of its clergy or those under the authority of it or them. This prevents a Cardinal (for example) hiring someone to raise an army. This refers only to explicit authority - an individual who works to achieve the ends of the Ecclesiarchy or even an individual cleric without formal connection or receiving explicit orders does not violate the Decree. Because of the Ecclesiarchy's status as state cult, this is open to abuse and individual interpretation; clerics are frequently ostentatiously careful to give no public guidance, instructions or encouragement to faithful eager to fight - often resulting in ill-disciplined mobs led by charismatic and well-meaning but misguided laity causing havoc. A specific case is made for Crusader orders - disciplined brotherhoods of warrior-monks devoted to the Emperor or a particular saint, and who fight the Imperium's enemies. Formally, these groups are laity and completely unrecognized by the Ecclesiarchy - they are, so far as the church is concerned, a group of laymen who gather together for prayer and fellowship. If guidance is offered, it is purely spiritual and offered individually and to a member as a parishioner of a particular cleric, not as a chaplain offering instruction to a group of which he is a member.Gather, Train, Promote, Sustain or in Any Way Command
Gather, train, promote, sustain or in any way command is understood in the light of "... or in any way command"; all of these sub-elements are viewed as kinds of authority. While it is possible to split hairs and argue there are military behaviors which, technically speaking, do not fall under "gathering, training, promoting or commanding", this element is generally interpreted broadly (if only for safety's sake). The Ecclesiarchy may not have any authority over a force of men under arms - be that authority in recruiting, training, logistics and supply, battlefield command, or any other kind of "being in charge". A number of common pseudo-exceptions are made; a cleric may (of course) extol the virtues of joining the military in a sermon or individual spiritual direction (he may even require it as a penance after confession). The cleric does not order or even encourage the individual to join - it is presented as a form of service to the Imperium which the cleric judges to be particular spiritually efficacious for that individual. In all cases, it is voluntary - even in the case of penance (an individual could choose an alternate penance, such as execution. This is the situation in the case of a canonical trial - the trying-of-fact serves as a "resisted confession" and the sentence is an imposed penance). A priest may function as a spiritual adviser to a regiment, company etc. of the Imperial military without violating the Decree; he is giving spiritual guidance to people who simply happen to be officers or men in the military - he exercises no authority and gives no orders. He will, of course, accompany them - men under the stresses of war are very much in need of spiritual solace. He himself, sustained by his prayers and devotion, may possess a clarity of thought a less pious man would not, resulting in his advice being both spiritually efficacious and practical. While commonly carrying weapons, priests are not "under arms" as they are not ordered to do so (see below). Arco-flagellation is imposed as a punishment on criminals by canonical courts. Arco-flagellation is a capital sentence not enforced conscription - the individual's activities on the battlefield are the method of his execution, and the psycho-surgical alteration preparation to carry out the sentence. Furthermore, the arco-flagellant is not under the command of the Ecclesiarchy - the "controlling" cleric does not give orders telling the arco-flagellant who to attack. Rather, he negatively defines who the arco-flagellant may not attack. No positive control at all is exercised over an arco-flagellant - something obvious to anyone who has survived fighting alongside one.Any Force
Any force is generally interpreted more broadly than strictly required, although the unique interpretation has a particular advantage to the Ecclesiarchy. "Any force" is not interpreted as a group under the same authority, but rather as one or more individuals. This interpretation closes the loophole of a mixed-gender unit being not "a force of men under arms" but rather "a force of men-and-women under arms" (thus allowing for armed males). However, it also means a mixed-gender unit commanded by the Ecclesiarchy is permissible provided individual men within it are not "under arms". This is particularly advantageous for the Ecclesiarchy void fleet (see below).Men
Under Arms
Under arms means to carry or use weapons on the orders of another. An individual (including a cleric) who is not ordered to carry weapons but chooses to do so does not violate the Decree (although in many jurisdictions of the Imperium a private citizen being armed is a secular crime), even if he is under the command of another. If he is commanded to use the weapon by the Ecclesiarchy the Decree is violated. If he chooses to use it himself (in self-defense or in advancement of his own aims - which may, coincidentally, be that of the Ecclesiarchy) there is no violation. Bodyguards fall into this category - officially, they are aides or advisers who choose to carry a weapon and choose to defend the priest - although higher-ranking clerics will use Adepta Sororitas as bodyguards (both to avoid any risk of violation and also because of their military training and devotion). A "weapon" is a tool or object whose intended purpose includes injury of another. A device which can be used to injure another when misused or used in a manner inconsistent with its normal use (a circular saw or pair of big hydraulic shears, for example) is not a weapon (allowing the machaenices canonical to be accompanied by male industrial workers "armed" with dangerous tools). Similarly, a ceremonial staff, crozier or other symbol of authority which is sturdy enough to be (mis)used as a club could be carried by a priest without any risk of violation. Technically speaking, an force of unarmed warriors would not violate the Decree Passive - it is entirely possible an order of monks skilled in unarmed combat techniques exists.Female Clerics
While distinct gender roles are promoted throughout the Imperium (and aesthetic differences between the sexes are emphasized) the Adeptus Ministorum priesthood is open to both men and women (although a majority of priests are male). A female cleric may bear arms for the Ecclesiarchy and receive orders from her superiors without violation of the Decree. In practice, female clerics appear on the battlefield in about the same proportion as their male counterparts - the "women only" loophole is far more effectively exploited by trained Adepta Sororitas than untrained priestesses.Tactical Instructions & Strategic Goals
While, in theory, the Decree Passive does not prevent a cleric who himself is not "under arms" issuing orders to armed women, in practice priests do not concern themselves with tactical minutiae instead setting broader strategic goals. Adepta Sororitas Palatines and Canonesses issue tactical instructions at the field and theater level in order to achieve strategic goals set by clerics operating at the staff level. Very often, Adeptae Sororitas retired from active duty will function as staff officers or advisers.Naval Forces and the "Glass Ceiling"
