[Ethan]

I'm... not satisfied with how faith and magic is intertwined in Shadowrun. I know it's not even a secondary focus, but it's one of the facets of the world and the sixth world. I don't like the Street Magic portrayals of faith-magic traditions, or rather I don't agree that they'd believe it's divinely inspired (whoever their god is). It's clear that those traditions aren't just the priesthoods of their religion either so... yeah.


The Protestant Tradition
Concept: Not all Christian Magicians follow the Christian Theurgy path, with its mixture (some say compromise) of qabbalism and cosmology. An alternative path, colloquially known as the "Protestant Tradition", mixes the "clarity" of Chaos Magic with the "convictions" of believers.

Combat: Guardian
Detection: Guidance
Health: Water
Illusion: Air
Manipulation: Man

Drain: Willpower + Intuition (Progressive) / Willpower + Logic (Conservative)

Chaos magic was strangely palatable for the small number of Christians remaining in the Sixth World. Shamanism and hermeticism carried all the baggage of sorcery that had embedded itself in the faith's inherited psyche. It didn't help that Black Magic, Wicca, and Witchcraft "traditions" not only became popular but were no longer easily dismissed.

The so-called "Protestant Tradition" is not a direct reference to the Protestant subsect of Christianity, but rather because it mimicked (to a superficial degree) the reaction to the orthodoxy and established practicies of the time. Ironically, Christian Theurgy was viewed as too tied up with idolatrous practices to be accepted by evangelicals, baptists, and methodists that the Awakened in their congregations make up the bulk of the Protestant magical tradition.
Magic, like technomancy, is just another result of the fallen state of the world. While there were calls to abstain from Magic use, it is clear that Magic is just another form of science. It's oddly the most secular of all the faith-based traditions in existence as it actively seeks to distance the magical from the divine. Rather, the believers believe that faith is in how you do things not what the thing is.

Practicioners, however, vary on this. They commonly summon Guardian spirits for protection and most take the form of white-robed, winged angels while Guidance spirits take the form of the prophets in the Bible and some of Jesus' apostles. These are viewed as the summoner's own psyche at work and not divine manifestations. Some churches require Magician Pastors to summon Guidance spirits to deliver the sunday sermon, an isolated practice that has thrown the remaining believers into contention.

Further still, the group is divided between two parallel paths. Conservatives believe in dutiful study and rather rigid interpretations of the Bible. They do not lack passion in their spellcasting, and many have observed the simple elegance of their woven mana. Their emphasis is on careful study and direct appication: both of the Bible and of magic (or whatever field one is in, many conservatives are medical doctors, engineers, and so on).

The progressives are a bit less structured in their exploration of their talent. Their Biblical interpretations are less rigid, but also sometimes less cohesive and prone to unfounded claims. This subpath is far more diverse but also more active. Most of the current generation are well educated biblically and its Awakened members are often in the slums and worse parts of the cities.

As a whole, they've been dubbed "Street Prophets" and the more conservative of their brothers and sisters are dubbed "Street Professors".

[Orvich]

If you're looking for another tradition to adapt to be more religious, the Aztec tradition is very appropriate. They'll all be on overdrive also, because the entire 'sixth world' is an integral part of their religion, not just some mayan thing! In our (RL) age, they believe it's the 5th world, and they would have flipped out more than anyone else to see the sixth world in their own lifetime, and without the cosmic slaughter they  expected. To top it off, their gods start answering directly, some of them very powerful and very nasty.

That would probably cause some splits/hooks for religious themed character stories. I'm sure that some would want to split away from the Tlaotani of Azcorp and Tenochitlan, and the darker of the gods. Of course, some are fine with spreading their dominion however necessary. More importantly though, the big hook is: "What god is placed over the sixth world?", the outcome of which would probably be of great importance to any up-and-coming tlamacazqui, or any of the devout.

[Glyph]

I don't really see the need for this tradition.  You already have hermetic magic, chaos magic, and theurgy for Christians who don't feel that magic is miraculous.  The former two is good for people who think that magic is a gift only in the sense that being a good piano player or marathon runner is a gift.  The last one is good for people who think likewise, but still make some effort to integrate it into their faith more.  But if you feel the need to include it, the writeup doesn't appear unbalanced or have any glaring logical flaws.

[Netzgeist]

I really liked it. Really. It is quite fitting, thematically and conceptually, when one consider how one's view on a particular belief would unfold on the Sixth World. I will no doubt incorporate it in my chronicles (whenever I got the time to really write them off).

[Ethan]

I don't really see the need for this tradition.  You already have hermetic magic, chaos magic, and theurgy for Christians who don't feel that magic is miraculous.  The former two is good for people who think that magic is a gift only in the sense that being a good piano player or marathon runner is a gift.  The last one is good for people who think likewise, but still make some effort to integrate it into their faith more.  But if you feel the need to include it, the writeup doesn't appear unbalanced or have any glaring logical flaws.

It is unnecessary in that I'd assume those in-universe Christians who don't like Christian Theurgy would settle on Chaos Magic. It's attempting to be the 'purest' magical tradition as it acknowledges the power of symbolism but wants to understand why that symbol has power, and so on.

But things aren't always that neatly cut and dried. This is more of Chaos Magic through the lens of a christian. Christian Theurgy is almost Hermeticism through that same lens, but a bit more "involved".

I did it this way because there will be subconcious leak-throughs of an individual believer to his spells. A magical tradition is a deeply personal thing, much like faith is. So there's leakage. These Christian Magicians don't like the trappings of Theurgy, they see the benefits of Chaos Magic and adopt it. But being metahuman, they inevitably modify it and create their own subtradition.

I really liked it. Really. It is quite fitting, thematically and conceptually, when one consider how one's view on a particular belief would unfold on the Sixth World. I will no doubt incorporate it in my chronicles (whenever I got the time to really write them off).

Thanks Netzgeist! Glad my ramblings were of some use to someone.

If you're looking for another tradition to adapt to be more religious, the Aztec tradition is very appropriate. They'll all be on overdrive also, because the entire 'sixth world' is an integral part of their religion, not just some mayan thing! In our (RL) age, they believe it's the 5th world, and they would have flipped out more than anyone else to see the sixth world in their own lifetime, and without the cosmic slaughter they  expected. To top it off, their gods start answering directly, some of them very powerful and very nasty.

That would probably cause some splits/hooks for religious themed character stories. I'm sure that some would want to split away from the Tlaotani of Azcorp and Tenochitlan, and the darker of the gods. Of course, some are fine with spreading their dominion however necessary. More importantly though, the big hook is: "What god is placed over the sixth world?", the outcome of which would probably be of great importance to any up-and-coming tlamacazqui, or any of the devout.

Hmm yes. I'd see groups split by this: some would see it as their god's power, other's would see it the same way we look at electricity. Which is harder for the Aztecs to ignore when their gods are pretty much "in your face".

It's an interesting project...