Churchianity and the Birth of Separation: How Early Doctrines Shaped Centuries of Suffering
By Melissa Zollo Ph.D., Intuitive Manifestation Mentor
A Turning Point in Spiritual History
There is a vast difference between the teachings of Jesus and the institution we know as Churchianity, the organized, politicized form of Christianity that arose centuries after Christ’s ministry. The turning point came in the 2nd century, when Irenaeus of Lyons (c. 130–202 CE) shaped doctrine that would alter the trajectory of spiritual understanding for millennia.
In his effort to protect the emerging church from what he considered “heresy,” Irenaeus solidified ideas of the soul’s separation from God and a rigid, hierarchical structure of salvation. This was not simply theological hair-splitting, it created a collective belief in separation consciousness, which has plagued humanity ever since.
Separation Consciousness: The Root of Suffering
By teaching that humanity was fundamentally fallen, unworthy, and in need of an external savior, the church under Irenaeus planted the seeds of:
Guilt and shame as spiritual motivators
Dependence on ecclesiastical authority for “access” to God
Fear-based obedience rather than love-based faith
Raymond Barker observed, “Religion, when it denies the mind of the individual, denies God in the individual.” When people are taught they are apart from the Divine, they surrender their power and with it, their creative capacity.
The Dweller on the Threshold
Metaphysically, this dweller is the false self, the ego-bound, fear-based construct that guards the doorway to higher consciousness. Churchianity strengthened this dweller by making the ego’s fears “holy”: fear of punishment, fear of damnation, fear of questioning.
Eric Butterworth wrote, “We have been misled into believing that the Kingdom of God is a place to which we go when we die… The Kingdom is within you, now.” This was the truth that early doctrine obscured.
The Suffering of Centuries
The doctrines shaped under Irenaeus and later church councils created centuries of spiritual and psychological damage:
Ignorance of Divine Immanence – People believed God was “out there” instead of within.
Suppression of Inner Authority – Mystical knowledge and direct experience of God were discouraged or punished.
Control Through Fear – The idea of eternal damnation was a powerful tool for social and political control.
Neville Goddard dismantled this mindset when he declared, “The Kingdom of Heaven is within you. Believe in yourself, for belief is the root of creation.”
Historical Context
Late 2nd Century CE – Irenaeus writes Against Heresies, attacking Gnosticism and mystical traditions that taught Divine Immanence.
325 CE – Council of Nicaea codifies a central creed, further distancing humanity from direct connection with God.
Middle Ages – Church authority controls access to scripture, reinforcing the idea that truth comes only through sanctioned interpreters.
By the time the Reformation emerged, the seeds of separation consciousness were so deep that even reformers often retained the belief in humanity’s unworthiness.
The Shift Back to Oneness
New Thought philosophy restores the original message of Jesus that we are one with the Father, always have been, and always will be. Ernest Holmes affirmed, “There is nothing between God and man but our own false belief.”
To heal the wounds of Churchianity, we must:
1. Reclaim Direct Connection – The Art of Imaging. Conscious Use of Imagination and Universal Law. Prayer, meditation, and the practice of Presence reveal the Divine within.
2. Release Fear-Based Theology – Love, not fear, is the true motivator of spiritual growth.
3. Embrace Spiritual Responsibility – We are one with God, awakening to our sovereignty. We are not passive recipients of salvation.
From Separation to Union
The truth that Jesus taught, “I and the Father are one”, is the antidote to centuries of separation consciousness. The real “gospel” is the good news that you are not broken, fallen, or condemned. You are whole, divine, and infinitely capable of shaping your reality.
Eric Butterworth summed it up: “You are not ‘becoming’ God; you already are God expressing as you.”
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