This is where I disagree with you. the 5e cleric has a super thick layer of FR baseline shellacking that makes it difficult to introduce players to settings like eberron & darksun where the baselines with deities are extremely different. Real life faith shouldn't be imposing on a game, it's about 30some years late for the satanic panic.To me the flavor matters, in some ways more than the mechanics. I value mechanics and flavor equally.
I need the flavor of the Cleric class description to welcome nontheistic religious traditions as well as theistic ones. This also relates to reallife inclusivity. Not all players come from theistic cultures, nor are especially interested in theism.
The Cleric class works better when more inclusive. This likewise helps the class be more versatile for different kinds of D&D settings.
Setting including cosmology belongs in the DMs Guide. Not the Cleric class.
Depends on what is being talked about. To blanketly ban talking about gods when talking about religion is just as dismissive the other way.It is helpful to avoid referring to "gods", when making an effort to describe human religions inclusively.
Changes from the baseline need merely be mentioned with setting books. Eberron is not too different from the base, minus their being no proof of the existence of the gods and anyone can become a cleric of anything so long as they have sufficient faith in the idea.This is where I disagree with you. the 5e cleric has a super thick layer of FR baseline shellacking that makes it difficult to introduce players to settings like eberron & darksun where the baselines with deities are extremely different. Real life faith shouldn't be imposing on a game, it's about 30some years late for the satanic panic.
The Cleric class description needs to focus on the sacred community.To blanketly ban talking about gods when talking about religion is just as dismissive the other way.
I don't agree and lets leave it at that.The Cleric class description needs to focus on the sacred community.
The DMs Guide and the Setting Guides need to focus on what kind religions exist in the region, world, or cosmology.
That sounds good in theory, but a gm is lucky if they can get a player to read even a single page of text, expecting a gm to convince players they need to read a setting book is almost trolling the gm.Changes from the baseline need merely be mentioned with setting books. Eberron is not too different from the base, minus their being no proof of the existence of the gods and anyone can become a cleric of anything so long as they have sufficient faith in the idea.