I've also thought about if doctrinal differences should have effects ("Peasants in Keplerstan riot in the streets about whether there is an afterlife or not, Boogeyists say there is, Garbleists say there isn't"), but I ultimately don't think so. It'd be fiendishly hard to code.
Great RP though. I had a lot of fun in Latlan after the fall of Vice just making up doctrinal disputes between surviving Hedonists, Hedonist factions and other faiths. It's the sort of thing that adds a lot of flavour. I'd love to see that enshrined in mechanics. In those regions where morale and loyalty are in free fall, why not have it explained by sectarian tensions between rival faiths in the region? Something other than tax, war/looting and distance from capital for peasants to get angry about. The players themselves can choose to flesh out the how and the why of what the peasants were fighting about, if they want to at all.
Personally, I think we should force religions to adopt a series of theological stances. Is the faith monotheistic or polytheistic? Is there an afterlife or not? What are the names of the gods? How was the world created?
This should all be game mechanics. Religions should be *forced* to adopt positions that will be saved. A series of questions on key theological questions needing answers of at least 1500 words be asked at the founding.
That's asking too much I think. What about all new characters being able to choose a religion (or not) when they're created? They'd be able to see the public board same as if they physically visited a temple (which is no different than looking at realms and realm descriptions) with the onus being on faiths coming up with something engaging in that little space rather than 'Welcome to the Eretzism Temple, please come in and look around.'
