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Freemasonry
Freemasonry (sometimes spelled Free-Masonry) consists of fraternal groups that trace their origins to the medieval guilds of stonemasons. Freemasonry is the oldest secular fraternity in the world and among the oldest still-existing organizations in history. Modern Freemasonry broadly consists of three main traditions: *Anglo-American Freemasonry, Anglo-American style Freemasonry, which insists that a "volume of sacred law", such as the Bible, Quran, or other religious text be open in a working Masonic lodge, lodge, that every member professes belief in a God, supreme being, that only men be admitted, and discussion of religion or politics does not take place within the lodge. *Continental Freemasonry or Liberal Freemasonry which has continued to evolve beyond these restrictions, particularly regarding religious belief and political discussion. *Co-Freemasonry, Women Freemasonry or Co-Freemasonry, which includes organizations that either admit women exclusively (such as the Ord ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anti-Masonry
Anti-Masonry (alternatively called anti-Freemasonry) is "avowed opposition to Freemasonry",''Oxford English Dictionary'' (1979 ed.), p. 369. which has led to multiple forms of religious discrimination, Religious violence, violent Religious persecution, persecution, and suppression in some countries as well as in various organized religions (primarily Abrahamic religions). That said, there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement. Anti-Masonry consists of radically differing criticisms from frequently incompatible political institutions and Religious intolerance, organized religions that oppose each other, and are hostile to Freemasonry in some form. Early anti-Masonic documents The earliest known anti-Masonic document was a leaflet which was printed in 1698 by a Presbyterianism, Presbyterian minister who was named Winter. It reads: TO ALL GODLY PEOPLE, In the Citie of London. Having thought it needful to warn you of the Mischiefs and Evils practiced in the Sight of God by those ca ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Continental Freemasonry
Liberal Freemasonry, also known as Continental Freemasonry or Adogmatic Freemasonry, is a major philosophical tradition within Freemasonry that emphasizes absolute freedom of conscience, philosophical inquiry, and progressive social values. Liberal Freemasonry is characterized by its acceptance of all people regardless of religious belief, gender, or philosophical outlook. It represents one of the two main branches of modern Freemasonry, alongside Conservative (Anglo-American) Freemasonry. The Liberal tradition emerged primarily in France during the Age of Enlightenment and came to full expression through the Grand Orient de France's 1877 adoption of absolute freedom of conscience as a founding principle. Today, Liberal Freemasonry is the predominant form of Freemasonry in Continental Europe, Latin America, and parts of Africa, with millions of members worldwide organized in various grand lodges and masonic bodies. History Early origins and development (1725–1773) Liber ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Co-Freemasonry
Co-Freemasonry (or Co-Masonry) is a form of Freemasonry which admits both men and women. The first known co-masonic lodge was created 24 December 1784 as the mother lodge La Sagesse Triomphante in Lyon, France by Alessandro Cagliostro. Cagliostro formed this lodge with his wife and a few other couples. Later in France during the 1890s, Le Droit Humain formed, and is now an international movement represented by several Co-Freemasonic administrations throughout the world. Traditional male-only Masonic Lodges do not recognise Co-Freemasonry, holding it to be ''Regular Masonic jurisdictions, irregular''. Organisations ''Le Droit Humain'' The International Order of Freemasonry for Men and Women ''Le Droit Humain'' was founded in France in the late nineteenth century, during a period of strong feminist and women's suffrage campaigning. It was the first Co-Masonic Order, and also the first truly international Masonic Order. Today it has approximately 32,000 members from over 60 cou ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Honourable Fraternity Of Ancient Masons
Freemasonry has had a complex relationship with women for centuries. A few women were involved in Freemasonry before the 18th century, despite ''de jure'' prohibitions in the Premier Grand Lodge of England. The French ''Lodges of Adoption'', which spread through Continental Europe during the second half of the 18th century, admitted Masons and their female relatives to a system of degrees parallel, but unrelated to the original rite. In the early 20th century, these were revived as women-only lodges and later they adopted male degrees giving rise to French women's Masonry in the 1950s. 18th-century British lodges and their American offshoots remained male only. In the late 1800s, rites similar to adoption emerged in the United States, allowing masons and their female relatives to participate in ritual together. These bodies, however, were more careful to discriminate between the mixed ritual and the Freemasonry of the men. In the 1890s, mixed lodges following a standard Masoni ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Le Droit Humain
The International Order of Freemasonry ''Le Droit Humain'' is a global Masonic order, membership of which is available to men and women on equal terms, regardless of nationality, religion or ethnicity. This practice is known as Co-Freemasonry. History Its headquarters is in Paris, France, where it was founded in 1893 by Georges Martin (freemason), Georges Martin and Maria Deraismes. The Order is founded on the ancient teachings and traditions of Freemasonry, using Masonic ritual and symbolism as its tools in the search for truth. On the individual level, the Order aims "to promote the progress of individual worth, without the imposition of dogma, or exacting the abandonment of cultural or religious ideas". On a collective level it works "to unite men and women who agree on a humanist spirituality whilst respecting individual and cultural differences". In contrast with other Masonic organisations which operate in national or state jurisdiction only, ''Le Droit Humain'' is ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Masonic Lodge
A Masonic lodge (also called Freemasons' lodge, or private lodge or constituent lodge) is the basic organisational unit of Freemasonry. It is also a commonly used term for a building where Freemasons meet and hold their meetings. Every new lodge must be Warrant (finance), warranted or Charter, chartered by a Grand Lodge, but is subject to its direction only by enforcing the published constitution of the jurisdiction. By exception, the three surviving lodges that formed the world's first known grand lodge in London (now merged into the United Grand Lodge of England) have the unique privilege to operate as ''time immemorial'', i.e., without such warrant; only one other lodge operates without a warrant – the Grand Stewards' Lodge in London, although it is not entitled to the "time immemorial" status. A Freemason is generally entitled to visit any lodge in any jurisdiction (''i.e.'', under any Grand Lodge) in amity (recognition of mutual status) with his own Grand Lodge. I ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Regular Masonic Jurisdiction
In Freemasonry, regularity is one of the factors by which individual Grand Lodges judge whether to recognise one another for the purposes of allowing formal interaction at the Grand Lodge level and visitation by members of other jurisdictions. Each individual Grand Lodge determines which other Grand Lodges it considers Regular (and the standards for determining this are not uniform between Grand Lodges). Regularity and its origins History There are a number of groupings of Masonic jurisdictions which consider themselves regular, and recognise others as regular, yet consider others to be irregular. There is no globally centralised Masonic organisational system, and therefore the criteria for regularity are not consistent across all Grand Lodges. Ancients and “Moderns” The concept of ''Regularity'' first appears in Payne's regulations, and was printed in Anderson's ''Constitutions''. In regulation VIII we find – * If any Set or Number of Masons shall take upon themselve ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anglo-American Freemasonry
Anglo-American style of Freemasonry is one of several branches of Freemasonry. It consists of a loose network of overlapping chains of mutually recognized Grand Lodges or Grand Orients. Many of these Grand Lodges trace their descent from a British Grand Lodge, with mutual recognition based on adherence to certain core values also called Landmarks, rules and membership requirements. Different branches of Freemasonry Freemasonry is often said to consist of three branches ''not in mutual regular amity'' each using the term 'regular' to name their branch: *Anglo-American style Freemasonry * Liberal Freemasonry * Women Freemasonry The Anglo-American style of Freemasonry is the dominant form in the United States, and the countries that once formed the British Empire. It has a growing, but minority presence in most of continental Europe, West and North Africa and most Latin American countries. The branch has several noteworthy sub-branches, most notably Prince Hall Freemasonry (a l ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Masonic Jurisdiction
There are many organisations and orders which form part of the widespread fraternity of Freemasonry, each having its own structure and terminology. Collectively these may be referred to as Masonic bodies, Masonic orders, Concordant bodies or appendant bodies of Freemasonry. Differences between Rites or concordant bodies and appendant bodies The terms "Appendant body" and "Rite or Concordant body" in Freemasonry can sometimes be confusing, even for those familiar with Masonic traditions. A "Rite" or "concordant body" in Freemasonry is a system that includes various degrees for initiating a newcomer. Although not all Rites practice the conferral of all these blue Lodge degrees, they are included within its structure. Essentially, a Rite is at the heart of the Masonic journey. In contrast, an "Appendant body" is an organization that is affiliated with Freemasonry and recognized by the Grand Lodge. However, it does not include a system of Blue Lodge degrees or upper/side degrees ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
List Of Masonic Rites
A Rite, within the context of Freemasonry, refers to a comprehensive system of Degree (Freemasonry), degrees that hold the capability to initiate and advance a newcomer through various stages of Masonic knowledge and experience. In some cases, a Master Mason can be invited to join a different rite after having reached Mastery to further his knowledge. For a system of Masonic degrees to be named rite, it must encompass the first three blue lodge craft degrees, either as degrees within the rite or as a prerequisite for joining the rite. In essence, a Masonic rite occupies a central position in the trajectory of a Mason's journey, serving as the vehicle through which Masonic teachings and lessons are imparted. Authority and Control Except for rare exceptions, Masonic rites are most of the time under the control of Grand Lodges for the first three degrees then under the control of a concordant body for any High Masonic degrees, upper degrees. The most practiced rite in the world fr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Masonic Rite
A Rite, within the context of Freemasonry, refers to a comprehensive system of degrees that hold the capability to initiate and advance a newcomer through various stages of Masonic knowledge and experience. In some cases, a Master Mason can be invited to join a different rite after having reached Mastery to further his knowledge. For a system of Masonic degrees to be named rite, it must encompass the first three blue lodge craft degrees, either as degrees within the rite or as a prerequisite for joining the rite. In essence, a Masonic rite occupies a central position in the trajectory of a Mason's journey, serving as the vehicle through which Masonic teachings and lessons are imparted. Authority and Control Except for rare exceptions, Masonic rites are most of the time under the control of Grand Lodges for the first three degrees then under the control of a concordant body for any upper degrees. The most practiced rite in the world from the Entered Apprentice degree is the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
