1/20/2024 0 Comments Illuminate church beliefsFor example, it urges members to be "steadfast, trusty, and true," and "not to take bribes" or "harbor thieves." The Halliwell Manuscript is written in verse, and in addition to purportedly tracing the history of Masonry, it also prescribes correct moral behavior for Masons. This code is derived from several documents, the most famous of which is a series of documents known as the "Old Charges" or "Constitutions." One of these documents, known as the "Regius Poem" or the "Halliwell Manuscript," is dated to sometime around the latter 14th or early 15th century, and is reportedly the oldest document to mention Masonry, according to the Pietre-Stones Review of Freemasonry, an online magazine written by Freemasons. The concept of Deism, which has its origins in the 17th century Enlightenment, promotes the idea that the supreme being is like the ultimate "watchmaker " a deity that created the universe but does not play an active role in the lives of its creations.Ī code of ethics also guides the behavior of members. This Grand Architect, is comparable to a Deistic creator rather than a personal God as envisioned by Christianity, according to Jacob. Related: Why does Christianity have so many denominations? Its members are encouraged to believe in a supreme being, which in the parlance of Masonry, is known as the "Grand Architect of the Universe," Jacob added. This is not to say that Freemasonry is wholly secular and devoid of religious aspects. Bound together by secret rites of initiation and ritual, its members ostensibly promote the "brotherhood of man," and in the past, have often been associated with 18th century Enlightenment principles such as anti-monarchism, republicanism, meritocracy and constitutional government, said Margaret Jacob, professor emeritus of European history at the University of California, Los Angeles and author of the book " The Origins of Freemasonry: Facts and Fictions" (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2005). However, nowadays women can be Freemasons, too (more on this later).īut Freemasons, or Masons as they are sometimes called, are dedicated to loftier goals as well. As the name implies, a fraternal organization is one that's composed almost solely of men who gather together for mutual benefit, frequently for professional or business reasons. In addition to being the world's oldest fraternal organization, Freemasonry is also the world's largest such organization, boasting an estimated worldwide membership of some 6 million people, according to a report by the BBC.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |