Christopher L. Hodapp
Encyclopedia
Christopher L. Hodapp is an American author
and filmmaker, noted for his writings about Freemasonry
, the Knights Templar
, secret societies and conspiracy theories. He is the editor-in-chief of the Journal of The Masonic Society.
, the University of Southern California
, Los Angeles Valley College
and California State University Northridge. In 1984, he became a commercial filmmaker with Dean Crow Productions in Indianapolis
, Indiana
. He has edited hundreds of television commercials and feature films, and his voice has appeared in numerous broadcast productions.
Hodapp became a Freemason in 1998, and is a 33rd degree Scottish Rite
Mason in the Valley of Indianapolis. He is a Past Master of Lodge Vitruvian No. 767, one of the first "European Concept" lodges in the U.S. He is a member of the York Rite
and a Knight Templar. He is a Past Sovereign Master of the Allied Masonic Degrees
, a member of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (Shriners), and numerous other Masonic organizations. In 2004, as part of a Masonic think-tank known collectively as the Knights of the North, he co-wrote and edited Laudable Pursuit: A 21st Century Response To The Questions Of Dwight Smith, which is widely recognized as a major influence in the so-called 'traditional observance" Masonic movement in the U.S.
In 2005, he wrote Freemasons For Dummies. In 2006 Hodapp wrote Solomon's Builders: Freemasons, Founding Fathers and the Secrets of Washington D.C., which explores the early history of the United States and the role Freemasons played in its revolution and founding. It also contains an extensive guide to Masonic landmarks in Washington D.C. In 2007, in collaboration with Alice Von Kannon, he wrote The Templar Code For Dummies, a guide to the medieval Knights Templar, the subsequent mysteries and myths that have surrounded them, and their connections with Dan Brown
's The Da Vinci Code
. In 2008, Hodapp and Von Kannon published their second collaboration, Conspiracy Theories & Secret Societies For Dummies, which was required reading in a 2010 course on conspiracy at Harvard University
.
In 2009, he authored Deciphering The Lost Symbol: Freemasons, Myths and the Mysteries of Washington, D.C., a Masonic guidebook to Dan Brown's novel The Lost Symbol.
In 2010, Hodapp and Von Kannon developed episode outlines for the History Channel program, Brad Meltzer's Decoded
, and contributed material on conspiracies and secret societies for TruTV.
He has written for Templar History Magazine, Masonic Magazine, The Indiana Freemason Magazine, Knight Templar Magazine, The Phylaxis Magazine, The Scottish Rite Journal and Indianapolis Monthly Magazine. Between 2005-2008, he wrote a monthly humor column for the Texas-based Living Natural First Magazine, A Pilgrim's Progress: True Tales of an Organic Greenhorn.
He has appeared on the History Channel Secrets of the Founding Fathers and the Discovery Channel Hunting The Lost Symbol.
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and filmmaker, noted for his writings about Freemasonry
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
, the Knights Templar
Knights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , commonly known as the Knights Templar, the Order of the Temple or simply as Templars, were among the most famous of the Western Christian military orders...
, secret societies and conspiracy theories. He is the editor-in-chief of the Journal of The Masonic Society.
Career
Hodapp studied film production between 1977 and 1983 at Indiana UniversityIndiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
, the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, Los Angeles Valley College
Los Angeles Valley College
Los Angeles Valley College is a community college located in the Valley Glen district of Los Angeles, California in the east-central San Fernando Valley. The school is a part of the Los Angeles Community College District....
and California State University Northridge. In 1984, he became a commercial filmmaker with Dean Crow Productions in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. He has edited hundreds of television commercials and feature films, and his voice has appeared in numerous broadcast productions.
Hodapp became a Freemason in 1998, and is a 33rd degree Scottish Rite
Scottish Rite
The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry , commonly known as simply the Scottish Rite, is one of several Rites of the worldwide fraternity known as Freemasonry...
Mason in the Valley of Indianapolis. He is a Past Master of Lodge Vitruvian No. 767, one of the first "European Concept" lodges in the U.S. He is a member of the York Rite
York Rite
The York Rite or American Rite is one of several Rites of the worldwide fraternity known as Freemasonry. A Rite is a series of progressive degrees that are conferred by various Masonic organizations or bodies, each of which operates under the control of its own central authority...
and a Knight Templar. He is a Past Sovereign Master of the Allied Masonic Degrees
Allied Masonic Degrees
The Allied Masonic Degrees are a series of Masonic degrees conferred by Councils of the Allied Masonic Degrees. They are side degrees that can be conferred only by invitation...
, a member of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (Shriners), and numerous other Masonic organizations. In 2004, as part of a Masonic think-tank known collectively as the Knights of the North, he co-wrote and edited Laudable Pursuit: A 21st Century Response To The Questions Of Dwight Smith, which is widely recognized as a major influence in the so-called 'traditional observance" Masonic movement in the U.S.
In 2005, he wrote Freemasons For Dummies. In 2006 Hodapp wrote Solomon's Builders: Freemasons, Founding Fathers and the Secrets of Washington D.C., which explores the early history of the United States and the role Freemasons played in its revolution and founding. It also contains an extensive guide to Masonic landmarks in Washington D.C. In 2007, in collaboration with Alice Von Kannon, he wrote The Templar Code For Dummies, a guide to the medieval Knights Templar, the subsequent mysteries and myths that have surrounded them, and their connections with Dan Brown
Dan Brown
Dan Brown is an American author of thriller fiction, best known for the 2003 bestselling novel, The Da Vinci Code. Brown's novels, which are treasure hunts set in a 24-hour time period, feature the recurring themes of cryptography, keys, symbols, codes, and conspiracy theories...
's The Da Vinci Code
The Da Vinci Code
The Da Vinci Code is a 2003 mystery-detective novel written by Dan Brown. It follows symbologist Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu as they investigate a murder in Paris's Louvre Museum and discover a battle between the Priory of Sion and Opus Dei over the possibility of Jesus having been married to...
. In 2008, Hodapp and Von Kannon published their second collaboration, Conspiracy Theories & Secret Societies For Dummies, which was required reading in a 2010 course on conspiracy at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
.
In 2009, he authored Deciphering The Lost Symbol: Freemasons, Myths and the Mysteries of Washington, D.C., a Masonic guidebook to Dan Brown's novel The Lost Symbol.
In 2010, Hodapp and Von Kannon developed episode outlines for the History Channel program, Brad Meltzer's Decoded
Brad Meltzer's Decoded
Brad Meltzer's Decoded, , is an American mystery and conspiracy theory investigation television series, produced by Go Go Luckey and Berman/Braun, that premiered December 2, 2010 on the History channel...
, and contributed material on conspiracies and secret societies for TruTV.
He has written for Templar History Magazine, Masonic Magazine, The Indiana Freemason Magazine, Knight Templar Magazine, The Phylaxis Magazine, The Scottish Rite Journal and Indianapolis Monthly Magazine. Between 2005-2008, he wrote a monthly humor column for the Texas-based Living Natural First Magazine, A Pilgrim's Progress: True Tales of an Organic Greenhorn.
He has appeared on the History Channel Secrets of the Founding Fathers and the Discovery Channel Hunting The Lost Symbol.
Works
- Laudable Pursuit: A 21st Century Response To The Questions Of Dwight Smith (editor, co-author), 2004. ISBN 978-0-557-00722-6
- Freemasons For Dummies, 2005. ISBN 0-7645-9796-5
- La Franc-maçonnerie pour les Nuls, Editions First, (with Philippe Benhamou), 2006.
- Solomon's Builders: Freemasons, Founding Fathers and the Secrets of Washington D.C., 2006. ISBN 1-56975-579-5
- The Templar Code For Dummies (with Alice Von Kannon), 2007. ISBN 0-470-12765-1
- Foreword to The Compasses and the Cross by Stephen Dafoe, 2008. ISBN 0-85318-298-1
- Conspiracy Theories And Secret Societies For Dummies (with Alice Von Kannon), 2008. ISBN 0-470-18408-6
- Foreword to My Book, My Opinion: Thoughts Garnered on My Masonic Journey by Hugh Young, 2009. ISBN 978-0-98117-808-0
- Foreword to Cracking Codes & Cryptograms For Dummies by Denise Sutherland and Mark Koltko-Rivera, 2009. ISBN 0-470-59100-5
- Deciphering The Lost Symbol, 2010. ISBN 1-56975-773-9
Video appearances
- Scottish Rite For the 21st Century 2008
- Secrets of the Founding Fathers (History) 2009
- Hunting The Lost Symbol (Discovery) 2010
- Templars: Last Stand (Arcadia Entertainment) 2011