Continental 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...

(alternative terms include: Liberal Freemasonry, Latin Freemasonry, Adogmatic Freemasonry, and Irregular Freemasonry.) refers to those Masonic lodges, mainly (but not exclusively) on the continent of Europe, that recognise the Grand Orient de France

Grand Orient de France

The Grand Orient de France is the largest of several Masonic organizations in France and the oldest in Continental Europe, founded in 1733.-Foundation:...

 (GODF) or belong to CLIPSAS or SIMPA

International Secretariat of the Masonic Adogmatic Powers

The International Secretariat of the Masonic Adogmatic Powers is an international organization of Masonic jurisdictions of masonic lodges...

.

The two branches of Freemasonry

Today, Freemasonry is often said to consist of two branches "not in mutual regular amity";

• the Anglo/American "Regular" tradition of jurisdictions, typified by the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) (mostly termed Grand Lodges), and
• the European "Continental" tradition of jurisdictions, typified by GODF (mostly termed Grand Orients) with varying and shifting amity.

In most Latin

Latin Europe

Latin Europe is a loose term for the region of Europe with an especially strong Latin cultural heritage inherited from the Roman Empire.-Application:...

 countries, the GODF-style or European Continental Freemasonry predominates, although in most of these Latin countries there are also Grand Lodges and Grand Orients that are in "regular amity" with the UGLE and the worldwide community of Grand Lodges that share "regular" fraternal relations with the UGLE. For example, in France, The Grande Loge Nationale Française

Grande Loge Nationale Française

The Grande Loge Nationale Française is a French Masonic Grand Lodge. It was founded in 1913, by two lodges, "Le Centre des Amis" Lodge splitting from the larger and older Grand Orient de France and "L'Anglaise" lodge, an independent lodge based in Bordeaux...

 (GLNF)

is in "regular amity" with the UGLE and its many concordant jurisdictions worldwide, while GODF and GLdF are not. The rest of the world, accounting for the bulk of Freemasonry, tends to follow more closely to the UGLE style, although minor variations exist.

History of the schism

There are many reasons why the schism in Freemasonry occurred, and why it still persists. The first instance of derecognition occurred in the United States shortly after the American Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

. In 1869, the Grand Orient de France

Grand Orient de France

The Grand Orient de France is the largest of several Masonic organizations in France and the oldest in Continental Europe, founded in 1733.-Foundation:...

 (GODF) recognized a Masonic group in Louisiana which was not recognized by the Grand Lodge of Louisiana (GLL). This was seen by GLL as an invasion of its jurisdiction, and it withdrew its recognition of GODF. At the request of GLL, several other American Grand Lodges also withdrew recognition. There is some evidence that racial motivations may also have played a part in this derecognition. The GODF had recently passed a resolution stating that "neither color, race, nor religion should disqualify a man for initiation" and the Grand Lodge of Louisiana was at that time strictly segregated. However, this initial split was not unanimous in the US. Many American Grand Lodges continued to recognize the GODF well into the 20th century.

1877 schism

The schism widened in 1877 when the GODF changed its constitutions to allow for complete religious "Laïcité." While the Anglo-American tradition had long required (and still does require) candidates to overtly express a belief in deity, the GODF removed that requirement, stating that Laïcité "imposes that all men are given, without distinction of class, origin or denomination, the means to be themselves, to have the freedom of choice, to be responsible for their own maturity and masters of their destiny." In other words, the GODF would admit atheists, while those lodges in the Anglo-American tradition would not. The United Grand Lodge of England thus withdrew its recognition, and declared the GODF to be "irregular." As other jurisdictions tended to follow the lead of either GODF or UGLE, the schism grew.

Background on the belief in Deity

There is some debate as to exactly when Freemasonry in the Anglo-American tradition started requiring its members to have a belief in Deity. There are hints that this was the case from the earliest days of Freemasonry: The Regius Manuscript, the oldest known Masonic document dating from around 1390, states that a Mason "must love well God and holy church always." James Anderson's 1723 Constitutions state that "A Mason is oblig'd by his Tenure, to obey the moral Law, and if he rightly understands the Art, he will never be a stupid Atheist, nor an irreligious Libertine." However, these do not explicitly state that a belief in Deity is required.

The GODF did not accept this requirement until 1849, but in 1877 changed it back to the original usage.

Nonetheless, it should not be understood that the difference was limited to the mere requirement in belief. Following the 1877 changes, the Grand Orient also removed all references to the Grand Architect of the Universe from its rite, and removed the Volume of the Sacred Law (which in France was the Bible) from its ritual. These elements had been present in French freemasonry before 1849.

Political discussion in the lodges

Another point of difference between Continental and Anglo-American Freemasonry is whether political discussion is allowed within the lodges. Such discussion is allowed in Lodges following the Continental tradition, while it is strictly banned in the Anglo-American tradition. Moreover the Grand Orient de France operates as an active political lobby, and inquires into potential candidates political beliefs and orientations before they are allowed to petition a lodge.

Relationship with the Catholic Church

Continental Freemasonry has been concentrated in traditionally Catholic countries and has been seen by Catholic critics as an outlet for anti-Catholic disaffection. Many particularly anti-clerical regimes in traditionally Catholic countries were perceived as having a strong Masonic connections.

The 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia credited Freemasonry for the French Revolution and its persecution of the Church, citing a claim made in a document from the Grand Orient de France. The Encyclopedia saw Freemasonry as the primary force of French anti-clericalism from 1877 onwards, again citing official documents of French Masonry to support its claim. According to one historian, Masonic hostility continued into the early twentieth century with the Affaire Des Fiches

Affaire Des Fiches

L'Affaire des Fiches de délation was a political scandal in France in 1904-1905 in which it was discovered that the militantly anticlerical War Minister under Emile Combes, General Louis André, was determining promotions based on a huge card index on public officials, detailing which were Catholic...

 and, according to the old Catholic Encyclopedia, the 1905 French law on the Separation of the Churches and the State can be credited to the Grand Orient de France, based on Masonic documents.

In Italy the Church linked the anticlerical and nationalist secret society, the Carbonari

Carbonari

The Carbonari were groups of secret revolutionary societies founded in early 19th-century Italy. The Italian Carbonari may have further influenced other revolutionary groups in Spain, France, Portugal and possibly Russia. Although their goals often had a patriotic and liberal focus, they lacked a...

, to Freemasonry and blamed the anticlerical direction of Italian Unification, or Risorgimento, on Freemasonry. Into the 1890s the Church would justify its calls for Catholics to avoid dealings with the Italian state with a reference to the state's supposed "Masonic" nature.

Mexican Freemasonry

Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...

 was also seen as following the pattern of Continental Freemasonry in other Latin-speaking countries, viewed as becoming more anti-clerical during the nineteenth century, particularly because they adopted the 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...

 degree system created by Albert Pike

Albert Pike

Albert Pike was an attorney, Confederate officer, writer, and Freemason. Pike is the only Confederate military officer or figure to be honored with an outdoor statue in Washington, D.C...

, which the Catholic Church saw as anti-clerical.

Even as late as 2005 the president of Spain

Spain

Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

's Union of Catholic Professional Fraternities blamed the anti-clerical measures of the Socialist government on a "tremendous crusade by Masonry against the Church."

Freemasons attached to the more mainstream branch of Freemasonry, affiliated with the United Grand Lodge of England

United Grand Lodge of England

The United Grand Lodge of England is the main governing body of freemasonry within England and Wales and in other, predominantly ex-British Empire and Commonwealth countries outside the United Kingdom. It is the oldest Grand Lodge in the world, deriving its origin from 1717...

 and the 51 US Grand Lodges, have often claimed that the anticlericalism of the Continental Branch of Freemasonry is a "deviation" from proper Freemasonry.

Continental Freemasonry in different parts of the world

Continental style freemasonry has had various levels of influence in different parts of the world:

Latin America

Throughout Central and South America, both Continental and Anglo-American jurisdictions exist. Continental style Grand Orients, however, are in the majority. In many Latin American countries, the split in Masonic obedience has mirrored political divisions. Rivalry between two factions in Mexican Freemasonry, for example, is said to have contributed to the Mexican civil war.

France

Continental style Freemasonry originated in France and continues to have the largest Masonic presence in that country. The Grand Orient de France is the largest Masonic jurisdiction, with the Grand Lodge de France (also within the Continental tradition) third in membership (the second largest Masonic body is the Anglo-American style Grand Lodge National de France).

Other European countries

Continental style Freemasonry is also prevalent in countries such as Belgium, Italy, Portugal and Spain, although here too there are rival bodies following the Anglo-American tradition. It is present, but not in the majority, in most other European countries. In Germanic states, Anglo-American and Swedish Rite

Swedish Rite

The Swedish Rite is a variation of Freemasonry that is worked in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland. A slight variation is common in parts of Germany under the Große Landesloge der Freimaurer von Deutschland. Also other craft masonic bodies are working in the nordic countries...

 traditions predominate.

North America

Continental style Freemasonry is in the extreme minority in North America, but there are a number of continental style organizations active.

These organizations, often belonging to groups such as CLIPSAS, are not recognized by the Grand Lodges that form Anglo-American Freemasonry, nor by their Prince Hall Masonry counterparts.

The Women's Grand Lodge Of Belgium (GLFB or WGLB), the Grand Orient of France and the Feminine Grand Lodge of France also have liberal lodges in North-America.

There are independent groups, such as the George Washington Union (GWU), the Omega Grand Lodge of the State of New York, Le Droit Humain

Le Droit Humain

The International Order of Co-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. The Order is founded on the ancient teachings and traditions of Freemasonry, using Masonic ritual...

 (LDH), and the Grand Orient of the United States of America (GOUSA), that belong to the European, Continental tradition.

Africa

Continental Freemasonry is mostly active in French speaking areas. It tends to originate from the French and Belgian former colonists. Many African leaders, such as Omar Bongo

Omar Bongo

El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba , born as Albert-Bernard Bongo, was a Gabonese politician who was President of Gabon for 42 years from 1967 until his death in office in 2009....

 of Gabon

Gabon

Gabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...

 and Pascal Lissouba

Pascal Lissouba

Pascal Lissouba was the first democratically elected President of the Republic of the Congo from August 31, 1992 to October 15, 1997. He was overthrown by the current President Denis Sassou Nguesso in the 1997 civil war....

 of the Republic of the Congo

Republic of the Congo

The Republic of the Congo , sometimes known locally as Congo-Brazzaville, is a state in Central Africa. It is bordered by Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Angolan exclave province of Cabinda, and the Gulf of Guinea.The region was dominated by...

belong to Masonic lodges.