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There was also a six-year study of Masonry by the German bishops and a study of American Masonry by Professor William Whalen, who was commissioned by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Pastoral Research and Practices Committee. Both studies arrived at a similar conclusion: That the principles and basic rituals of Masonry embody a naturalistic religion in which active participation was judged to be incompatible with Christian faith and practice.
Thus, from a Catholic perspective, there is still a ban on Catholics joining Masonic Lodges. Are Catholics alone in this among Christians? No, but in contrast to Catholic allegations of rationalism and naturalism, Protestant objections are more likely to be based on allegations of mysticism and occultism.
In 1933, the Orthodox Church of Greece officially declared that being a Freemason constitutes an act of apostasy and thus, until he repents, the person involved with Freemasonry cannot partake of the Eucharist. This has been generally affirmed throughout the whole Orthodox Church. The Orthodox critique of Freemasonry agrees with both the Roman Catholic and Protestant versions: “Freemasonry cannot be at all compatible with Christianity as far as it is a secret organization, acting and teaching in mystery and secret and deifying rationalism.”
Regular Freemasonry has traditionally not responded to these claims. In recent years, however, this has begun to change, with some Masonic websites and publications addressing these criticisms. In this era of dialogue, perhaps it’s time for a new one between Freemasonry and the Christian churches.
There was also a six-year study of Masonry by the German bishops and a study of American Masonry by Professor William Whalen, who was commissioned by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Pastoral Research and Practices Committee. Both studies arrived at a similar conclusion: That the principles and basic rituals of Masonry embody a naturalistic religion in which active participation was judged to be incompatible with Christian faith and practice.
Thus, from a Catholic perspective, there is still a ban on Catholics joining Masonic Lodges. Are Catholics alone in this among Christians? No, but in contrast to Catholic allegations of rationalism and naturalism, Protestant objections are more likely to be based on allegations of mysticism and occultism.
In 1933, the Orthodox Church of Greece officially declared that being a Freemason constitutes an act of apostasy and thus, until he repents, the person involved with Freemasonry cannot partake of the Eucharist. This has been generally affirmed throughout the whole Orthodox Church. The Orthodox critique of Freemasonry agrees with both the Roman Catholic and Protestant versions: “Freemasonry cannot be at all compatible with Christianity as far as it is a secret organization, acting and teaching in mystery and secret and deifying rationalism.”
Regular Freemasonry has traditionally not responded to these claims. In recent years, however, this has begun to change, with some Masonic websites and publications addressing these criticisms. In this era of dialogue, perhaps it’s time for a new one between Freemasonry and the Christian churches.
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