Freemasonry and Eastern Orthodoxy

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Freemasonry and Eastern Orthodoxy

Postby LNJS » Sun Dec 08, 2013 12:02 am

The relationship between freemasonry and Eastern Orthodoxy doesn't seem quite as straightforward as that between the craft and Roman Catholicism. The complex nature of authority in the Orthodox Church makes it hard to ascertain a concrete position and indeed whether there is one.

Most informed Orthodox are convinced that freemasonry is cause for excommunication. Certainly this has been borne out in some easily Googled documents. That said there seem to have been a number of ecumenical patriarchs who have been masons. All sorts of ridiculous allegations are made against these patriarchs by Orthodox Christians who clearly don't understand Freemasonry, but I was wondering if they ever wrote anything themselves regarding their relationship with the craft? Essentially I am looking for something deeper and more reasoned than the knee jerk reactions of many Orthodox.

In the interest of full disclosure, I am not Orthodox but I would very much like to be. I just need to understand the relationship with orthodoxy more clearly.
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Re: Freemasonry and Eastern Orthodoxy

Postby eric384 » Sun Dec 08, 2013 12:16 am

I don't know anything about the Patriarchs, but I do know that a member of the Craft in Yorkshire resigned a couple of years ago when his Eastern Orthodox church got wind of his membership and threatened excommunication.
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Re: Freemasonry and Eastern Orthodoxy

Postby LNJS » Sun Dec 08, 2013 12:34 am

eric384 wrote:I don't know anything about the Patriarchs, but I do know that a member of the Craft in Yorkshire resigned a couple of years ago when his Eastern Orthodox church got wind of his membership and threatened excommunication.


That's interesting, and I confess it doesn't surprise me given the responses I have seen from many orthodox laity and priests.
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Re: Freemasonry and Eastern Orthodoxy

Postby Trouillogan » Sun Dec 08, 2013 1:52 pm

It would be interesting to know what their specific grounds would have been for excommunication. For example, there can be no conflict of dogma since Freemasonry does not have any.
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Re: Freemasonry and Eastern Orthodoxy

Postby LNJS » Wed Dec 11, 2013 7:46 pm

It is a strange one. It boils down the usual (and infuriating) charges of indifferentism and syncretism. But what I struggle with is where the Orthodox Church feel it gains the authority to excommunicate on the issue, there is no Canon or ecumenical council pronouncement on the issue.
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Re: Freemasonry and Eastern Orthodoxy

Postby Trouillogan » Wed Dec 11, 2013 11:11 pm

Like you, I cannot accept their arguments on those bases. Does this apply to, say, council meetings (which often begin with a prayer) or parliament itself, as they would normally be composed of people following a selection of different faith systems. Excommunicate the lot of 'em, eh?!

Is it more likely that freedom of thought is seen by many religious organisations as 'dangerous'? The gentlemen who formed the Royal Society in 1660 had to very careful what they said or published. It must have been very difficult for Rome to accept that it was not and is not the centre of the earth and that the sun, stars and planets do not revolve around the earth. No wonder that society and Freemasonry had, and still have, quite close ties. Experimental philosophy was seen by them as the enemy of the church's dogma. However, what we are now seeing, as we delve deeper, appears to be a much deeper link between modern scientific thinking and the effects of religions on the human mind than they could ever have imagined.

Their problem is that there is no 'priesthood' in Freemasonry - no one who can give them any authoritative answers as to what Freemasonry is. Nor can there be, since it is different for each member and changes somewhat over time.
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Re: Freemasonry and Eastern Orthodoxy

Postby McClef » Wed Dec 11, 2013 11:34 pm

Having looked at a couple of sites, both Greek and Russian Orthodox appear to condemn Freemasonry by quoting the writings of Albert Pike amongst others.

Such as http://orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/masonry.aspx

http://www.trueorthodoxy.org/non_christ ... ions.shtml

http://www.stlukeorthodox.com/html/thef ... asonry.cfm

And this rather dreadful electronically voiced - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xx8Soi5QObI

You will note that some of the statements are intolerant of anything that is not Orthodoxy.

Freemasonry is not alone in that respect.
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Re: Freemasonry and Eastern Orthodoxy

Postby MrBenn » Thu Dec 12, 2013 8:30 am

LNJS wrote:The relationship between freemasonry and Eastern Orthodoxy doesn't seem quite as straightforward as that between the craft and Roman Catholicism.


There is no relationship between freemasonry & either Orthodox or Catholic churches
There is no worldwide governing body to determine any such relationship
Freemasonry, generally speaking, does not concern itself with the expression of faith that a freemason holds or practices.
The obvious exception being some GL's in Scandinavia who accept only Christian masons

Various religious groups express an opinion on freemasonry and membership of freemasonry - that is their perogative
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Re: Freemasonry and Eastern Orthodoxy

Postby Trouillogan » Thu Dec 12, 2013 12:17 pm

MrBenn wrote:Various religious groups express an opinion on freemasonry and membership of freemasonry - that is their perogative

But is it their prerogative deliberately to disseminate misinformation?
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Re: Freemasonry and Eastern Orthodoxy

Postby MrBenn » Tue Dec 17, 2013 3:26 pm

Trouillogan wrote:
MrBenn wrote:Various religious groups express an opinion on freemasonry and membership of freemasonry - that is their perogative

But is it their prerogative deliberately to disseminate misinformation?



To quote Father Ted " That would be an ecumenical matter"
(2)
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