In its present form Freemasonry arose from obscure origins during the 16th & 17th centuries which include the Knights Templar as they fled France to Scotland in the early 14th century; and it is noteworthy that TWO-main Branches exist:
- English/Irish/Scottish jurisdictions – requires a belief in Deity
- Some French/European jurisdictions – do not require a belief in Deity (accepts atheists) and that these are NOT in amity with each other.
All Masonic ritual, notwithstanding jurisdiction, makes use of architectural symbolism of the tools of the medieval operative stonemasons and as speculative masons (meaning philosophical building rather than actual building), use this symbolism to teach moral and ethical lessons of the principles of “Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth” or as related in France “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity”.
Candidates for ‘regular’ Freemasonry are required to declare a belief in a Supreme Being. However, this can mean Christian Trinity to a Christian Mason; Allah to a Muslim Mason; and Para Brahman to a Hindu Mason etc.etc.etc. The discussion of Politics and Religion is forbidden within a Masonic Lodge, in part so a Mason will not be placed in the situation of having to justify his personal interpretation.
Within an open Lodge in those jurisdictions which require a belief in Deity a Volume of the Sacred Law will always be open, and in Lodges with membership of mixed religions it is common to find more than one sacred text displayed; Candidates are required to take their Obligation(s) thereon.
Obligations are those elements of ritual in which a candidate swears to abide by the rules of the fraternity, to keep the “secrets of freemasonry” (being the various signs, tokens and words associated with each degree) and to act towards others according to Masonic tradition and law.
These Obligations together with the Free Thinking nature of Free-Masonry and Masons; are the reasons behind Catholic condemnation of Freemasonry.
Whilst the existence of Masonic Lodges can be traced as far back as the 14th Century; Regular Freemasonry commenced with the formation of The Grand Lodge of England on 24th June 1717 following which The Grand Lodge of Ireland and Grand Lodge of Scotland were formed in 1725 and 1736 respectively.