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Swedish Rite ... or Wrong?

I keep running in to this. Surfing and participating in online Masonic forums and blogs, one issue that surfaces every now and then, is the question of the Christian exclusivity of Swedish Rite being un-Masonic. Ticks me off, and I no longer want to get pulled into these discussions, as they make me angry and sad, and I think they are generally based on false preconceptions and intolerance, the very thing the critics want to oppose.

I started getting into this whole explanation about the rite, but the critics aren't really interested in anything but their own agenda, and I honestly don't want to agonise over this.

So, here's the bottom line: I could, generally speaking, care less about recgnition. I think there are women and atheists that are deserving of being called freemasons, and I will do so, regardless of their status in the traditional ranks of recognition. If someone deems Swedish Rite unworthy of the regularity label, so be it – I wouldn't change anything. They can make an argument for the rite being irregular, but not for its members not being feemasons.

My Swedish Rite link collection.

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The Vigil, John Pettie 1884

Posted on fredag, november 2, 2007 at 12:45PM by Registered CommenterThomas Munkholt in | Comments7 Comments

Reader Comments (7)

Here's a thought: those who do not agree with the Swedish Rite's Christian exclusivity are free not to join it. Freemasonry is a very large tent. There is plenty of room for all different kinds of Masons, in my opinion.
november 2, 2007 | Unregistered CommenterScott Nelson
My question about this Swedish jurisdiction is, what their ritual teaches? A fairly good portion of Masonic ritual and symbolic explanation in Oregon is spent talking about the Universality of Masonry, and if your Masonry isn't about the Universal Brotherhood of Man under the Fatherhood of God, then what makes up the corresponding portions of those lectures and degrees?
november 7, 2007 | Unregistered CommenterJeff Day
One of the frustrations in these discussion is that Swedish Rite has maintained its integrity and secrecy, and I won't end that strong tradition by throwing ritual tidbits to justify it – its critics will just have to come and see for themselves. :-)

But I will say that the system revolves around the same truth, the Brotherhood of Man, and that tolerance in this respect is in no way in contradiction to the Christian faith (at least the one I grew up in).
november 8, 2007 | Unregistered CommenterThomas Munkholt
Since The Grand Lodge of Oregon and all other American Grand Lodges are younger than the Grand Lodge of Sweden, I don't think that the lodges working according to the Swedish Rite need to explain anything at all to the Americans.
november 22, 2007 | Unregistered CommenterRobert Warholm
I think it is clear that Br. Day is not asking on behalf of any Grand Lodge. And he is as entitled as anyone to make comment on this blog. In fact, I appreciate his, and any other Brother's input, regardless of jurisdiction or obedience, race, colour or creed. I think making judgement on grand lodges half way around the globe from one's own, is part of what I perceive to be the problem in the first place. So let's not. Mutual respect and tolerance will prove more fruitful in the long run.
november 24, 2007 | Unregistered CommenterThomas Munkholt
The Swedish Rite also has a Grand Lodge in Germany. The American Webb-Preston dogma is based upon the gradual de-Christianized (thanks to the Duke of Sussex) version of Masonry that arose out of England. The Swedish Rite did not agree with the proclomation in 1813 & went on record along with the Rectified Scottish Rite as preferring to stay with the "old way" of Christian Mysticism. As has been pointed out, both systems maintain secrecy and oral traditions to this day that are not in line with the universal fish fry crowd.
februar 20, 2008 | Unregistered Commenter+Thomas Lyden
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