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A Query: Are there any other Episcopalian/Anglican Masons here?

MaineMason

Registered User
I'm curious, because it's part of my heritage and one of the men who sponsored my candidacy was also a member of my Parish--as were several other members of my Parish including our Chaplain.

I had an interesting conversation with a Brother/Companion the other day who was actually under the impression that like Roman Catholics, Episcopalians/Anglicans were discouraged from becoming Freemasons. Nothing, of course, could be further from the truth when it comes to Anglicanism, and a look at the House of Windsor (and Saxe-Coburg-Gotha) not to mention a number of Presidents of the United States give the lie to this myth.

Lots of priests and bishops and deacons in the ECUSA are Masons. Lots of Anglicans around the world are as well, including in Great Britain.

Am I the lone Episcopalian who is also a Mason here? I'd appreciate your thoughts.
 

dmurawsky

Premium Member
Nope. Episopalian here, though I'm not devout in the slightest.
I've found Episcopalians to be extremely tolerant of most things. In fact, the church where I spent most of my youth, the Church of the Transfiguration in NYC, got it's nickname because of this tolerance: "The Little Church Around the Corner". I think it's a great story, so I'm posting below.

From Wikipedia

"The church has been a leader of the Anglo-Catholic movement within the Episcopal Church from its founding. While this movement is often associated with elaborate worship, it also has stressed service to the poor and oppressed from its earliest days. In 1863, during the Civil War Draft Riots, Houghton gave sanctuary to African Americans who were under attack, filling up the church's sanctuary, schoolroom, library and vestry. When rioters showed up at the church, Houghton turned them away and dispersed them by saying, "You white devils, you! Do you know nothing of the spirit of Christ?"

Actors were among the social outcasts whom Dr. Houghton befriended. In 1870, William T. Sabine, the rector of the nearby Church of the Atonement, which is no longer extant, refused to conduct funeral services for an actor named George Holland, suggesting, "I believe there is a little church around the corner where they do that sort of thing." Joseph Jefferson, a fellow actor who was trying to arrange Holland's burial, exclaimed, "If that be so, God bless the little church around the corner!" and the church began a longstanding association with the theater."
 
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MaineMason

Registered User
Nope. Episopalian here, though I'm not devout in the slightest.
I've found Episcopalians to be extremely tolerant of most things. In fact, the church where I spent most of my youth, the Church of the Transfiguration in NYC, got it's nickname because of this tolerance. I think it's a great story, so I'm posting below.

From Wikipedia

"The church has been a leader of the Anglo-Catholic movement within the Episcopal Church from its founding. While this movement is often associated with elaborate worship, it also has stressed service to the poor and oppressed from its earliest days. In 1863, during the Civil War Draft Riots, Houghton gave sanctuary to African Americans who were under attack, filling up the church's sanctuary, schoolroom, library and vestry. When rioters showed up at the church, Houghton turned them away and dispersed them by saying, "You white devils, you! Do you know nothing of the spirit of Christ?"

Actors were among the social outcasts whom Dr. Houghton befriended. In 1870, William T. Sabine, the rector of the nearby Church of the Atonement, which is no longer extant, refused to conduct funeral services for an actor named George Holland, suggesting, "I believe there is a little church around the corner where they do that sort of thing." Joseph Jefferson, a fellow actor who was trying to arrange Holland's burial, exclaimed, "If that be so, God bless the little church around the corner!" and the church began a longstanding association with the theater."
How nice, because I am also an Anglo-Catholic in the "liberal" vein, St. John's Bowdoin Street, Boston, where Fr. Benson was once Rector and head of the S.S.J.E. I was organist for their for a few years and also a member. (The S.S.J.E. was resident there there until they built their monastery in Cambridge and after until about 1982.)
 

Brother JC

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
I was raised Anglo-Catholic, youngest acolyte in the diocese at the time, confirmed by the Bishop, Canterbury Club in high school...
After I became a Freemason I attended both Episcopal churches in my town on separate occasions, a small square and compasses on my lapel. One of these churches is what I'd call a separatist church; less traditional, more like a generic service, while the other is classic Anglican. Interestingly, I received a "cooler" welcome at the less traditional parish.
The former Archbishop of Canterbury had some misgivings about the Craft, even though his father was a Mason.
 

MaineMason

Registered User
I was raised Anglo-Catholic, youngest acolyte in the diocese at the time, confirmed by the Bishop, Canterbury Club in high school...
After I became a Freemason I attended both Episcopal churches in my town on separate occasions, a small square and compasses on my lapel. One of these churches is what I'd call a separatist church; less traditional, more like a generic service, while the other is classic Anglican. Interestingly, I received a "cooler" welcome at the less traditional parish.
The former Archbishop of Canterbury had some misgivings about the Craft, even though his father was a Mason.
I know a Brother who is an Anglican Priest and former Chaplain to a former Archbishop of Canterbury.
 

MaineMason

Registered User
I actually am seriously considering joining the Episcopal church.
I would highly recommend it. Of course, I am biased because I'm an Episcopalian. There is a place for everyone at the table in this church and Freemasons are more than welcome. I will point out, however, that the Episcopal Church in the US has female clergy and Gay and Lesbian clergy and is truly committed to serious equality among believers and those who aspire to leadership. That being said (and, by the way, I support that) it is, as part of the Worldwide Anglican Communion, part of the third largest group of Christians on the planet and has a long history of not only tolerating but (quietly) promoting Freemasonry.

Just like I would not recommend any Freemason in the US to join an irregular or clandestine Lodge, I would recommend, when joining an Anglican parish, to be sure that it's ECUSA and not a schismatic group not recognized by Canterbury or the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America.

One thing that is nice about the Episcopal Church is that belief is rather flexible and is brought together by the Book of Common Prayer. In that sense it is very much Masonic--many different ideas about the person of the Deity while acknowledging such and coming together in common ritual.
 

JohnnyFlotsam

Premium Member
Several years ago, a next door neighbor was an Episcopal priest. While initially (and visibly) taken aback by the spiritual practices going on next door, she rose to the challenge admirably and we (she, my wife and I) quickly found ourselves with far more in common than not. Somewhere over the many pleasant evenings we spent sharing supper and good wine (a couple of those things in common) my membership in the fraternity came up. "So that's we you go out in a tux in the middle of the week," was her only observation before we found still more commonality - spent several weeks, two or three times a year, doing medical relief work in Central America. We miss her a great deal since moving away.
 

MaineMason

Registered User
Episcopalian. Our first Priest was, and every one since has been a Freemason.
A good friend of mine is an African-American (female) Episcopal Priest. While her congregation is ethnically mixed, it is mostly A-A. There is a huge PHA contingent in her congregation and IIRC, her father was also a Mason. There are a lot of African-American Episcopalians here in New England though here in Maine less PHA folks. Most of the African-American Masons I know here belong to A.F. & A.M. lodges which are predominantly white. The Grand Lodge of Maine has long been open to men of all racial and ethnic backgrounds though the A.-A. population here is extremely small. The white Masons I know here would be the last people to discriminate based on race and ethnicity. Our Grand Lodge, however, recognizes PHA lodges as regular.
 

Lumark630

Registered User
I am a faithful Episcopalian and a proud member of the Freemasons and see no conflict whatsoever. So much of what you read on the internet is speculation or inaccurate. If you know the truth about the Fraternity and understand the precepts of the Episcopal Church you will be reassured that one does not interfere with the other.
 

Tarheel Mason

Registered User
I grew up a Roman Catholic, though not devout. About 15 years ago, I began attending mass regularly. After much research, I decided to become a Mason three years ago. Before I turned in my petition, I called one of our priests to inquire whether becoming a Mason was going to be an issue and was told that I would not be allowed communion. I left the Roman Catholic church that day and immediately became an Anglo-Catholic, of the traditional strain, which was more along pre-Vatican II lines and more to my tastes than the "groovy" RC church. I was raised a little over a month later and have been happy in both of my choices. Since then, I've found out that several of my brothers belonged to the church and one of my priests was a Mason. The two institutions work very well together for a traditionalist like me. Life is good.


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Ripcord22A

Site Benefactor
I grew up a Roman Catholic, though not devout. About 15 years ago, I began attending mass regularly. After much research, I decided to become a Mason three years ago. Before I turned in my petition, I called one of our priests to inquire whether becoming a Mason was going to be an issue and was told that I would not be allowed communion. I left the Roman Catholic church that day and immediately became an Anglo-Catholic, of the traditional strain, which was more along pre-Vatican II lines and more to my tastes than the "groovy" RC church. I was raised a little over a month later and have been happy in both of my choices. Since then, I've found out that several of my brothers belonged to the church and one of my priests was a Mason. The two institutions work very well together for a traditionalist like me. Life is good.


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We just initiated an Independant Catholic Priest

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flameburns623

Registered User
I would highly recommend it. Of course, I am biased because I'm an Episcopalian. There is a place for everyone at the table in this church and Freemasons are more than welcome. I will point out, however, that the Episcopal Church in the US has female clergy and Gay and Lesbian clergy and is truly committed to serious equality among believers and those who aspire to leadership. That being said (and, by the way, I support that) it is, as part of the Worldwide Anglican Communion, part of the third largest group of Christians on the planet and has a long history of not only tolerating but (quietly) promoting Freemasonry.

Just like I would not recommend any Freemason in the US to join an irregular or clandestine Lodge, I would recommend, when joining an Anglican parish, to be sure that it's ECUSA and not a schismatic group not recognized by Canterbury or the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America.

One thing that is nice about the Episcopal Church is that belief is rather flexible and is brought together by the Book of Common Prayer. In that sense it is very much Masonic--many different ideas about the person of the Deity while acknowledging such and coming together in common ritual.

As a one-time member of the Reformed Episcopal Church, which split from PECUSA/ECUSA/TEC (the various acronyms of the largest American Episcopal body, I would respectfully mention that being an Anglican has nothing to do with communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Anglicans and Episcopalians are those whose episcopal lineage is of Apostolic origin, and which observe the precepts of the 39 Articles of Religion and the 1662 Book of Common Prayer and its valid revisions.

Yes there are and continue to be disputes of great concern over the ordination of women, their elevation to the episcopacy, the relationship of practicing/unrepentant GLBT persons to the Body of Christ, and hence their ordination and or elevation as well.

Many of the differences, however, have centered around other debates: which Prayerbooks represent valid revisions to the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, the use of contemporary English translations of Scripture, the employment of the tools of higher criticism to the study of Scripture, etcetera.

Older disputes included the rejection of the influence of the Oxford Movement/Anglo-Catholicism on Nineteenth-Century Episcopalianism.

And, more recently, whether Charismatic practices ("speaking in tongues) was an acceptable part of Anglican spirituality. Each of those have been largely laid to rest, and the REC now has bonds with both Anglo-Catholic and Charismatic Episcopal bodies.

This said: most of the Continuing Church Episcopal bodies are welcoming to Freemasons and have no quibbles with such. And, like most TEC bodies, Holy Communion is generally "open" to baptised Christians of any denomination.
 
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