Ukrainian Orthodoxy		Orthodoxie ukrainienne

Freemasonry

Question:

Can a person be a Freemason (member of the Masonic Lodge) and be an Orthodox Christian?

Answer:

Very Reverend Ihor Kutash kutash@unicorne.org

The problem with Freemasonry is that, unlike a good many other associations of this world, it professes its own theology and its initiation rites reflect that theology.  As far as I have been able to ascertain – although the subject is far from being a priority among the things that interest me – this theology is a kind of unitarian deism.  It is unitarian in the sense that there is no Trinity.  Its “Grand Master of the Universe” (the title it prefers to give the Deity) is absolutely One.  This would seem to be acceptable to Jews and Muslims – and indeed such are welcome among Freemasons as are Christians from all sorts of denominations.  But it is not truly acceptable even for them, if they wish to be completely faithful to the doctrines and practices of their faith community. 

For the Orthodox Christian in particular, Trinitarian theology is mandatory – note that we even show this by the way we place our fingers in making the sign of the cross. Our vision is that God is Love – and eternal Love can only be itself if there are eternal Subjects loving and being loved. Creation flows from and towards this eternal (without beginning or end) loving relationship between the Father (the eternal Source of the Trinity), the Son and the Holy Spirit – eternally three Persons and eternally One God.

Deism suggests that God is a kind of Clockmaker Who created the universe and the beings in it and then simply observes and keeps archives – perhaps for some future Judgement.  Orthodox Christians are THEISTS.  That means we believe God to be intimately involved in all the workings of the universe and that humans play an interactive part in it.  Furthermore, being created in His image, we are called and GUIDED (without coercion) by Him to become LIKE Him and so enjoy infinite fellowship with Him and each other forever.

Our initiation into this interactive TRINITARIAN (perfect unity in wonderful diversity)  life of God and His creation is through Baptism, Chrismation and the Eucharist.  It is not through entry into any human association, no matter how enlightened and benevolent that association may intend to be.

There are encyclicals and archpastoral letters by various Orthodox Bishops prohibiting membership in Freemasonry for Orthodox Christians.  However, the Church Militant (i.e. the Church in space and time) is a human as well as divine Fellowship, and it is likely that very few of its members follow its guidance and direction fully and consistently.  Thus it may not be unusual to find that some of them (even among the clergy) are members of some Freemason association.  They may not take its initiation rites, its vows and the theology that is taught or implied with much or any seriousness.  They may, in other respects, be devout and immensely dedicated members of the Orthodox Church.

Some conservative Orthodox (who are quite admirable in very many ways) have expressed fear that the participation in the Church of folks linked to Freemasonry is subversive and ultimately destructive.  I greatly doubt that this is the case. Nonetheless if we are to become more and more Orthodox as our earthly life progresses (as stated by the saintly Father Cyrille Argenti of blessed memory – I highly recommend his newly published book Fear Not), I believe that such associations will ultimately be left behind.

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