Masons and Christians. . .

Where I grew up, the old saw was that the Missouri Synod church outside of town did not approve of Masons but the Augustana Synod LCA congregation in town not only accepted Masons but approved of them.  Oddly enough, Masons were not only a Missouri Synod issue.  In 1983, then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger upheld the Roman Catholic concern.  This future Pope Benedict XVI said bluntly that “the Church’s negative judgment in regard to Masonic association remains unchanged since their principles have always been considered irreconcilable with the doctrine of the Church.”   Therefore, “membership in them remains forbidden. The faithful who enroll in Masonic associations are in a state of grave sin and may not receive Holy Communion.”  Forty years later under Pope Francis, this “irreconcilability” was reaffirmed as the numbers of Roman Catholics joining the Masonic order seems to have increased.  At the same time, the president of the Pontifical Academy of Theology, Bishop Antonio Staglianò, has reiterated the incompatibility of Roman Catholics belonging to the Masons days after participating in an event organized by the Italian Grand Orient lodge in Milan.  And, a cardinal taking part in a “historic” closed-door meeting on Friday between the heads of Italy’s Freemasonic lodges and senior Roman Catholic Church leaders has called for a “permanent” dialogue to be opened with the secretive organization, despite masonry being long condemned by the Church.

Some snicker at the whole idea of the Masons being a threat to Christianity.  Others vilify the Masonic Lodge as being the worst of threats.  The truth lies in the middle.  It is neither benign nor does it approach the internal problems of doctrine and confession that are existential threats to the faith.  That said, it does appear that still an issue for conservative Lutherans and for Rome.  Freemasonry seems most popular in the British Isles and in other countries originally within the British empire but it seems to have a significant number in Italy as well. Estimates of the worldwide membership of Freemasonry in the early 21st century ranged from about two million to more than six million but, as a secret society, it does not publish its membership roll.  The ideology of brotherhood and its traditional focus on gaining knowledge,  knowing history, and civic improvement come with a commitment to help the brotherhood individually for the sake of all. The Masons share the idea that their brotherhood is not for the moment but for all eternity.  The concern for the Church is that the Masonic tie is deeper and more profound than belonging to Christ through the Church.  If for this reason only, the Masonic order remain under suspicion by serious Christianity and the judgment of the Missouri Synod and Rome stands -- it is incompatible with Christian faith.  No matter how much some protest this judgment, the reality is that these two visions of the world and of God are irreconcilable and for the Christian, the Christian faith is our highest allegiance and our doctrine the fruit not of reason but of divine revelation.  

Curious how things like this continue to pop up....