Editing Freemasonry (section)

{{Short description|Group of fraternal organizations}}
{{Redirect-multi|3|Masonic|Freemason|Freemasons|the ghost town|Masonic, California|other uses|Freemason (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2016}}<!-- By consensus stating that Freemasonry originated in the UK and is therefore a Commonwealth-related topic, this article uses Commonwealth (or British) English spelling. Please do not change it to American usage. See MOS:RETAIN. Note also MOS:TIES regarding Oxford English (noting that -ize spelling is acceptable in as it predates the more recent spelling usage of -ise in British English), q.v.-->
[[File:Square and Compass.png|thumb|alt=Standard image of masonic square and compasses|The main [[emblem]] of the Freemasons]]
{{Freemasonry}}
'''Freemasonry''' (sometimes spelled '''Free-Masonry''')<ref>{{cite web |title=Jachin and Boaz; or, an Authentic Key to the Door of Free-Masonry, Both Ancient and Modern. |url=https://linfordresearch.info/fordownload/Other%20Books/J%20and%20B%20exposure%201797%20edn.pdf |website=Linford Lodge of Research |access-date=10 October 2024 |date=September 1797 |archive-date=6 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240706045749/http://linfordresearch.info/fordownload/Other%20Books/J%20and%20B%20exposure%201797%20edn.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=History of Free Masonry |url=https://www.mtnebo91wv.org/history-of-free-masonry |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=mtnebo91wv.org |language=en |archive-date=4 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241204185536/https://www.mtnebo91wv.org/history-of-free-masonry |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Paine |first=Thomas |date=1818-01-02 |title=Thomas Paine Origin Free Masonry » Internet Infidels |url=https://infidels.org/library/historical/thomas-paine-origin-free-masonry/ |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=Internet Infidels |language=en-US}}</ref> consists of several fraternal groups that trace their origins to the medieval guilds of stonemasons. Freemasonry is the oldest secular fraternity in the world and among the oldest still-continued organizations in history.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History of Freemasonry {{!}} United Grand Lodge of England |url=https://www.ugle.org.uk/discover-freemasonry/history-freemasonry |access-date=2024-09-06 |website=www.ugle.org.uk |archive-date=4 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240904161851/https://www.ugle.org.uk/discover-freemasonry/history-freemasonry |url-status=live }}</ref>

Modern Freemasonry broadly consists of three main traditions: 

*'''[[Anglo-American Freemasonry|Anglo-American style Freemasonry]]''',<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://issuu.com/llewellyn/docs/9780738748481 |title=Esoteric Freemasonry, by Jean-Louis de Biasi by Llewellyn Worldwide, LTD. - Issuu |date=8 February 2018 |access-date=16 January 2025 |archive-date=19 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119211042/https://issuu.com/llewellyn/docs/9780738748481 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.robertburns59.org/conservative-and-liberal-freemasonry/ | title=Conservative and Liberal Freemasonry - Robert Burns Lodge No. 59 | date=6 April 2025 }}</ref> which insists that a "volume of sacred law", such as the [[Bible]], the [[Quran]], or other religious [[scripture]] be open in a working lodge, that every member professes belief in a [[God|supreme being]], that only men be admitted, and that discussion of religion or politics does not take place within the lodge.

*'''[[Continental Freemasonry|Continental style Freemasonry]]''' or Liberal Freemasonry<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://freemasonry.network/liberals/ |title=Liberal Freemasons - Continental (Progressive) Freemasonry |access-date=16 January 2025 |archive-date=2 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250202121616/https://freemasonry.network/liberals/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://adelaidebooks.org/liberal-masons-history-philosophy-practice-and-perspectives-of-the-adogmatic-freemasonry |title=LIBERAL MASONS: HISTORY, PHILOSOPHY, PRACTICE, AND PERSPECTIVES OF THE ADOGMATIC FREEMASONRY &#124; Adelaide Literary Magazine |access-date=20 March 2025 |archive-date=11 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241211125323/https://adelaidebooks.org/liberal-masons-history-philosophy-practice-and-perspectives-of-the-adogmatic-freemasonry |url-status=live }}</ref> which has continued to evolve beyond these restrictions, particularly regarding religious belief and political discussion.

*'''[[Co-Freemasonry|Women Freemasonry]]''' or Co-Freemasonry,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hfaf.org/|title=HFAF &#124; Freemasonry for Women|website=hfaf.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-41804543 | title=The secret ceremonies and rituals of female Freemasons | date=8 November 2017 }}</ref> which includes organizations that either admit women exclusively (such as the [[Order of Women Freemasons]] and [[the Honourable Fraternity of Ancient Masons]] in the UK) or accept both men and women (such as [[Le Droit Humain]]). Women Freemasonry can lean both Liberal or Conservative, sometime requiring a religion or not depending on the [[Grand Orient]] or Obedience. 

All three traditions have evolved over time from their original forms and they can all refer to themselves as ''[[Regular Masonic jurisdiction|Regular]]''<ref>https://www.en06.fr/info/wa_files/constitution%20godf.pdf | Constitution of the Grand Orient de France referring to itself as a Regular Grand Lodge (Page 1) and mentioning Irregular Masons (pages 16,57). </ref> and to other Grand Lodges as ''Irregular.'' For example, the [[Grand Orient de France]] finds some Grand Orients regular that the [[United Grand Lodge of England]] finds Irregular and vice versa—the Anglo-American style Freemasonry has moved from requiring specifically Christian membership with only the Bible on the altar to its current nondenominational form, while the Continental style Freemasonry evolved in different directions, particularly in not requiring a religious belief. Each of these traditions maintains its own philosophical approach to Masonic principles. The organizations within the Continental and women's Masonic systems are not officially recognized by Anglo-American Grand Lodges but operate independently, often following the same Masonic rules, regulations, rituals and traditions (sometimes sharing buildings, such as Freemasons' Hall in London).<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ugle.org.uk/discover-freemasonry/blog/joint-statement | title=Joint Statement &#124; UGLE | access-date=1 March 2025 | archive-date=1 March 2025 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250301095130/https://www.ugle.org.uk/discover-freemasonry/blog/joint-statement | url-status=live }}</ref>

The basic, local organisational unit of Freemasonry is the [[Masonic Lodge|Lodge]]. These private Lodges are usually supervised at the regional level (usually coterminous with a state, province, or national border) by a [[Grand Lodge]] or Grand Orient. There is no international, worldwide Grand Lodge that supervises all of Freemasonry; each Grand Lodge is independent, and they do not necessarily recognise each other as being legitimate. Lodges are found around the world and on all populated continents; however due to [[anti-Masonry]] and laws that effectively ban the tradition, it does not have a presence in every country. In the spirit of brotherhood and hopefulness, however, Freemasons usually presume that clandestine lodges may nonetheless exist in those countries in which it is banned, even if they may not actually exist.{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}}

{{Anchor|degrees}}The degrees of Freemasonry are the three grades of medieval craft [[guild]]s: [[Apprenticeship|Entered Apprentice]], [[Journeyman]] or Fellow of the craft<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |title=The Second Degree: Fellow Craft |url=https://www.freemason.com/fellow-craft/ |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=Freemasonry |language=en-US |archive-date=4 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240804145814/https://www.freemason.com/fellow-craft/ |url-status=live }}</ref> (now called either "Fellowcraft" or "Fellow Craft"<ref name=":8" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Fellow Craft Degree Fee (NewMember) |url=https://www.paulreveremasons.org/product-page/fellow-craft-degree-fee |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=Paul Revere Lodge |language=en |archive-date=4 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241204185015/https://www.paulreveremasons.org/product-page/fellow-craft-degree-fee |url-status=live }}</ref> in English speaking jurisdictions, and "Companion" in non-English speaking jurisdictions), and [[Master craftsman|Master Mason]]. The candidate of these three degrees is progressively taught the meanings of the symbols of Freemasonry and entrusted with grips, signs, and words to signify to other members that he has been so initiated. The degrees are part allegorical [[morality play]] and part lecture. These three degrees form Craft (or Blue Lodge) Freemasonry, and members of any of these degrees are known as '''Free-Masons''',<ref>{{Cite web |title=General Regulations of a Free Mason 1723 – The Square Magazine |url=https://www.thesquaremagazine.com/mag/article/202303general-regulations-of-a-free-mason-1723/ |access-date=2024-11-07 |language=en-GB |archive-date=15 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240915133232/https://www.thesquaremagazine.com/mag/article/202303general-regulations-of-a-free-mason-1723/ |url-status=live }}</ref> '''Freemasons''' or '''Masons'''. Once the Craft degrees have been conferred upon a Mason, he is qualified to join various "Concordant bodies" which offer additional degrees. These organisations are usually administered separately from the Grand Lodges who administer the Craft degrees. The extra degrees vary with locality and [[jurisdiction]]. In addition to these bodies, there are further organizations outside of the more traditional [[List of Masonic rites|rites]] of Freemasonry, that require an individual to be a Master Mason before they can join (such as the [[Rosicrucian Society of England]]).

Throughout its history, Freemasonry has received [[Anti-Masonry|criticism and opposition]] on religious and political grounds. The Catholic Church, some Protestant denominations, and certain Islamic countries or entities have expressed opposition to or banned membership in Freemasonry. Opposition to Freemasonry is sometimes rooted in [[anti-Semitism]] or [[conspiracy theories]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Freemasonry |url=https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/freemasonry |access-date=2024-08-19 |website=encyclopedia.ushmm.org |language=en |archive-date=19 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240719091039/https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/freemasonry |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Schreiber |first=Jean-Philippe |date=2010-11-09 |title=Jews and Freemasonry in the nineteenth century: An overview of current knowledge |url=https://www.cairn-int.info/article-E_AJ_432_0030--jews-and-freemasonry-in-the-nineteenth.htm |journal=Archives Juives |language=fr |volume=43 |issue=2 |pages=30–48 |doi=10.3917/aj.432.0030 |issn=0003-9837}}</ref> and Freemasons have historically been persecuted by authoritarian states.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Önnerfors |first=Andreas |title=Freemasonry: A Very Short Introduction |date=2017-01-24 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=9780198796275 |pages=105 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ruiz |first=Julius |date=June 2011 |title=Fighting the International Conspiracy: The Francoist Persecution of Freemasonry, 1936–1945 |url=http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/21567689.2011.591981 |journal=Politics, Religion & Ideology |language=en |volume=12 |issue=2 |pages=179–196 |doi=10.1080/21567689.2011.591981 |issn=2156-7689 |archive-date=10 November 2024 |access-date=19 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241110192733/https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/21567689.2011.591981 |url-status=live }}</ref>