Freemasonry in Context: History, Ritual, Controversy

Freemasonry has had a long, enduring, and yet at times largely invisible influence on American culture and society. The decreased visibility of Freemasonry has to do, directly, with there being very few scholarly resources on the subject. In the history of the United States, reaction to Freemasonry led to America's first "third party," the Anti-Masonic Party. Much of America's social safety net, from the Civil War to the Second World War, was provided by the orphanages, retirement homes, and insurance programs of Freemasonry. Freemasonry has also influenced the development of other fellowships: Knights of Pythias, Elks, Moose, Woodmen of the World, and Knights of Columbus, to name a few. At its peak, in 1960, Freemasonry claimed 4.2 million members: one out of every twenty males in the United States. In Freemasonry in Context: History, Ritual, Controversy editors Arturo de Hoyos and S. Brent Morris feature work by renowned Masonic scholars. Essays explore the rich and often controversial events that comprise the cultural and social history of Freemasonry. Other essays discuss the function and development of ritual rites and practices. The scholarship in this volume represents ten years of scholarly investigations by the Scottish Rite Research Society. Freemasonry in Context is the most authoritative compendium of Masonic scholarship available. Contained within this volume is the most erudite scholarly reflection on an enormous body of research conducted by academic historians and Masonic authors.

Table of Contents:
Part 1 History 2 Scottish Definitions and Transitions 3 Did Early of "High" or Écossais Degrees Originate in France? 4 On the Origins of the Prince Hall Scottish Rite Rituals 5 Funding the Temples of Masculinity: Women's Roles in Masonic Fairs in New York State, 1870-1930 5 Catalyst for Change: Intersection of the Theatre and the Scottish Rite 6 In the Eye of a Hurricane: German Freemasonry in the Weimar Republic and the Third Reich 7 Service Over Secrecy: How Lodge-Style Fraternalism Yielded to Men's Service Clubs Part 9 Ritual and Symbolism 9 Chinese Thought and Freemasonry in the 18th Century: The Degree of Irish Master, Provost, and Judge 10 The Post-Boy Sham Exposure of 1723 12 Freemasonry Under the Cloak: A Masonic Text of the Old Regime 13 The Degree of Junior Architect 14 The Degree of Senior Architect 15 The Mystery of the Royal Arch World 16 A Philosophical Background for Masonic Symbolism Part 17 Controversy 18 Anti-Masonic Conspiracy Theories: A Narrative Form of Demonization and Scapegoating 18 Smuggling Masonic Books to Mexico: A Philadelphia Publisher and the Inquisition 19 The Mystery of Mathew Carey: Continuing Adventures in Masonic Bibliography 20 Anti-Masonic Abuse of Scottish Rite Literature 22 The "Jack the Ripper" Murders: An Examination of Alleged Masonic Connections 23 Masonic Membership Myths Debunked

About the Author :
Arturo de Hoyos is Grand Archivist and Grand Historian, The Supreme Council, 33°, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A. S. Brent Morris is the Director of Membership Development for the Supreme Council, 33°, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A. He retired from the federal government as a mathematician and has taught at Duke and Johns Hopkins Universities.