Continental Freemasonry

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Continental Freemasonry is a branch of Freemasonry, most prevalent in Europe, known for its more liberal, secular, and often politically engaged approach compared to traditional Anglo-American Masonic traditions.

All labels observed (17)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (57)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Masonic tradition
branch of Freemasonry
alsoKnownAs Latin Freemasonry
Liberal Freemasonry
contrastedWith Anglo-American Freemasonry
Regular Freemasonry
corePrinciple emphasis on equality
emphasis on fraternity
emphasis on freedom of conscience
emphasis on human rights
emphasis on laïcité or secularism in public life
emphasis on social progress
genderPolicy often admits men and women in mixed lodges
often admits women
sometimes maintains all-male obediences alongside mixed obediences
geographicDistribution most prevalent in continental Europe
present in Latin America
present in parts of Africa
present in parts of Asia
hasCharacteristic more accepting of religious diversity
more centralized obedience structures in some jurisdictions
more liberal than Anglo-American Freemasonry
more open to social and political reform ideas
more secular than Anglo-American Freemasonry
often allows discussion of politics in lodges
often allows discussion of religion in lodges
often does not require belief in a Supreme Being
often politically engaged
tends to be anticlerical or non-clerical
historicalDevelopment diverged from English and Scottish Masonic traditions over issues of religion and politics
influenced by Enlightenment rationalism
influenced by anticlerical movements in France and other European countries
influenced by republican and liberal political currents
historicalOrigin developed primarily in France in the 18th and 19th centuries
notableBody Grand Orient de France
Grand Orient of Belgium
Grand Orient of Brazil
Grand Orient of Italy
Grand Orient of Portugal
Grand Orient of Spain
Grand Orient of the Netherlands
Grande Loge de France
International Masonic Association (historical)
Le Droit Humain
organizationalForm organized into Grand Lodges
organized into Grand Orients
politicalRole historically involved in republican and liberal movements in Europe
sometimes associated with anticlerical legislation in France and other countries
recognitionStatus generally considered irregular by mainstream Anglo-American Grand Lodges
generally not recognized by United Grand Lodge of England
religiousPolicy often does not require the Volume of the Sacred Law to be open on the altar
often removes explicit references to a personal God from rituals
ritualPractice often emphasizes philosophical and symbolic interpretation of rituals
uses rituals derived from French and Scottish Rite traditions
umbrellaOrganization CLIPSAS
European Masonic Alliance
International Masonic Union Catena

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (37)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Master Mason practicedIn Continental Freemasonry
Entered Apprentice usedIn Continental Freemasonry
Freemasons hasRelatedOrganization Co-Freemasonry
linked to: Continental Freemasonry
Regular Freemasonry contrastsWith liberal Freemasonry
linked to: Continental Freemasonry
Continental Freemasonry alsoKnownAs Liberal Freemasonry
linked to: Continental Freemasonry
Continental Freemasonry alsoKnownAs Latin Freemasonry
linked to: Continental Freemasonry
Anglo-American Freemasonry contrastsWith Continental Freemasonry
Continental Freemasonry alsoKnownAs liberal Freemasonry
subject linked to: continental Freemasonry
linked to: Continental Freemasonry
Continental Freemasonry alsoKnownAs Latin Freemasonry
subject linked to: continental Freemasonry
linked to: Continental Freemasonry
Organized into Grand Orients usedIn Continental Freemasonry
subject linked to: organized into Grand Orients
Organized into Grand Orients associatedWith Latin Freemasonry
subject linked to: organized into Grand Orients
linked to: Continental Freemasonry
Organized into Grand Orients relatedTo Continental Freemasonry
subject linked to: organized into Grand Orients
Organized into Grand Orients relatedTo liberal or adogmatic Freemasonry
subject linked to: organized into Grand Orients
linked to: Continental Freemasonry
Grand Orient de France recognizedBy Continental Masonic bodies
linked to: Continental Freemasonry
Le Droit Humain isPartOfTradition continental Freemasonry
linked to: Continental Freemasonry
International Masonic Association foundedBy Continental Masonic obediences
linked to: Continental Freemasonry
International Masonic Association ideology liberal Freemasonry
linked to: Continental Freemasonry
International Masonic Association religiousPolicy adogmatic Freemasonry
linked to: Continental Freemasonry
CLIPSAS cooperatesWith liberal Grand Lodges
linked to: Continental Freemasonry
European Masonic Alliance hasIdeology progressive Freemasonry
linked to: Continental Freemasonry
Canada (Francophone lodges) usesSymbolismFrom European continental Freemasonry
linked to: Continental Freemasonry
French Rite associatedWith continental Freemasonry
linked to: Continental Freemasonry
Grande Loge de France partOf Continental Freemasonry
Grande Loge de France masonicTradition Liberal Freemasonry
linked to: Continental Freemasonry
Grande Loge de France masonicTradition Continental Freemasonry
Grand Orient of Belgium masonicTradition Continental Freemasonry
Grand Orient of Belgium isAssociatedWith European liberal Freemasonry
linked to: Continental Freemasonry
Grand Orient of Italy masonicTradition Continental Freemasonry
Grand Orient of Italy isPartOf Italian Freemasonry
linked to: Continental Freemasonry
Grand Orient of Italy isPartOf Continental Freemasonry
Grand Orient of the Netherlands masonicRite Continental Freemasonry
Grand Orient of the Netherlands associatedWith Dutch Freemasonry
linked to: Continental Freemasonry
Grand Orient of Spain masonicTradition Continental Freemasonry
Grand Orient of Spain affiliation Continental Masonic bodies
linked to: Continental Freemasonry
Grand Orient of Portugal alignment Continental Freemasonry
Grand Orient of Portugal ritualFamily Continental Masonic rites
linked to: Continental Freemasonry
Grand Orient of Brazil masonicTradition Continental Freemasonry