Freemasonry: A Very Short Introduction

Very Short Introductions #531

by Andreas Önnerfors

Freemasonry is one of the oldest and most widespread voluntary organizations in the world. Over the course of three centuries men (and women) have organized themselves socially and voluntarily under its name. With a strong sense of liberation, moral enlightenment, cosmopolitan openness and forward-looking philanthropy, freemasonry has attracted some of the sharpest minds in history and has created a strong platform for nascent civil societies across the globe. With the secrecy of internally communicated knowledge, the clandestine character of organization, and the enactment of rituals and the elaborate use of symbols, freemasonry has also opened up feelings of distrust, as well as allegations of secretiveness and conspiracy.

This Very Short Introduction introduces the inner activities of freemasonry, and the rituals, symbols and practices. Looking at the development of the organizational structure of masonry from the local to the global level, Andreas Önnerfors considers perceptions of freemasonry from the outside world, and navigates through the prevalent fictions and conspiracy theories. He also discusses how freemasonry has from its outset struggled with issues of exclusion based upon gender, race and religion, despite promoting tolerant openness and inclusion. Finally Önnerfors shines a light on the rarely discussed but highly compelling history of female agency in Masonic and Para-Masonic orders.

ABOUT THE The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Politics, Audiobook

160 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2018

About the author

Andreas Önnerfors is Associate Professor of the History of Sciences and Ideas at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

Reviews

[Carlex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recently, I watched the movie “Eyes Wide Shut” by the great Stanley Kubrick and it made me curious about secret societies, so I was this book available on Audible and I have listened it.

Of course, Freemasonry has nothing to do with the secret society in the film, although the conspiracy theories that circulate about them says much worse things.

In my opinion, Masonic societies had a meaning when they appeared in the 17th century (the Age of the Enlightenment and the beginning of civil society) and they continue to have it today, among other things by virtue of their own resilience. After all, their idea that all human beings are equal should still be valid today, although apparently no one really has it in mind.

I'm not going to go into detail, just say that like any book that talks about a topic of my interest with rigor and amenity, it has my good score. In this case the author addresses the topic as it should be done, from a sociological vision well founded with facts and documents, without resorting to sensationalism, which I think that is one of the evils of our time.

[Jay French · Rating 3 out of 5]

As one who has enjoyed many fiction books that include secret societies including the Freemasons, I thought this book would provide me with new and interesting background on these societies. While I learned a lot about the Masons, much was as expected. The book explains this by pointing out that the Freemasons have been of interest to people for centuries, and books have been written about them for centuries. In addition, items from this “secret society”, including books and furniture, have been made available to the public over the years, further reducing the secrets of the society. I was very surprised as this book was describing the most recent major changes to the Freemasons and many of those occurred in the 17th century. I was also surprised in that this book included sections focusing on women membership in the Freemasons, which I had not realized was allowed in the distant past. The book overall focused on the organization of the Freemasons as the society spread across the globe. It also covered the secrets of the organization, including the protocols and rituals. I found it interesting, and the book was short enough to maintain my interest.

[Terese · Rating 3 out of 5]

To summarize most of historical freemasonry in a real simplistic manner: no women, no gays, no atheists.

The freemasons are fascinating and the conspiracy theories around them even more so. This was a nice introduction with some stuff I had never heard about. It was fun to hear one of my previous professors cited.

The ending got a bit hysterical to be honest, leaning into 2016 peak political squealing, but overall this was a great little book. But then this series rarely disappoints.

[Wilde Sky · Rating 2 out of 5]

A book about a mysterious society.

I found this book disappointing - it mainly dealt with the ancient history of society and didn't really touch of any of the concerns expressed about this organisation.

Reading time around one hour.

[Michael Huang · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ever since its founding in 1717, the Freemasons have endured contrasting images. Their own image is that of an organization that develops a charitable responsibility for humanity, that transmits elite culture to the next generation. The public, on the other hand, viewed them suspiciously.

Being a distributed organization that has lasted 300 years now, Freemasonry isn’t a static entity. There’s no coherent ideology though the organization is borrowed from guilds. But to themselves, they are obviously the goodies. There’s an imagined connection to knights in general and knights Templar in particular. Later myths created even deeper biblical ties. The Reformation helped individualized spiritual encounter of the divine, which brought hermetic tradition to Masonic practices. Since 1725, rituals became elaborate, mainly to convey Masonic idea through experience to a candidate. The publication of a “Constitution” made it clearer what a Freemason ought to be (philanthropic, charitable, and cosmopolitan, etc.)

However, to the outsiders, the secrecy and vows of loyalty do not endear and make authorities uneasy (what are they hiding?). The first papal ban came just 2 decades after its founding. Many states banned secret societies (but often stop short of banning the Freemasons.) The Nazis persecuted them. The public generally believes that they exerted improper influence on public life. There’re persistent myths including that the Jews and the Freemasons started the WWI. The all-male membership in early times brought accusations of sodomy.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned a lot about Freemasonry, but I also went into this book knowing essentially nothing about it. Did its job admirably.

[MG · Rating 3 out of 5]

lowkey makes me want to join.
i like the page about the simpson episode

[Kanika · Rating 2 out of 5]

Turns out, there’s not much to know about Freemasonry. Very boring read.

[Łukasz Korona · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I already stated in the past, Very Short Introduction books are notoriously difficult to review. In a way, their role is similar to that of movie trailers. Both concepts promise a wild ride through some cerebral landscapes, but they cannot be a substitute for the real, complete thing. Do they belong in the limelight, or should they be condemned to oblivion? The answer to this antithetical, Hamletian question is fully dependent on the ability of the VSIs to kindle a fire large enough to last for more than a few evenings (a typical timeframe to consume one of them).

What topic is chosen is also crucial. I might be as fascinated by Freemasonry as I am by Derrida, but not everyone is like me. And yet, while Derrida is an almost anonymous character to most casual book readers, freemasonry has always suffered from a severe case of ill repute. Freemasons have remained evildoing scapegoats for almost three centuries now, and their satanic tentacles are a constant element of the political narrative of (mainly) the Right.

It should come as no surprise. Secret organizations were often demonized by some very unlikely allies. Among those who joined the mudslinging fray against Freemasonry in the twentieth century were both Sola Scriptura evangelists and the Roman Catholic Pope. Similarly, the lodges were considered a harmful phenomenon by the ruling elite of two of the deadliest totalitarianisms represented by the NSDAP and the CPSU. Even in many contemporary democracies (political systems which on paper guarantee secrecy as an inviolable right), being associated with clandestine organizations is equal to having insidious influence on the society.

The VSI dispels many of these myths skillfully. Those seeking sensationalism should choose Dan Brown instead; what unfolds on the pages of the VSI is a story of thousands of individuals who believed in self-improvement, and thus in their ability to improve the society as a whole. It's not a lie then that freemasons wanted to shape the future of nations as they saw fit, but the transformation was uncannily similar to what most of the Western world now takes as a given. Charity and education, not sanguinary conspiracies, were essential components of typical masonic discourse.

A large portion of this VSI is devoted to tidying up the mess left by three hundred years of misinformation. It doesn't leave much room for anything else. There is of course some info on various rites and lodges, on the growing inclusivity of women; there are many fragments on the mythical roots of Freemasonry (which, ironically, is often inspired by Christian imagery), but it's not enough. Fortunately, each chapter is supported by decent bibliography, and as it usually happens with the VSIs, these books should never be treated as thorough compendiums, but as nudges in the right direction, springboards towards a more complete understanding of certain topics. As far as this goal is concerned, this VSI is worth recommending.

[Travis · Rating 4 out of 5]

My library had a display of these A Very Short Introduction books a short time ago. This one caught my attention because I had finished reading The Supernatural Enhancements not too long before, and that had offhandedly featured the idea of Freemasons being at the center of a conspiracy. They were not, but it triggered the realization for me that about the only thing I know about Freemasonry is that it is a favorite target for conspiracy theories. This book seemed like it might provide some answers, and I think it did to the extent possible. I still fail to see the attraction people feel to join societies like this, and I also wonder how people who presumably believed in the antiquity and truth of their organization reconciled that belief with the creation of new rituals and new degrees of membership, but that is more a matter of taste and personal belief and inclinations.

I find it somewhat amusing that although there was apparently always some suspicion of Freemasons, the conspiracy ideas really took off with accusations that they fomented the French Revolution to overthrow King and Church; and yet in our (nominally) democratic and secular society, they are still targets of conspiratorial accusations. And on a related note, because of the long history of public interest and vilification, there is evidently a nearly equally long history of publication of the secrets and rituals of Freemasonry, though this has obviously failed to convince everyone that there is nothing nefarious hidden behind their rituals.

[Samuel Parkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a decent little history, for anyone who wants a general account of the formation and fortunes of the Freemasons over the last three centuries. It also gives an impression of their ritual and, to some extent, beliefs. The author does bring in their own politics rather more than necessary, but it's a helpful little book all the same.

The book is marred, though, by a (slightly histrionic) failure to take account of the reasons for predjudices against the masons through history. It is good, of course to throw out the preposterous conspiracy theories, but Önnerfors is utterly dismissive of Christian opposition to the masons - whether Roman Catholic or protestant, because he just doesn't engage with the way the beliefs of masonry interact with Christian belief. Masonic ritual and belief is founded on various enlightenment presuppositions that are directly anti-Christian; it affirms a deliberately pelagian approach to religion, based on moral self-cultivation, equally accessible to those of any religion that believes in a supreme deity. As a result, the book seems to lack proper contextualisation in the realities of Seventeenth century politics and reaction to religion, in the philosophical world of deism and Spinoza and so on.. The author, likewise, betrays a lack of familiarity with the background history of their period in a variety of errors of detail - repeatedly calling a Scottish Presbyterian minister a 'priest', for instance.

Nonetheless I learned a lot that helps explain the outlook and practices of masonry.

[Will Atkins · Rating 1 out of 5]

Horrible. I think this is the third “Very Short Introduction” book I have read with the same outcome. This book tells you very little about Stonemasonry and instead is just one long accounting if the HISTORY of Stonemasonry. WAY too much history for what is supposed to be a general/overall introduction, and almost zero information that ISN’T historical.

[Almodather Awad · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great academic treatment of a subject that almost universally is discussed only in conspiratorial contexts. I especially enjoyed the last chapter where the author goes on to expose the origins of all those articles and videos online about how Masons rule the world covertly.

[Daniel Molina · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is a quick read that provides a great deal of information regarding the historical evolution and impact of Freemasonry, its system of initiation and self-government and the misconceptions that have been spread and continue to be spread in pop culture among other related topics.

[Ryan Watkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a helpful book for understanding freemasonry. The author attempts to explain the history and beliefs of the masons in a unbiased way. Overall the author does a good job of achieving that goal despite their postmodern worldview showing through at points.

[Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Freemasonry is a clandestine society that goes back to 17 century. It was established in England and then in France. They only let women join in later on. There are lots of material available to read and research about them these days!

[Clayton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, that was weird.

[Jamad · Rating 1 out of 5]

Some interesting info but, as someone else noted, it was a tough read. I felt like I was wading through mud. Had it been longer I would not have finished it.

[Kenneth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fine-enough writing, but a far more bureaucracy-focused work than I realized when I purchased it.

[Floor Martinez · Rating 4 out of 5]

suuuper interessant!!!

[Will Standridge, II · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful history and summary.

[versarbre · Rating 3 out of 5]

good "very short introduction"!

“a phenomenon of well-organized sociability for 300 years”

[Hank Hoeft · Rating 3 out of 5]

This slim volume has a good history of the Freemasons, but I was disappointed by its lack of nuts-and-bolts information about the purpose of freemasonry--what are the guiding principles and values freemasonry seeks to instill in its members? I understand after reading this book that a concise summary is difficult--if not impossible--due to the great amount of fragmentation that has occurred every since freemasonry was first established, but I was hoping for more information than this book provides--information that a cursory reading of the "freemasonry" article on Wikipedia does provide.

[Tara Griffin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting but doesn't read as easily as some of the other in the 'very short introduction' series, there are also other better introduction to freemasonry books which don't feel so much like you're wading through.

[Ytse · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the very first book that I read from this series.
It delivers exactly what it promised:balanced and complete summary in 200 pages.