Continental Freemasonry

E66124

Masonic tradition branch of Freemasonry

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.

Observed surface forms (4)

Surface form	Occurrences
Co-Freemasonry	1
Latin Freemasonry	1
Liberal Freemasonry	1
liberal Freemasonry	1

Statements (57)

Predicate	Object
instanceOf	Masonic tradition ⓘ branch of Freemasonry ⓘ
alsoKnownAs	Continental Freemasonry ⓘ surface form: Latin Freemasonry Continental Freemasonry ⓘ surface form: 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 Association (historical) ⓘ surface form: International Masonic Union Catena

Referenced by (7)

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

Continental Freemasonry → alsoKnownAs → Continental Freemasonry ⓘ

this entity surface form: Liberal Freemasonry

Continental Freemasonry → alsoKnownAs → Continental Freemasonry ⓘ

this entity surface form: Latin Freemasonry

Anglo-American Freemasonry → contrastsWith → Continental Freemasonry ⓘ

Regular Freemasonry → contrastsWith → Continental Freemasonry ⓘ

this entity surface form: liberal Freemasonry

Freemasons → hasRelatedOrganization → Continental Freemasonry ⓘ

this entity surface form: Co-Freemasonry

Master Mason → practicedIn → Continental Freemasonry ⓘ

Entered Apprentice → usedIn → Continental Freemasonry ⓘ