RWBro. Akram Elias, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia, has responded to the suspension of fraternal relations by the Grand Lodge of New York.
The complete document, along with a timeline of actions taken, can be read at http://www.freemasonsfordummies.com/documents/GLDC1.pdf
In doing more research into Lebanon, it seems to have had a colorful masonic history. The first Scottish lodge was establisged in Beirut in 1862 (Lodge Palestine No. 415, S.C.). The Grand Orient of France chartered Lodge East Lebanon in 1869, which worked in Arabic. Both grand lodges had at least four constituent lodges working in Lebanon up until WWI. In addition, the Ottoman Grand Lodge (which would become the Grand Lodge of Turkey) and the National Grand Lodge of Egypt chartered more than one. And as late as 1989, the Grand lodge of Italy chartered one lodge that has since gone dormant.
Many have questioned whether there is a grand lodge in Lebanon made up of native brethren, apart from the lodges established by Scotland, New York, and now the District of Columbia.
Kent Henderson and Tony Pope's indispensable book,Freemasonry Universal discusses the following:
As of 1999, according to Henderson and Pope, 16 additional grand bodies were at work in Lebanon besides the ones listed above. Many have just one lodge and a "grand master appointed for life." A few of these include:
See Kent Henderson's paper on Masonry in the MIddle East here.
The complete document, along with a timeline of actions taken, can be read at http://www.freemasonsfordummies.com/documents/GLDC1.pdf
In doing more research into Lebanon, it seems to have had a colorful masonic history. The first Scottish lodge was establisged in Beirut in 1862 (Lodge Palestine No. 415, S.C.). The Grand Orient of France chartered Lodge East Lebanon in 1869, which worked in Arabic. Both grand lodges had at least four constituent lodges working in Lebanon up until WWI. In addition, the Ottoman Grand Lodge (which would become the Grand Lodge of Turkey) and the National Grand Lodge of Egypt chartered more than one. And as late as 1989, the Grand lodge of Italy chartered one lodge that has since gone dormant.
Many have questioned whether there is a grand lodge in Lebanon made up of native brethren, apart from the lodges established by Scotland, New York, and now the District of Columbia.
Kent Henderson and Tony Pope's indispensable book,Freemasonry Universal discusses the following:
• The Grand Lodge of Lebanon - formed in 1936, with sporadic activity. As of 1999, it claimed 22 lodges and more than 600 members. Almost completely unrecognized outside of Lebanon.
• The Grand Ideal Lodge of Lebanon Republic - an attempt to unite the various Masonic organizations at work in Lebanon prior to WWII. After the war, it seemed to die out by the 1950s.
As of 1999, according to Henderson and Pope, 16 additional grand bodies were at work in Lebanon besides the ones listed above. Many have just one lodge and a "grand master appointed for life." A few of these include:
• The Grande Loge Bet-el was self-proclaimed in 1992, some 67 years after the establishment of New York's District Grand Lodge, and well over a century or more after the Grand Lodge of Scotland's. The Grand Lodge Bet-el has aligned itself with the philosophies of the Grand Orient of France, as its website declares, carrying the "banner of the Absolute Liberty of Conscience." Which is, as we all know by now, code for not requiring a belief in a Supreme Being. Like it or not, agree with it or not, such a requirement is a cornerstone of Anglo-Saxon-derived Freemasonry. So no US or UK mainstream GL will be recognizing it anytime soon. (They are using the theme from "Conquest of Paradise" as the soundtrack for their website. Intentional symbolism?)
• Orient de Canaan, established in 1979, appears to be quite active.
• La Grande Loge des Cèdres, which appeared about 1979 as well, and works "to the glory of the Grand Architect of the Universe." It seems to have just one lodge, Acacia No. 1.
• There is also the Lebanese Great Federal Orient, a Scottish Rite body.
See Kent Henderson's paper on Masonry in the MIddle East here.