At California's annual communication on Friday, a vote was taken to reaffirm Grand Master M. David Perry's edicts from March of this year that had suspended recognition of Georgia and Tennessee. The motion passed overwhelmingly.
Back in March when his edicts were issued withdrawing recognition, Grand Master Perry stated,
The Grand Lodge of Georgia ratified Grand Master McDonald’s Edict No. 2015-4 at the last Annual Communication of their Grand Lodge, thereby adding the following language to their Grand Lodge law: homosexual activity with anyone subjects the offender to discipline. The Grand Lodge of Tennessee recently suspended two brothers from Masonry for violating a provision of the Tennessee Masonic Code when they posted photographs of their wedding to each other on Facebook. The Tennessee Masonic Code states that it is a Masonic offense to promote or engage in homosexual activity.
In each case, I construe these actions as a sectarian stand which is inconsistent with and does not support the General Regulations of Freemasonry. I have therefore suspended recognition of The Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Georgia and the Grand Lodge of Tennessee F. & A. M. until the next Annual Communication of our Grand Lodge.As a result, California will officially continue to suspend Masonic amity with those two grand lodges for at least one more year, until the annual communication votes again, or the new 2016-17 Grand Master restores amity himself. Or until Georgia and Tennessee remove their restrictive rules.
Grand lodges of California, the District of Columbia, and Belgium all withdrew recognition with Georgia and Tennessee earlier this year over their rules barring homosexuals from membership.
For the ongoing background in this situation, SEE HERE.
