Regular VS. Irregular vs. claNDESTINE LODGES
What is a regular versus an irregular Lodge? What does clandestine mean, and why and who does the recognizing?
Nothing seems to cause so much dispute among Freemasons as the subject of regularity and recognition. Especially here in Lebanon. Yet masons need more facts to understand these subjects.
The most important element to be a regular Lodge is that it has to be legally constituted, chartered and traced back in lineage to a Grand Lodge (such as the United Grand Lodge of England, Grand Lodge of Scotland, Grand Lodge of Ireland) and conform to its laws.
Some of the criteria for regularity include, but not limited to:
The irregular Lodge is a Masonic body that used to be regular, but then altered one of the criteria of regularity, so became irregular.
Now for the clandestine Lodges...
The clandestine Lodge by definition is an institution that has no lineage. It is a body that does not hold a charter from a superior body having the power to grant it. Hence it is neither regular nor irregular. Most of the so called lodges and grand lodges in Lebanon fall in this category unfortunately. When in doubt best place to check is foreign recognition pages of the Grand Lodges mentioned above.
And finally the Recognizing...
Recognition is a essential but a long process. Every Grand Lodge is recognized by one or more Grand Lodges, but there are certain rules that can never be broken. For example, no regular Lodge can recognize a clandestine Lodge. If a lodge becomes irregular, it is the obligation of the (regular) Grand Lodge to withdraw its recognition.
Nothing seems to cause so much dispute among Freemasons as the subject of regularity and recognition. Especially here in Lebanon. Yet masons need more facts to understand these subjects.
The most important element to be a regular Lodge is that it has to be legally constituted, chartered and traced back in lineage to a Grand Lodge (such as the United Grand Lodge of England, Grand Lodge of Scotland, Grand Lodge of Ireland) and conform to its laws.
Some of the criteria for regularity include, but not limited to:
- Legitimate lineage.
- Male members only.
- Belief in a Supreme Being, no atheists are ever to be allowed.
- Opening/closing/degrees, etc. must always be in the presence of a book of holy scripture such as the Bible, Quran, etc. They should always be exhibited when the Lodge is at work. No regular Lodge may put its constitutions, a white book or any other book instead.
- No discussion of politics inside the Lodge.
- No discussion of religion inside the Lodge.
The irregular Lodge is a Masonic body that used to be regular, but then altered one of the criteria of regularity, so became irregular.
Now for the clandestine Lodges...
The clandestine Lodge by definition is an institution that has no lineage. It is a body that does not hold a charter from a superior body having the power to grant it. Hence it is neither regular nor irregular. Most of the so called lodges and grand lodges in Lebanon fall in this category unfortunately. When in doubt best place to check is foreign recognition pages of the Grand Lodges mentioned above.
And finally the Recognizing...
Recognition is a essential but a long process. Every Grand Lodge is recognized by one or more Grand Lodges, but there are certain rules that can never be broken. For example, no regular Lodge can recognize a clandestine Lodge. If a lodge becomes irregular, it is the obligation of the (regular) Grand Lodge to withdraw its recognition.
