A review of "Freemasonry and Ritual Work: The Misraim Service"
This is an extensive reference volume (over 500
pages), containing virtually everything Rudolf Steiner ever wrote on Masonic
rituals. Steiner was the founder of Anthroposophy, a spiritual path similar in
some ways to Theosophy, while also drawing on other sources, including
Steiner's own imagination (or clairvoyance, if you are less sceptical).
Steiner was never a Freemason in the strictest sense, but he did develop an interest in the so-called Rite of Memphis and Misraim, an “irregular” Masonic rite with a convoluted history. He believed that Masonry had “betrayed” the ancient Mysteries, while nevertheless keeping some of its rituals. Steiner also knew that many of the German romantics he admired had been Masons, including Goethe. For these reasons, Steiner decided to establish a kind of quasi-Masonic society for members of the German Theosophical Society, later to become the Anthroposophical Society. To that end, he got in touch with Theodor Reuss, who represented the Memphis-Misraim lineage in Germany. For a hefty fee, Reuss gave Steiner the right to start new lodges and even gave him a flashy title. Steiner, of course, used Reuss' certificate to set up his own “Masonic” society, open only to Steiner's supporters. Unfortunately for the future founder of Anthroposophy, Reuss was something of a character, doubling as the leader of Ordo Templi Orientis (OTO), an occult order which would later acquire world-wide notoriety due to the activities of one Aleister Crowley. Still today, opponents of Anthroposophy accuse Steiner of having been an actual member of the OTO, perhaps participating in rituals of sex magic!
Those who look for scandals in this book will be disappointed, however. It contains descriptions of various initiation rituals, photos or drawings of ritual implements, and lengthy interpretations of the meanings of the Masonic ceremonies. Since I know next to nothing about the Rite of Memphis-Misraim, I don't know to what extent Steiner might have revised the various rituals, although they do have a stereotypically Masonic feel, with coffins, candle lights, secret passwords, planetary symbols, etc.
Steiner's interpretations are obviously Anthroposophical, with all the usual speculations about man's cosmic evolution at Old Saturn, Lucifer and Ahriman, Atlantis, the Mystery of Golgotha, and so on. He also places great emphasis on various legends and speculations about Cain, Abel and Seth, while making the startling claim that Hiram Abiff later reincarnated as Lazarus and Christian Rosenkreuz. In some strange way, Lazarus was also a reincarnation of John the Baptist, who would later appear as the romantic poet Novalis!
Steiner's Masonic group was known under several different names, but Mystica Aeterna seems to be the designation most known to the outside world. Steiner disbanded the Masonic group at the start of World War I, fearing that it could be seen as a secret society by the German authorities. Critics often point to another possible reason: Steiner had conspiracy theories about secret (Masonic?) societies in Britain, claiming that they were behind the war with Germany. The editors of this volume point out, however, that after the war Steiner permitted Anthroposophists in both Germany and Britain to simultaneously belong to Masonic lodges.
I can't say that “`Freemasonry' and Ritual Work” really thrilled me. I skimmed most of the material, and it's occasionally repetitive, being a reference work. However, it's probably of considerable interest to people who take Freemasonry and Masonic rituals seriously, although the strange Anthroposophical interpretations might perhaps put some people off.
Three stars.
Oh, and the meaning of my review title is a secret... ;-)
Steiner was never a Freemason in the strictest sense, but he did develop an interest in the so-called Rite of Memphis and Misraim, an “irregular” Masonic rite with a convoluted history. He believed that Masonry had “betrayed” the ancient Mysteries, while nevertheless keeping some of its rituals. Steiner also knew that many of the German romantics he admired had been Masons, including Goethe. For these reasons, Steiner decided to establish a kind of quasi-Masonic society for members of the German Theosophical Society, later to become the Anthroposophical Society. To that end, he got in touch with Theodor Reuss, who represented the Memphis-Misraim lineage in Germany. For a hefty fee, Reuss gave Steiner the right to start new lodges and even gave him a flashy title. Steiner, of course, used Reuss' certificate to set up his own “Masonic” society, open only to Steiner's supporters. Unfortunately for the future founder of Anthroposophy, Reuss was something of a character, doubling as the leader of Ordo Templi Orientis (OTO), an occult order which would later acquire world-wide notoriety due to the activities of one Aleister Crowley. Still today, opponents of Anthroposophy accuse Steiner of having been an actual member of the OTO, perhaps participating in rituals of sex magic!
Those who look for scandals in this book will be disappointed, however. It contains descriptions of various initiation rituals, photos or drawings of ritual implements, and lengthy interpretations of the meanings of the Masonic ceremonies. Since I know next to nothing about the Rite of Memphis-Misraim, I don't know to what extent Steiner might have revised the various rituals, although they do have a stereotypically Masonic feel, with coffins, candle lights, secret passwords, planetary symbols, etc.
Steiner's interpretations are obviously Anthroposophical, with all the usual speculations about man's cosmic evolution at Old Saturn, Lucifer and Ahriman, Atlantis, the Mystery of Golgotha, and so on. He also places great emphasis on various legends and speculations about Cain, Abel and Seth, while making the startling claim that Hiram Abiff later reincarnated as Lazarus and Christian Rosenkreuz. In some strange way, Lazarus was also a reincarnation of John the Baptist, who would later appear as the romantic poet Novalis!
Steiner's Masonic group was known under several different names, but Mystica Aeterna seems to be the designation most known to the outside world. Steiner disbanded the Masonic group at the start of World War I, fearing that it could be seen as a secret society by the German authorities. Critics often point to another possible reason: Steiner had conspiracy theories about secret (Masonic?) societies in Britain, claiming that they were behind the war with Germany. The editors of this volume point out, however, that after the war Steiner permitted Anthroposophists in both Germany and Britain to simultaneously belong to Masonic lodges.
I can't say that “`Freemasonry' and Ritual Work” really thrilled me. I skimmed most of the material, and it's occasionally repetitive, being a reference work. However, it's probably of considerable interest to people who take Freemasonry and Masonic rituals seriously, although the strange Anthroposophical interpretations might perhaps put some people off.
Three stars.
Oh, and the meaning of my review title is a secret... ;-)
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