Friday, July 21, 2006
PANSOPHIC FREEMASONRY
is described at the Home Temple Center as "Martinist, Rosicrucian, Elus Cohen, Fratres Lucis, Holy Order of Mans, Great Western Brotherhood, and T:.H:.G:." Everything at this Keizer temple is stored in the yurt. Does that mean that their congregation and program is not a large one? Or does it mean that there are other facilities not being mentioned here?
They offer a Caduceus Institute, dedicated to alternative medicine. This would be consistent with Rosicrucian Rudolf Steiner's Anthroposophical Medicine. How close do these people come to practicing medicine without a license?
It's a question worth asking as we watch alternative medicine shops spring up in our cities. There is one within walking distance of my home. What exactly does a "Clinical Homeopath" do? Since our Roman Catholic nuns are into homeopathy, the question also impacts our spirituality. Holy Apostles Catholic Church in London offers homeopathy every Tuesday from 10 to 1 according to their calendar. In looking through their website, it appears they are Roman Catholic, but I'm not absolutely sure. What is Anthroposophy doing in a Roman Catholic Church? Rosicrucianism has been condemned by the Church. So has Theosophy. Steiner's Anthroposophy is a combination of the two.
Does anyone recognize the bishop's seal in the upper left corner? These don't usually appear on parish websites. They are quite common among wandering bishops. You can see one here.
The Keizers also offer a program of study in the Home Temple Priesthood. This program includes keeping a Kabbalistic, Messianic Shabbat Seder of Mar Yeshua. (Is this anything like the seder that has become popular in American Catholic churches?) The program of studies includes courses adapted from Jewish and Christian seminaries.
Once the priest or priestess is ordained they are free to "operate their own independent ministries in compliance with the Home Temple Code of Ethics." "They are empowered to use any liturgy, theology, vestments, or other orientation that seems best to them--Christian, Buddhist, Wiccan, Jewish, Hindu, Taoist, Theosophical, etc.
A "Fast Track Program" is offered to "persons already ordained as Deacons, Priests, or Bishops in valid lines of Apostolic Succession." There is also a provision in the website that candidates must not have "impediments to Ordination" such as criminal activities, non-disclosure of previous abuse of clerical authority, etc.) Hmmm.
Some priests of the Home Temple are pictured here. There are even a couple of ghostbusters. Rev. Loren's Gnostic Catholic Church of the Holy Grail and the Hidden Chapel of Mary Magdalene" are pictured.
In addition to that there is the Home Temple School of Sacred Studies. Programs offered here are non accredited and meant for "Christian or interfaith ministry." Degrees offered are not academic degrees or professional certificates. "Pastoral hypnotherapy" is included in the course of studies. Here is a curious provision found under "Clergy of Other Denominations: "If you are a Priest, you must have permission of your Bishop to proceed, but you will remain under his/her jurisdiction."
There is a Spanish translation available of the Home Temple Mass for those serving bilingual communities. (Pentecostalism? It is big in Spanish-speaking countries.)
This group makes as much of the diaconate as does the Roman Catholic Church since Vatican II. Prior to the Council, we did not hear of the diaconate since it was an office limited to seminary training.
Fees are spelled out throughout this website. The handbook used for pastoral counseling is published by Paulist Press.
In the Bachelor of Divinity Degree, the candidate is immersed "in the historical teachings of Mar Yeshua, the Master Jesus--as opposed to ecclesiastical dogma and theological doctrine offered by Christian churches. Through a study of the Aramaic language, vocabulary, Jewish Kabbalistic and Messianic concepts used by Jesus we arrive at a new, unique and profound understanding of the Master's teachings."
Dogma and doctrine are rejected, however, when providing a study of the parables of Yeshua, clergy must follow specifically defined rubrics. What is the difference between "rubrics" and "dogma and doctrine," one wonders. Could it be that Roman Catholic dogma and doctrine constitute what is opposed, while Gnostic writings are defined as "rubrics"?
In the Master of Divinity degree world religions are among the topics. Other topics include astrology, Magdalenic studies, the western mystery tradition, Kabbalistic theurgy, Myan wisdom, and more. A lot of this can also be found in Pike's MORALS AND DOGMA.
Near the end of this website it is stated that "faculty mentors of the Home Temple Synod of Bishops...are also international Grand Masters of these initiatic orders and associations." Now we are talking about a much larger organization, possibly including the OTO? In other words, this is the newest "academic" coat of many colors of esoteric Freemasonry.
Whatever they are about, "initiatic" is central to the concept. According to the website, acceptable initiatic paths include Templar, Martinist, Illuminist, Great Western Brotherhood, Pansophic Freemasonry. For the Doctoral degree, the dissertation must be a minimum of 200 pages which is read by a Committee of three Home Temple Bishops. At $100 per bishop. This, combined with the statement about mentors, would indicate that there are more bishops in the Home Temple than we are told in the website.
Mike O'Brien's comment--"he reminds me one of the highly placed bad guys in Martin's "Windswept House"--may be spot on.
