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Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Is Freemasonry A Form Of Hermetism

Is Freemasonry A Form Of Hermetism Cover No.

Hermetism is a belief in Hermetica or Hermetic writings — a collection of works of revelation ascribed to the Egyptian god Thoth, also styled in the Greek as Hermes Trismegistos (or Trismegistis). Hermes was once considered to be the inventor of writing.

The theological writings, written in Greek and Latin, date from the middle of the 1st to the end of the 3rd century CE. The collection is represented chiefly by the 17 treatises of the Corpus Hermeticum, extensive fragments in the the writings of Stobaeus, and a Latin translation of the Asclepius, preserved among the works of Apuleius. The collection reflected a growing distrust with traditional Greek rationalism. Divided into two main classes, "popular" Hermetism received little attention until the end of the 19th century while "learned" Hermetism was a favorite resource for mediaeval astrologers and alchemists. Although the setting of the writings is Egypt, the philosophy is Greek and it was later extensively cultivated in Arab writings and European Renaissance literature.

The aim of Hermetism was the deification or rebirth of man through a knowledge of the one transcendent God, the world and mankind.

By the early Christian period, Hermes Trismegistos was believed to have been a celebrated Egyptian legislator, priest and philosopher. The old manuscripts which contain the Legend of the Craft ascribe to Hermes Trismegistos the invention of everything known to the human intellect. This belief is widely found in mediaeval writings such as the Polycronycon, written by the monk Ranulf Higden (1280-1364), and is not unique. Alchemy, reputed to have been invented by Hermes Trismegistos, was titled the Hermetic Science.

In a literary or poetical sense Freemasonry has been termed Hermetic insofar as it promotes the study and knowledge of the liberal arts and sciences. In a religious sense, Freemasonry cannot be termed Hermetic since Freemasonry is not a religion. Fringe freemasons, who either see the "traditional history" as rooted in fact, or want to fuse Freemasonry with Hermetism, will also promote the idea that Freemasonry is Hermetic.

Those who would criticize Freemasonry for being Hermetic generally use the term as a synonym for non-Christian, which becomes a synonym for un-Christian, and by extension, a synonym for anti-Christian.

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Paracelsus - The Treasure Of Treasures For Alchemists
Emilie Kip Baker - Stories From Northern Myths
Anonymous - The Emerald Tablet Of Hermes