Robert Davis 33°, GC, Secretary of the Guthrie Oklahoma Scottish Rite

Posted on October 30, 2008December 27, 2021 by Greg Stewart | 2 Comments

Join us in this episode as we meet and talk with Robert Davis 33°. Together in this episode, Greg and Dean go deep with Br. Davis on his intimate family connections with Freemasonry, the Guthrie Scottish Rite, and the future of Freemasonry in Oklahoma and the rest of the nation.

Br. Robert is the author of Understanding Manhood in America and the writer behind the blog Papers of Robert G. Davis. Who can argue that experience and leadership are two of the most fundamental elements of a successful lodge, but how do you develop those elements? Leading change is one way, but not in a destructive manner, which is at the heart of this interview.

In our discussion we focus on Oklahoma Masonry, the Guthrie College of the Consistory study program, the role of the “mature masculine” in Freemasonry, and his thoughts on the future of Craft.

In this program we talk about the Guthrie Scottish Rite and its College of the Consistory program and touch on a wide range of topics, including:

Br. Davis’s history in Freemasonry and the factors in his life that led him to it.
The relationship between the quest of manhood and the role Freemasonry plays in it.
Leadership and successful lodges at the local level.
How to bring change to lodge (when change is desired) and
How activity breeds activity in any organization

Without a doubt you will find a point of deep connection to Br. Davis and with what he has to say. He is probably as traditional as traditional Masonry gets but with an open stance of improving the fraternity and seeing it grow in the future. At his core is the identity of the masculine male, manhood, and the recovery of that role in America today.

More on the web:

https://robertgdavis.net/about/
https://www.gloklahoma.com/member/robert-g-davis/

This show was originally recorded November 2, 2008, at 6PM PST on the Masonic Central Podcast.

Right Worshipful Thomas W. Jackson on Masonic Central

Posted on October 23, 2008December 30, 2021 by Greg Stewart | 3 Comments

Join us on this episode, originally recorded on Sunday, October 26, 2008, as the engage with Ill. Thomas W. Jackson, 33°, the pastGrand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania and the Honorary President of the World Conference of Freemasons. In this episode, we dig deep into the quality and quantity of fraternal membership, masonic charity, and male freemasonry working with female Freemasonry.

As Masonic resumes go, Br. Jackson’s takes four pages to list his achievements, and I assure you it is not a list of grand titles and dues cards receipts. Br. Tom has been recognized and is an honorary member of more than a dozen international Grand Lodges around the world.

At the time of the recording Tom was the Secretary of the World Conference of Masonic Grand Lodges and formerly the Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, and those titles pale in comparison with is insight into Freemasonry today. In the show we focus on world of Freemasonry in general and North American Freemasonry in particular.

Some of the topics we discuss are:

The differences in Masonry around the world.
The role of the conference of Masonic Grand Lodges.
The idea of a Masonic Renaissance man.
Freemasonry at home and abroad in the next 10, 25, and 50 years.
How can you, the listener, change the ills that plague Freemasonry today.

Having taken the opportunity to speak to Brother Tom and hearing his thoughts about these topics, I’m sure you’ll agree that he is without a doubt a man worth listening to.

This show was originally recorded October 26th, at 6PM PST on the Masonic Central Pod Cast to get a close up look on the world view of Freemasonry.

On a personal note this was, at the time, one of the most memorable conversations I’ve had about Freemasonry and remains one of the most impactful. In this conversation, Jackson clearly (and profoundly) articulates the past, present and future challenges of the fraternity. This is well worth the listen.

More on the web:
Sending A Message of Unanimity
The State of Contemporary American Freemasonry

Jessica L. Harland-Jacobs author of Builders of Empire

Posted on October 16, 2008November 20, 2015 by Masonic Traveler | 1 Comment

How influential was Freemasonry to the growing British Empire of the 18th Century?

In this podcast we delve into the subject matter with Professor Jessica Harlan-Jacobs who is the author of Builders of Empire: Freemasons and British Imperialism, 1717-1927.

This book, while not an exotic expose of the mysterious secrets of the ancient fraternity, it is a well paced analysis of its most formative period of growth across the globe.

Listen to the Pod-Cast Now!

During the pod cast we discuss the world of British Colonialism in which Freemasonry grew to maturity and what that meant for both the British Empire and to Freemasonry. Also we will explore the growing study of Freemasonry in academia.

Originally recorded in 2008

Stephen Dafoe

Posted on October 8, 2008December 27, 2021 by Greg Stewart | 4 Comments

Stephen Dafoe

In this episode of Masonic Central, originally recorded on October 12, 2008, Greg and Dean are joined by the esteemed author and historian Stephen Dafoe. We dig into all things Templar delving into their historic past and their meaningful significance to Freemasonry today.

It was a great discussion and one sure to illuminate the wide topic of the Knights Templar and Freemasonry.

Some of the topics we dig into include:

The road from batman to Freemasonry

Why he joined the fraternity
His Templar comic Outremer
Why Friday the 13th is so memorable
Knights Templar vs. Knight Hospitallers
The Mystery of Oak Island

Stephen brings the Templars down to earth and helps shake the illusion of bigger than life personalities that pervade current portrayals of the mythic knighthood. As a bonus, this was a fun episode to record and listen to and it comes out in the conversation. Stephen is a great voice to listen to and Dean and Greg cut it up like they always do. Plus, a few guests pop in with questions and we get down to the real meaning history and secrets of Baphomet!

Table Talk Technology and Modern Masonry.

Posted on October 3, 2008April 20, 2012 by Greg Stewart | 1 Comment

What type of tools do you need to run your Lodge at maximum efficiency? Are there tools to better administer committees, and communication to members? How can we link the membership back into the lodge? This week on Masonic Central we want to look at the various types of tools available on line for for use in the administration and communication in the lodge environment. Listen in on the live show and put in your ¢.02 on what has worked for you and your lodge.

The technology is out there and we want to make some sense of it to make it easier for you to use.

Join us this Sunday at 6PM PST / 9PM EST on Masonic Central as our brother Tim Bryce steps in as a guest host on our famous table talk open forum to tackle the subject of the different types of technology available today.