Masonic Central Podcast

Traditional Observance Lodges & the MRF

Masonic Restoration Foundation and Traditional Observance Lodges.
Masonic Restoration

In this episode, recorded on March 7, 2010, Dean and Greg are joined by Mark Tabbert and Cliff Porter to talk about Traditional Observance Lodges and the Masonic Restoration Foundation. T.O. (Traditional Observance) Lodges seemed at one time to be a bright spot in the future of Freemasonry. Since this program, the was recorded, it seems the Traditional Lodge movement has slowed.

You may of heard these questions tossed around in some of the more secluded or private conversations at a lodge meeting.  Or, perhaps in one of the many web forum discussions that  so often ask the meaningful questions about where Masonry has come from, where it resides today, and where its headed.  And all the while in those discussions, the term Traditional Observance Lodge or European Concept seems to be mentioned as one of the strongest possible paths of preserving the past and future of the American styled Gentleman’s Craft.

From the episode: “A Traditional Observance Lodge is a specific model under the Masonic Restoration Foundation that has implemented a series of best practices that have been studied and taken from Europe, South America and Colonial American Masonry from the US and returned the focus of the lodge to the initiatic experience.”

But, from a top down view, Traditional Observance Lodges work to preserve a “pure” form of Masonry, and something that necessitated a point of restoration. To get back to a point of origin. Ultimately in the middle of our modern day busy lives and hastened schedules, TO lodges strive to make better lackluster meetings and breathe a point of restoration of tradition in Freemasonry.  Which brings us to the Masonic Restoration Foundation. At its heart, the Masonic Restoration Foundation is about identifying solutions and ways to implement them. That goal is aimed at reinforcing and expanding positive trends at local, state and national levels in Freemasonry.

“Curious about how to bring Masonry into the Tradition it came from?”  “What’s this new Concept I’ve heard about called European Masonry?” This is the episode to listen to and find out.

From its website:

Masonic Restoration Foundation and Traditional Observance Lodges.

The MRF provides education and training to individuals, lodges and Grand Lodges on ways to establish quality programs, academic excellence and social relevance in their Masonic communities that will be a match with the needs of the new Mason.

As American Freemasonry faces some of the most important challenges in its history the MRF stands to ensure a sense of purpose and identity for the Craft.

Listen to this episode of Masonic Central as they talk about the Masonic Restoration Foundation, Traditional Observance Lodges (TO) and the European Concept Lodge (EC). Marc Conrad and Cliff Porter, both of whom  are active Board members of the Masonic Restoration Foundation join the show to discuss all things forward in Freemasonry.  What exactly is a EC lodge? Are TO lodges the wave of the future? How do I start the conversation on forming a TO lodge? Listen in and ask the questions with us as we explore the TO and EC lodge archetypes with the Board of the Masonic Restoration Foundation.

In the episode there’s a mention of Robert Davis who was a guest on Masonic Central in 2008.

on Blog Talk Radio

The return of Masonic Central and the “Masonic Baptism”!

masonicbaptism

Masonic Baptism by Cliff Porter

After a long summer hiatus, Masonic Central is back and to recommit ourselves to our second year, this weeks show is highly appropriate.

Coming on the program is Brother Cliff Porter to talk with us about his new book Masonic Baptism – A Post Modern Ritual for an Ancient Craft.

For some background, Mackey says of the ritual that it is “… simply a lustration or purification by water, a ceremony which was common to all the ancient initiations”.

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In the present day, the ceremony and ritual are designed to be performed in lodges wishing to baptize children of Masonic families. The ceremony is not a religious function, nor does it compete with the baptisms of the different religions of the world. Rather it is a solemn act of fidelity and a pledge to the children of  Freemasons to signify that they are now a part of a broader community and that they will never be alone.  Br. Porter’s work has brought the ritual back into a modern parlance and reintroduces us to this past practice in a modern era.

Reconnect with Dean and Greg, and travel with them through their summer adventures and this appropriate topic of the Masonic Baptism on this special hour and a half long program on Masonic Central this Sunday, August 16th starting at 6pm PDT/9pm EDT. For your questions and comments to the guest live on the air call: (347) 677-0936 during the program.

Listen to the program live from our home at Masonic Central on Blog Talk Radio and join in with our live program chat, or from our player widget on our website at Freemason Information.

Its good to be back!