Outside of the Masonic brotherhood, there is great confusion—and often great misinformation—about what Freemasons believe about Jesus. So what do Masons actually believe? Who do Masons say Jesus was, and why is that important? Let’s take a moment to answer these important spiritual questions.
Was Jesus “Merely a Man”?
One of the very unfortunate pieces of misinformation that has circulated regarding Freemasons and Jesus is that Freemasons somehow wish to “put down” or deride Jesus by saying he was “merely a man.” This simply could not be further from the truth. As Freemason Henry Clausen noted in his Clausen’s Commentaries on Morals and Dogma, “We do not say to Christians that Christ was a mere man, whose life’s story is only a revival of similar older [pagan] stories. To do any of these things would be irreverent. We utter no such words.”
Instead, as the noted Masonic leader Jim Shaw wrote, Masonic doctrine maintains that, “Jesus was one of the ‘exemplars,’ one of the great men of the past.” The Masonic scholar Albert Pike put a finer point on it, asserting that Jesus was “a great teacher of morality.” In fact, Pike and other Masonic writers have noted the great overlap between spiritual principles taught by Jesus and those taught by Freemasonry. These include belief in a God who is the Supreme Being of the Universe, plus an embrace of love, charity, tolerance of others, and helping those who are less fortunate.
Can Christians Be Masons?
Despite having ethics, morality, and brotherhood at its core, Freemasonry is not a religion. So if you happen to be a Christian—and also believe that other human beings are your brothers and sisters, no matter their religious beliefs—there is no reason why you cannot be a Mason. In fact, through history there have been millions of Christians who were Masons. These brothers have concluded that Freemasonry and Christianity are compatible because they have many values in common.
An Important Final Point
In the New Testament (James 2:14–17, NIV), it says: “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”
For millions of Christians around the world, this is a core aspect of their faith—a faith that calls them to actively and lovingly reach out and help those in need. And guess what? That’s a huge part of Freemasonry, too.
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