Post by Tamrin on Jun 16, 2010 10:54:32 GMT 10
The Relative Importance of
Historical Research to the Craft
Historical Research to the Craft
Lately, I have been down-playing the importance of historical, masonic research. This is an unaccustomed role for me and I have surprised myself by taking this stance: A surprise I’m sure many of the readers here will share, as I have been known to indulge in such research when a particular topic excites my attention.
I am not saying historical research is not important, just that its importance is relative. It is certainly not the solution to “the dilemma of modern Freemasonry”, which is the claim to which I was responding.
The email correspondence that has led to my sharing this stance is as follows:
Some time ago I mentioned a paper by Neville Cryer, “That’s what Freemasonry is all about, isn’t it?” I have tracked it down and posted a copy of it to you today. I feel the paper illustrates a point I have been striving to make in response to your emphasis on the importance of history to Masonic education. Namely, that there are other important aspects and a Mason disinterested in the history of the Craft can still be a great credit to it, as an administrator, ritualist, caterer, speaker, etc. or simply as a thoughtful and caring brother.
BTW, Please don't take this as being ill intentioned: I agree that an understanding of our history is important - but maybe not of prime importance. I feel Abraham Maslow was quite astute in saying, “To the man who only has a hammer in the toolkit, every problem looks like a nail.”
BTW, Please don't take this as being ill intentioned: I agree that an understanding of our history is important - but maybe not of prime importance. I feel Abraham Maslow was quite astute in saying, “To the man who only has a hammer in the toolkit, every problem looks like a nail.”
I'm not taking your point as ill-intentioned - my point is however that without history, the other tasks don't exist, not Masonically anyway. Nothing exists without its historical context, and what wd speakers speak about, or ritualists 'ritualise', anyway?
Re Craft History: What would they talk about and what would they ritualize? - What is! - Admitting some exaggeration, I suggest Brethren no more need to know the history of the Craft than I need to know the workings (let alone the history) of an internal combustion engine in order to drive a car.
My admitted exaggeration is due to our rituals being a peculiar form of enduring, temporal artifacts, which exist and change by virtue of their performance and transmission from generation to generation. Even so, some worthy Brethren are never going to be excited about our history.
My admitted exaggeration is due to our rituals being a peculiar form of enduring, temporal artifacts, which exist and change by virtue of their performance and transmission from generation to generation. Even so, some worthy Brethren are never going to be excited about our history.
Philip, forgive me but your driving your car without being interested in or knowing anything about what makes it go, is akin to Masons attending lodge, doing the ritual and not knowing why, and not caring for any of it beyond the surface movement.
And I wd have to say that you're assuming 'the history' only refers to events, etc, you're not interested in - how about your history?
And I wd have to say that you're assuming 'the history' only refers to events, etc, you're not interested in - how about your history?
At this juncture, I intentionally ceased my participation in the conversation, for the sake of harmony. I have since received the following:
Philip, I suspect you won't be at the… mtg in July, so I'm sending you a draft copy of my proposed paper, for comment.
The draft paper attached to the email quoted and developed the conversation thus far. I would be going well beyond fair usage to share the entire paper here (especially being a draft). Even so, some quotes from it might suffice in providing the comment requested.
My justification in sharing this correspondence here is that a selective part of it forms a substantial part of the draft paper, the final version of which is to be shared and published.