Mount Zion Lodge No. 266, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Kansas, operating in Topeka, Kansas, announces a call for papers and presentations for its first Modern Masonic Practices Symposium entitled The Gentleman, the Scholar, and the Mystic: Exploring Modern Masonic Practices in North America to be held from Friday, April 16 – Sunday, April 18, 2010.
Fully conforming with established customs and rituals of the Grand Lodge of Kansas, Mount Zion Lodge operates within the broad realm of Traditional Observance and European Concept practices, as defined by modern American Masonic culture, but does not tie itself to any specific model or identity. The Modern Masonic Practices Symposium will select and present original, scholarly research papers on the phenomenon of progressive development and modern trends in Traditional Observance and European Concept lodges in North America. Diverse perspectives and methods of examining this phenomenon are encouraged from a broad range of study.
Possible topics include, but are not limited to:
- The development of modern and progressive changes to Freemasonry in North America, including its underlying causes.
- Sociological challenges facing Freemasonry in North America today.
- Governance and administration issues and solutions for Lodges adopting new practices.
- The rebirth and importance of the philosophical and spiritual aspects of Freemasonry.
- European Masonry reconciled with European Concept Masonry in form and practice.
- Transcendent traditions in Freemasonry and their place in Modern American Masonic Practice.
The papers should be scholarly in tone, with a maximum length of 4000 words, which may be presented in a 30 -45 minute oral address to the symposium. All submissions must be from a Master Mason in a Lodge in Amity with the Grand Lodge of Kansas. The symposium committee will award prizes as follows: First Place, Runner-Up, and Honorable Mention. Authors of the winning papers will be invited to present their work at the symposium as guests of Mt. Zion Lodge.
Deadline for Submissions: November 1, 2009
Submission Format: Completed papers with a resume or c.v. should be sent to:
Joesphe G. Stiles
c/o Mount Zion Lodge 266
P. O. Box 1217
Topeka, KS
Joesphe at gmail dawt com
Be sure to include full contact information (name, address, email, phone, and affiliation).
My problem is you must be in amity with the Grand Lodge of Kansas. So if you are a women Mason, a Co-Mason or a so called clandestine Mason or a Prince Hall Mason not recognized by the Grand Lodge of Kansas – which probably excludes me- then you cannot participate. Furthermore if you are Margaret Jacobs or Steven Bullock you can not participate either.
Do you see how many good people have been eliminated? Is the purpose here to further Masonic knowledge or is the purpose to reinforce Mainstream only values?
Don’t be silly, Fred. Kansas recognizes PHA Masonry.
I don’t think Brother Fred is being silly at all in his question. To have a truly open discussion on the topic you need to hear all sides without prejudice. Truth can only be ascertained when having all sides of the story before you render a decision or we are no better than this mock trial.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1Y80ue92Ao
Well, I suppose they could invite the Odd Fellows, the Kiwanis, and the Cleveland Brown’s secondary squad, to hear “their side,” too, but that really wouldn’t be a Masonic conference, would it?
audevidetace cute response.
You do realize this is primarily a conference about the TOL/ECL movement within mainstream masonry, don’t you all? (Not general history issues or globalization issues, etc.)