The Golden Builders: Alchemists, Rosicrucians, and the First Freemasons [Paperback]

Tobias Churton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2005

In a breathtaking span of detailed research, Tobias Churton reveals, without resorting to mythology or pseudo-history, the most up-to-date knowledge on the development of Gnostic alchemy, the true origins of pre-Grand Lodge Freemasonry, and the mysterious Fraternity of the Rosy Cross (the Rosicrucians). Following the Hermetic spiritual and philosophical stream through 1,600 years of esoteric history, Churton introduces readers to great men of magic and wisdom—spiritual heroes and masters like Paracelsus, Caspar Schwenckfeld, Johann Valentin Andrae, and Elias Ashmole. The Golden Builders is an essential addition to any serious seekers’ library.

The Golden Builders is divided into three parts:

• Part 1 presents a broad survey of the Hermetic current and its transmissions from Hellenistic Alexandria to the time of Paracelsus.

• Part 2 focuses on the Rosicrucian movement as a vehicle of the Hermetic current, drawing on state-of-the-art research, such as the works of Spanish scholar Carlos Gilly.

• Part 3 concentrates mainly on one man, the English polymath, antiquarian, collector, alchemist, astrologer, and early Freemason, Elias Ashmole, after whom the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford is named, and one of many Renaissance figures who carried the Hermetic current forward.

Debunking myths while revealing genuine mysteries, The Golden Builders is an enticing read that contains much spiritual wisdom. Explore the deeper meaning of magic and human existence, as revealed in the records and inspiring lives of the Golden Builders.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Tobias Churton is a writer and filmmaker, best known for his work on English television's award-winning Gnostics series and the best-selling book that accompanied it. Churton was also the founder-editor of the controversial Freemasonry Today magazine. He recently completed a dramatic film on Elias Ashmole and the origins of Freemasonry, A Mighty Good Man.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Weiser Books (January 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 157863329X
• ISBN-13: 978-1578633296
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,072,626 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Add this one to your esoteric library!, January 3, 2005

By 

Citrinitas (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Golden Builders: Alchemists, Rosicrucians, and the First Freemasons (Paperback)

This book would be an excellent addition to the library of anyone interested in the evolution of Western thought, and especially those wanting more light on the role of Hermeticism and two of its most significant offspring, Rosicrucianism and Freemasonry.

The Golden Builders leaps into the same league as the works of such respected esoteric scholars as Francis Yates and Antoine Favre, though in many ways it is more satisfying. It is quite readable, direct, and delightfully uncluttered with obscure references, vague associations, and specious conclusions. In most cases, Churton is very clear with his suppositions and conservative with his speculations, and he provides thorough footnotes.

Unlike many authors who have attempted to accomplish similar aims, Churton carefully elucidates the many personal relationships and connections among his central characters, as well as analysing their personalities and motivations. This accomplishment is clearly the result of Churton's painstaking examination of many period publications, personal writings, and private communications.

The Golden Builders skillfully reveals the extent to which the original Rosicrucian documents and the ensuing furor of interest fits so perfectly into the religious and political climate of the Renaissance and Reformation. Johann Valentin Andreae receives much deserved attention as a literary genius with significant connections among other influential men of the time. On a broader scale, the Rosicrucian myth and movement is placed squarely within the evolution of Hermeticism as a transformative element in Western thought.

Readers interested in the history and formation of Freemasonry might also be pleased to find that Churton carefully explores the intellectual atmosphere and cultural conditions surrounding the two earliest known Accepted Masons, Robert Moray and Elias Ashmole, especially the latter. As a result of this study, the purposes of the Craft are revealed as being far more than a convivial fraternity concerned with common teachings on morality and charity. Churton has made a significant contribution to understanding Accepted Masonry as originally being profoundly philosophical and inspirational in nature.

Whether you are a novice or already well read in this field of interest, The Golden Builders would be well worth your money as both an entertaining read and informative resource.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A THOROUGH OVERVIEW, April 20, 2006

By 

Lon Milo DuQuette - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Golden Builders: Alchemists, Rosicrucians, and the First Freemasons (Paperback)

The Golden Builders is not only a thorough overview of the ideas and men that molded the Hermetic traditions, it is a highly readable (Dare I say entertaining?) journey through the largely unexplored sources of the Western spiritual sciences.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Well Written Well Researched, December 14, 2006

By 

G. Porter (CO, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Golden Builders: Alchemists, Rosicrucians, and the First Freemasons (Paperback)

I like this book because it is the first to explain Templaric origins and combine it with the more traditional stone mason's guilds to explain the existence of speculative masonry.

In doing so, the author also explains the heavy influence of the Enlightenment Era upon the Craft. Those looking for light will receive it by order of this book.