Restoring the Temple of Vision: Cabalistic Freemasonry and Stuart Culture (Brill's Studies in Intellectual History) (Brill's Studies in Itellectual History) [Hardcover]

Marsha Keith Schuchard (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2002 | Series: Brill's Studies in Itellectual History (Book 110)

This text seeks to uncover the early Jewish, Scottish and Stuart sources of "ancient" Cabalistic Freemasonry that flourished in "Ecossais" lodges in the 18th and 19th centuries. Drawing on architectural, technological, political and religious documents, it offers real-world, historical grounding for the flights of visionary Temple building described in the rituals and symbolism of "high-degree" Masonry. The roots of mystical male bonding, accomplished through progressive initiation, are found in Stuart notions of intellectual and spiritual "amicitia". Despite the expulsion of the Stuart dynasty in 1688 and the establishment of a rival "modern" system of Hanoverian-Whig Masonry in 1717, the influence of "ancient" Scottish-Stuart Masonry on Solomonic architecture, Hermetic masques, and Rosicrucian science was preserved in lodges maintained by Jacobite partisans and exiles in Britain, Europe, and the New World.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 850 pages
• Publisher: Brill Academic Pub (June 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9004124896
• ISBN-13: 978-9004124899
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.7 x 2.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,920,014 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Restoring the Temple of Vision, October 15, 2003

By 

javafusion - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Restoring the Temple of Vision: Cabalistic Freemasonry and Stuart Culture (Brill's Studies in Intellectual History) (Brill's Studies in Itellectual History) (Hardcover)

The founders of the Scots-Irish-Stuart Masonic culture in fourteenth- through sixteenth century Stewart Scotland and seventeenth century Stuart Britain is the subject of this study. Because so much of this history has been insubstantially documented and relegated to the realm of oral tradition and anachronistic legend, the author has tried to present as much concrete detail and chronological narrative as the evidence will allow to create a credible, objective, real-world context for the ensuing "myths" of Freemasonry. Thus, she concentrates on certain themes that define the Stuart Masonic mentality - i.e., Jewish and Scottish architectural mysticism; Jewish and Lullist mnemonic-visualization techniques; Cabalistic and Hermetic sexual theosophy; Rosicrucian and Masonic scientific schemes; crusader chivalry and illuminated knighthood; liberty of conscience and universal brotherhood.

This work should rank high on the list for general readers interested in architectural, scientific, theatrical, and esoteric history, especially those curious about Cabalism, Freemasonry, Rosicrucianism, Hermeticism, and their influence on art, literature, science and politics.