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Katholicisme, liberalisme en vrijmetselarij in onafhankelijk België. Kanttekeningen bij de herderlijke brief van 28 december 1837.
Tijdschriftbijdrage - Tijdschriftartikel
Korte inhoud:During the 1830's, Belgian Freemasonry joined hands with Liberalism in order
to oppose the clerical dominance. At the same time, Freemasonry tried to come
to terms with her own past: especially in Ghent the Masonic lodges were stil affliated
to the Grand Orient of the Netherlands. In order to stop this Orangist influence,
in 1837 the Belgian counterpart established its own lodge, La Fidélité.
This immediately caused reaction. The Belgian bishops issued a pastoral letter in
which they severely condemned every Catholic who was also a Freemason. As a
consequence, the Grand Master Goswin de Stassart was forced to lay down his
political functions, while his deputy, Pierre-Théodore Verhaegen, seized the opportunity
to continue to politicize the Masonic Lodges. The pastoral letter had
achieved the opposite of its intentions.
to oppose the clerical dominance. At the same time, Freemasonry tried to come
to terms with her own past: especially in Ghent the Masonic lodges were stil affliated
to the Grand Orient of the Netherlands. In order to stop this Orangist influence,
in 1837 the Belgian counterpart established its own lodge, La Fidélité.
This immediately caused reaction. The Belgian bishops issued a pastoral letter in
which they severely condemned every Catholic who was also a Freemason. As a
consequence, the Grand Master Goswin de Stassart was forced to lay down his
political functions, while his deputy, Pierre-Théodore Verhaegen, seized the opportunity
to continue to politicize the Masonic Lodges. The pastoral letter had
achieved the opposite of its intentions.
Gepubliceerd in: Negentiende Eeuw
ISSN: 1381-8546
Issue: 3
Volume: 32
Pagina's: 202-215
Jaar van publicatie:2009
Trefwoorden:Freemasonry, Political History of Belgium, Orangeisme
Reviewstatus:Peerreview