International Secretariat of the Masonic Adogmatic Powers

The term "Adogmatic" derives from Greek "a-" (not) and "dogma" (opinion, tenet), signifying a rejection of fixed, imposed beliefs. "Masonic" refers to Freemasonry, a fraternal organization. The name suggests an organization for Masonic powers that are free from rigid doctrines.

The International Secretariat of the Masonic Adogmatic Powers (ISMAP) (French: Secrétariat international Maçonnique des Puissances Adogmatiques (SIMPA)) was an international organization of Masonic jurisdictions of masonic lodges. Its members merged back into CLIPSAS in the early 2010s.

In an era often characterized by rigid ideological boundaries, the very notion of an "International Secretariat of the Masonic Adogmatic Powers" offers a curious and potent counterpoint. It speaks to a profound, almost alchemical, desire to distill the essence of fraternal and spiritual endeavor from the multiplicity of its forms. The term "Adogmatic" itself is a beacon, suggesting a deliberate casting off of the heavy chains of dogma, those ossified pronouncements that too often calcify rather than illuminate. This is not a call for a lack of conviction, but rather for a conviction rooted in experience and shared humanity, rather than in inherited dogma.

Mircea Eliade, in his exploration of the sacred, often highlighted the human yearning for meaning that transcends the mundane, a quest that frequently manifests in diverse symbolic languages. The Adogmatic Powers, in their very name, seem to embrace this multiplicity, suggesting that the divine or the ultimate truth can be approached through many doors, each adorned with different symbols, each sung in a different key. This resonates with Carl Jung's understanding of the collective unconscious, where archetypal patterns manifest in myriad cultural guises. The Secretariat, by seeking to unite Masonic jurisdictions under an adogmatic banner, was perhaps attempting to tap into this universal wellspring of human aspiration, recognizing that the core spiritual impulses are often more alike than the outward expressions are different.

This echoes the Sufi emphasis on the inner dimension of faith, where the outward ritual is but a vessel for an inner realization, and where the direct experience of the Divine is paramount, often transcending the need for strict adherence to a particular legalistic framework. Idries Shah, in his writings on Sufism, frequently pointed to the dangers of mistaking the form for the essence, a caution that seems particularly relevant to an organization that explicitly seeks to move beyond fixed doctrines. The Adogmatic Powers, therefore, can be seen as an attempt to build bridges, not on the shifting sands of doctrinal agreement, but on the bedrock of shared human experience and the universal quest for light. It is a reminder that the most profound connections are often forged not in agreement, but in the shared space of open inquiry and mutual respect.

RELATED_TERMS: Universalism, Syncretism, Esotericism, Gnosticism, Theosophy, Freemasonry, Brotherhood, Spiritual Quest