St Andrews Inquisitors Group
Our Purpose
You will see from the tables that the amount of interest throughout the world seems to be expanding, and constitutions are moving forward with the times – but not too quickly for the good of the brethren who, over many years, have held the masonic organisations together and committed their time and efforts to make it work. Even though there are those, and such as those, who wish it were not so, our task is to find the problems and then fix them. That is the way, the truth and the methodology for forward thinkers and doers.
The original idea was simple to ask: how, and what, can we do to improve the Craft? Because of its complexity, we decided to follow that idea by forming a philosophical study group with recommendations for improvements. This allowed us to evaluate religious and political connotations – to look “outside the box”, so to speak – while keeping our focus on what is genuinely helpful for the Craft.
How the Study Group Works
We considered what would be the ideal size for the study group. A smaller group can allow deeper discussions, while a larger group offers a wider range of viewpoints. We chose a flexible group of around 15–30 members, with attendance alternating as circumstances change. We then decided upon a programme of events and were mindful of the complexity of the materials we used. Once this point was reached, we created a schedule, rotated facilitators and encouraged active participation by sharing thoughts, posing questions and engaging in meaningful discussions, so that everyone’s input is valued.
From the beginning, we knew we needed guidelines that promoted respectful and inclusive discussions, encouraged open‑mindedness, active listening and the exploration of diverse perspectives. We emphasise constructive criticism and the importance of creating a safe space where all participants can express their ideas.
What We’ve Explored & Our Conclusions
Firstly the St Andrews Inquisitors items which looked and examined programmes such as The Rise and Fall of the RAOB, The Orange Order unpeeled, Grand Lodge Yearbook 2004 article 20 years on, The Society of the Rosicrucians in Scotland, The Swedish Rite, The Holy Trinity, the Craft, Scouts, An Explanation of Artificial Intelligence, The Mens Sheds, their concept, system and wellbeing, The Shriners or Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine and their Hospital System, The Military and Hospitaller Order of St Lazarus of Jerusalem, The Essenes, Dead Sea Scrolls, The Secret Instructions of the Jesuits, The Trades Hall of Glasgow, The Order of St John of Jerusalem, The Sovereign Military Order of Malta and what is Masonic Success, along with the idea of forming an Anderson Committee as a snapshot of what we do.
The Conclusions list gathers information, opinions, ideas and, most of all, suggested solutions. Items such as Conclusion 15a (reassessing leadership and meetings), Conclusion 14 (a snapshot of website interest and previous conclusions), Conclusion 8 (Future) (a strategy to take the Craft forward), and other notes on management structures, communication, history within Grand Lodge, fundraising and practical arrangements all serve one purpose: to help the Craft move thoughtfully and steadily forward.