The Church of England has reiterated “significant concerns” about Christians becoming Freemasons amid renewed controversy about the presence of the secretive organisation at the heart of the British establishment. Christopher Cocksworth, the bishop of Coventry, flagged up a 1987 report issued by the church that highlighted a “number of very fundamental reasons to question the compatibility of Freemasonry and Christianity”.



The bishop was responding to a question tabled at the church’s General Synod, meeting this week in London, which sought information on services celebrating last year’s 300th anniversary of the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) held in “a number” of Anglican cathedrals.



Cocksworth said such data was not collected or monitored centrally, but added that cathedral services were required under canon law not to contravene church doctrine.



Michael Baker, UGLE’s director of communications, also said the information was not “to hand”, but added: “Services held in various cathedrals were normal services according to the prayer book and did not deviate from normal Anglican practice.



“The Anglican synod has never come to a conclusion on the compatibility of Freemasonry and Christianity. The 1987 report raised what [it] termed ‘serious questions’ and the synod recommended that they be discussed throughout the church. As far as we are aware those discussions have never taken place.”

Canterbury was among the cathedrals that held tercentenary services for UGLE in 2017. According to West Kent Masons, the service on 18 February last year was prepared in conjunction with the Very Rev Dr Robert Willis, the dean of Canterbury Cathedral, who also delivered the sermon.

“We shall be joined by several of the High Rulers in the Craft and the Holy Royal Arch Chapter together with Brethren from the Provinces of East Kent, West Kent, Surrey and Sussex,” said a notice on West Kent Masons website.

The service came after Freemasons in Kent, Sussex and Surrey raised £300,000 for the restoration of Canterbury Cathedral’s north-west transept.

Lambeth Palace confirmed that Justin Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury and head of the church, was not, nor had ever been, a Freemason. His predecessor, Rowan Williams, was an opponent of Freemasonry. Soon after his appointment, he said Christianity and Freemasonry were “incompatible” and he refused to appoint clergymen to senior posts if they were known to be members of the brotherhood. However, in 2011 he became embroiled in controversy after appointing a known senior mason as the bishop of Ebbsfleet.

Geoffrey Fisher, archbishop of Canterbury from 1945 to 1961, held the senior post of grand chaplain for UGLE.

The 1987 church report stated that it was “clear that some Christians have found the im­pact of Masonic rituals disturb­ing and a few perceive them as positively evil.” It said Christians had withdrawn from Masonic lodges “precisely be­cause they perceive their membership of it as being in conflict with their Christian witness and belief”.

The Association of English Cathedrals said: “Cathedrals provide a place of worship and welcome. While the church has had an uneasy relationship with the Masonic movement, we do share a common humanity, and no one would doubt its commitment to charity and community.

“Some of our cathedrals have hosted special services organised by the Freemasons in the same way they would host services for a wide variety of different community groups and organisations in the spirit of openness and welcome.”