I would love to see or participate in formal open debate on such things, but I don't think most lodges could pull it off. The top down "This guy is the final athority" push is too strong.
I believe I have stated one of my philosophies in this forum, in the past. In case I did not, or it might have been missed, I'll restate it.
Learn something new everyday. Knowledge is a light load to carry.
Based on that, you can safely assume that I am on-board with Masonic education in lodge. We actually promise a new Mason that very thing. But we don't always deliver.
My very first lodge had a "Shrink the Lodge" event almost every meeting. As you describe, the officers come down from their stations and we gather in a circle in chairs and discuss some topic. It might be on Masonry, ethics, the application of geometry to Masonry, ot a myriad list of topics.
A friend of mine from Canada was visiting a few years back and attended the lodge and experienced this type of discussion. He commented that his Canadian lodge doesn't do that but it was what he always envisioned Masons should do in lodge.
He was so impressed with it, that he began a plan for his Masonic journey back in Canada. He approached some of his fellow Masons who, like him, were a bit disenchanted with the current status quo in their lodge. They loved the idea. So he reached out to me, and I put him in touch with a Mason at that same lodge who set these up, and moderated a great deal of them. The Canadian Brothers loved the discussion and they applied for, and were granted, dispensation to start a new lodge in their city that would have the major focus be on this kind of meeting. It is quite popular there now.
I also like the idea of a debate but it must be done with caution. We don't want it to escalate into an all out "war" of sides because that is one of the reasons we don't discuss religion or politics in lodge. Our intent is not to divide the lodge, but to unite it. Debate can be divisive as well, so we must proceed with caution.
I have spent a great deal of my professional life involved in the education side of technology. I design and created curriculum and courses, I teach in-person and virtual classes, and I facilitate learning among students. As a result, I agree that a person who leads the education portion for the lodge, should be able to do so with knowledge, enthusiasm, and great presentation skills. Engaging every member of the lodge is a facilitation technique that takes practice.
Not every member likes to speak out, and calling on someone who is not ready, can cause them to shrink back and not participate. Instead, you need to inspire every member to want to get involved. Monotone delivery does not do that. Generating excitement about the topic and getting the creative juices flowing in the minds of those members is how you get them engaged.
It is well worth pursuing in our lodges on a regular basis. In fact, one key factor that can help to get Masons interested in presenting, and to help us all be better at that skill, is to invite someone from Toastmasters to come and speak at the lodge. They are an organization that helps people overcome their fears and issues with public speaking. They have excellent techniques that truly help. When I worked at Microsoft, Toastmasters was highly recommended.
When I help deliver NRA instructor classes, I use specific techniques to help the aspiring instructors overcome the common behaviors. I teach them how to eliminate the umms and ahhs in their speech. How to effectively engage the people in the room, and how to ensure that everyone is "getting the peanut". Basically, does everyone understand the topic of discussion.
I recall one time I delivered the second portion of the middle chamber lecture. The lecturer was not as familiar with the story of the Jeptha and the Ephraimites.
At the South, as I recounted the portion where Jeptha placed guards at the several passes of the Jordan and commanded of them, "Say now....." The three candidates that were in the degree, all immediately shouted the pass. That is how engaged they were in the story. I wasn't simply reiterating this portion, I was actively involving them in the story that is portrayed at that section. I did so with excitement and energy, and they returned that in kind. It was quite interesting and fun to see them respond that way. That is the kind of interaction our education sessions should result in.
That Degree Lecture must have been truly awesome to get such a reaction! Congratulations Brother.
I was blessed to have received my Fellowcraft Lecture from the man who was then the Grand Lecturer, and in my years in Masonry I discovered that he had a truly remarkable gift for our ritual. That lecture has always stood out in my memory, because for a great deal of it I didn't realize that I was receiving a lecture.
Having already gone through the Entered Apprentice Degree, I was certainly acquainted with the idea of the lecture following the conferral, but I didn't make the connection.
I came back into the room, and some guy I'd not yet met took me by the arm and started walking me around the room, pointing out to me a lot of the interesting things in it. I thought that he was doing that because the Lodge wasn't ready to sit me down for the lecture yet, so he was just buying time. I can't remember exactly, but I think we were through the entire staircase by the time I figured out that it was the lecture.
My Lodge now does its own form of Shrink The Lodge for everything. Our Lodge Room is huge, and no one can hear. So, we Open in the Lodge Room, and take care of any Ritualistic type business that has to be done. (Balloting for example.) Once that's done we head over to the dining room and do everything sitting around a big table together. That way everyone can hear, and everyone is involved. When we are completely done we head back into the Lodge Room to Close.
That is actually quite impressive, although the questions (at least in the who wants to be a millionaire style game) were really too easy. The only one I had a hard time with was dealing with brotherly love. There was another entry (charity) that actually fit the answer better, but I decided to go with brotherly love because I simply assumed whoever wrote the question and answers didn't consider the more proper translation of charity and I was right.
I made it on the fly and have been meaning to get back to it. Id love to expand the games on there and whatnot. Just finding time to do it. Im glad you liked it.
I think this is an excellent idea. You could call it "The Four Corners", "Agree to Disagree" or "Rhetoric & Logic". I think it would also go a long ways to highlighting the benefits of having spaces to communicate challenging topics.
I would love to see or participate in formal open debate on such things, but I don't think most lodges could pull it off. The top down "This guy is the final athority" push is too strong.
Your point is well taken. I'll have to think about how that bias could be overcome.
I believe I have stated one of my philosophies in this forum, in the past. In case I did not, or it might have been missed, I'll restate it.
Learn something new everyday. Knowledge is a light load to carry.
Based on that, you can safely assume that I am on-board with Masonic education in lodge. We actually promise a new Mason that very thing. But we don't always deliver.
My very first lodge had a "Shrink the Lodge" event almost every meeting. As you describe, the officers come down from their stations and we gather in a circle in chairs and discuss some topic. It might be on Masonry, ethics, the application of geometry to Masonry, ot a myriad list of topics.
A friend of mine from Canada was visiting a few years back and attended the lodge and experienced this type of discussion. He commented that his Canadian lodge doesn't do that but it was what he always envisioned Masons should do in lodge.
He was so impressed with it, that he began a plan for his Masonic journey back in Canada. He approached some of his fellow Masons who, like him, were a bit disenchanted with the current status quo in their lodge. They loved the idea. So he reached out to me, and I put him in touch with a Mason at that same lodge who set these up, and moderated a great deal of them. The Canadian Brothers loved the discussion and they applied for, and were granted, dispensation to start a new lodge in their city that would have the major focus be on this kind of meeting. It is quite popular there now.
I also like the idea of a debate but it must be done with caution. We don't want it to escalate into an all out "war" of sides because that is one of the reasons we don't discuss religion or politics in lodge. Our intent is not to divide the lodge, but to unite it. Debate can be divisive as well, so we must proceed with caution.
I have spent a great deal of my professional life involved in the education side of technology. I design and created curriculum and courses, I teach in-person and virtual classes, and I facilitate learning among students. As a result, I agree that a person who leads the education portion for the lodge, should be able to do so with knowledge, enthusiasm, and great presentation skills. Engaging every member of the lodge is a facilitation technique that takes practice.
Not every member likes to speak out, and calling on someone who is not ready, can cause them to shrink back and not participate. Instead, you need to inspire every member to want to get involved. Monotone delivery does not do that. Generating excitement about the topic and getting the creative juices flowing in the minds of those members is how you get them engaged.
It is well worth pursuing in our lodges on a regular basis. In fact, one key factor that can help to get Masons interested in presenting, and to help us all be better at that skill, is to invite someone from Toastmasters to come and speak at the lodge. They are an organization that helps people overcome their fears and issues with public speaking. They have excellent techniques that truly help. When I worked at Microsoft, Toastmasters was highly recommended.
When I help deliver NRA instructor classes, I use specific techniques to help the aspiring instructors overcome the common behaviors. I teach them how to eliminate the umms and ahhs in their speech. How to effectively engage the people in the room, and how to ensure that everyone is "getting the peanut". Basically, does everyone understand the topic of discussion.
I recall one time I delivered the second portion of the middle chamber lecture. The lecturer was not as familiar with the story of the Jeptha and the Ephraimites.
At the South, as I recounted the portion where Jeptha placed guards at the several passes of the Jordan and commanded of them, "Say now....." The three candidates that were in the degree, all immediately shouted the pass. That is how engaged they were in the story. I wasn't simply reiterating this portion, I was actively involving them in the story that is portrayed at that section. I did so with excitement and energy, and they returned that in kind. It was quite interesting and fun to see them respond that way. That is the kind of interaction our education sessions should result in.
That Degree Lecture must have been truly awesome to get such a reaction! Congratulations Brother.
I was blessed to have received my Fellowcraft Lecture from the man who was then the Grand Lecturer, and in my years in Masonry I discovered that he had a truly remarkable gift for our ritual. That lecture has always stood out in my memory, because for a great deal of it I didn't realize that I was receiving a lecture.
Having already gone through the Entered Apprentice Degree, I was certainly acquainted with the idea of the lecture following the conferral, but I didn't make the connection.
I came back into the room, and some guy I'd not yet met took me by the arm and started walking me around the room, pointing out to me a lot of the interesting things in it. I thought that he was doing that because the Lodge wasn't ready to sit me down for the lecture yet, so he was just buying time. I can't remember exactly, but I think we were through the entire staircase by the time I figured out that it was the lecture.
My Lodge now does its own form of Shrink The Lodge for everything. Our Lodge Room is huge, and no one can hear. So, we Open in the Lodge Room, and take care of any Ritualistic type business that has to be done. (Balloting for example.) Once that's done we head over to the dining room and do everything sitting around a big table together. That way everyone can hear, and everyone is involved. When we are completely done we head back into the Lodge Room to Close.
For a fun interactive way for education, check out masonicgames.net!
That is actually quite impressive, although the questions (at least in the who wants to be a millionaire style game) were really too easy. The only one I had a hard time with was dealing with brotherly love. There was another entry (charity) that actually fit the answer better, but I decided to go with brotherly love because I simply assumed whoever wrote the question and answers didn't consider the more proper translation of charity and I was right.
I made it on the fly and have been meaning to get back to it. Id love to expand the games on there and whatnot. Just finding time to do it. Im glad you liked it.
Very cool that you created it!
Another Washington Brother, Frank Burk built a card game some time ago that's great too:
https://emeth.substack.com/p/reviewing-a-new-masonic-game-visitors
That's awesome! Thanks Brother.
I think this is an excellent idea. You could call it "The Four Corners", "Agree to Disagree" or "Rhetoric & Logic". I think it would also go a long ways to highlighting the benefits of having spaces to communicate challenging topics.
I think so too. I'd like to give it a try sometime.