User:Blueboar/drafts - Grand Lodges (rewrite)

This is a list of all organizations that claim to be a Masonic Grand Lodge. A Masonic "Grand Lodge" (also "Grand Orient") is the governing body that supervises and governs the individual "Lodges" of Freemasons in any particular geographical area or "jurisdiction", (usually corresponding to a national boundary or other major political unit). Some are large, with thousands of members divided into hundreds of subordinate Lodges. Others are tiny, with only a few members in one or two subordinate Lodges. Sometimes there will be only one Grand Lodge in a given area. More often, however, there will be several competing Grand Lodges claiming the same jurisdictional area, or claiming overlapping areas. This leads to debates over legitimacy. Not all Grand Lodges and Grand Orients recognize each other as being legitimate.

The Grand Lodges listed are grouped according to mutual-recognition blocks.

Membership numbers are subject to change. Please check the sources which are indicated in the reference section.

"Mainstream" Anglo/US recognition network
The Grand Lodges listed in this section form the largest recognition network in Freemasonry. All adhere to common membership requirements (such as a belief in Deity, limited to men only, and no discussion of religion or politics, etc.) There is no over-arching supervising body that controls the network or determines who is and is not part of the network. Each Grand Lodge keeps its own list of other Grand Lodges that it recognizes, and while these lists overlap considerably there are differences and disagreements. Thus, while an individual Grand Lodge may not be recognized by every single one of the Grand Lodges within in the network, it is included here if it is recognized by many of them (and significant disagreements are noted).

Prince Hall Affiliation (PHA) sub-network
These Grand Lodges directly trace their descent from from African Lodge no. 459. Membership requirements and landmarks are the same as those in the "Mainstream" Anglo/US network. All of these Grand Lodges recognize each other, and most are recognized by the "Mainstream" network. However, such recognition is not universal and because there are significant disagreements they are listed here separately as a sub-network.

Confederación de Grandes Logias Regulares de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos (CGLREUM) sub-network
These Mexican Grand Lodges all share the same membership requirements and landmarks as the "Mainstream" network. All recognize each other, and they are recognized by most of the "Mainstream" Grand Lodges in the United States and Canada. However, there are significant disagreements when it comes to other Masonic Jurisdictions (most notably the United Grand Lodge of England and the Grand Lodge of Scotland) and so they are listed here separately, as a sub-network.

Other networks of Prince Hall style Grand Lodges
The Grand Lodges in this section maintain the same membership requirements and landmarks as the "Mainstream" network and the Prince Hall Affiliation sub-network, but they are not recognized by any of the Grand Lodges within either network. Some were once part of the Prince Hall Affiliation sub-network, but separated from that network due to internal squabbles and formed their own independent organizations. Others were never part of the PHA network, and can be considered self-created. They are often derided by the PHA network as being "Bogus".

(CLIPSAS) network
The Grand Lodges in this section are all members of the Centre de Liaison et d'Information des Puissances maçonniques Signataires de l'Appel de Strasbourg, an organization of Continental style Grand Lodges. They share common liberal membership requirements and landmarks (such as admitting atheists and significant involvement in politics). While not universal, many admit women as well as men. While these Grand Lodges recognize the Grand Lodges in the "Mainstream" Anglo/US network, that recognition is not reciprocated. The Grand Lodges in this network are considered "irregular" by the "Mainstream" network.