Masonic Regularity and Recognition: A Global Issue

The issue of regularity and recognition in Freemasonry is examined here from a mainly French point of view, because France is essentially the only major Masonic country in the world where this debate is so complicated. However, in working to re-address the matter from this specific angle, I also think that it is possible to bring out questions that go well beyond the purely French context and that might be useful for a truly global approach to the problem. I want to believe in and fervently wish for the rise of a global Masonic community that is reconciled with itself. However, this can only happen against a background of transparency and intellectual honesty. This, I hope, will be the contribution of this modest study. Dr. Roger Dachez is the chairman of the Institut Alfred-Fournier in Paris. A Knight of the French Legion of Honour and of the Order of Academic Palms, he has devoted his work to cancer screening and prevention, and has contributed to the introduction and development of innovative cytopathology technologies. He is the author or co-author of many French and international publications, papers at symposia and conferences in this field. In addition, he is also a widely cited authority on Freemasonry.