Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis
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| Formation | 1904 |
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| Founder | Harvey Spencer Lewis |
| Type | Rosicrucian order |
The Ancient and Mystical Order Rosæ Crucis (AMORC) is a Rosicrucian organization founded by Harvey Spencer Lewis in 1904. It has various lodges, chapters and other affiliated bodies in several countries. It operates as a fraternal order in the mystical Western Esoteric Tradition.
History
[edit]AMORC was founded by Harvey Spencer Lewis in 1904. It was originally known as the Rosicrucian Research Society (alternatively called the New York Institution for Psychical Research), before being renamed the Ancient Mystical Order of the Rosy Cross in 1915.[1] Lewis was the "imperator" of the group. Following his death, Lewis was succeeded by his son, Ralph M. Lewis.[1]
As of 1995, the group reported that it had 1,200 lodges in 86 countries, with 250,000 members being reported in 1990.[1]
Teachings
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The symbol of the group is a red rose on a gold cross, with the cross representing the concepts of death and resurrection and the rose representing love as well as secrecy. Together, they represent the usage of reincarnation progressing towards perfection.[1]
AMORC's teachings cover what may be termed the "Sacred Sciences" and include ideas based on the major philosophers, particularly Pythagoras, Thales, Solon, Heraclitus, Socrates and Democritus. The teachings are divided into "Degrees" which are further grouped into broad categories under titles such as Postulant, Neophyte, and Initiate sections. These degrees cover various fields related to physical, mental, psychic, and spiritual existence such as physics, metaphysics, biology, psychology, parapsychology, comparative religion, traditional healing techniques, health, angelology, palmistry, intuition, extrasensory perception, alchemy, chemistry, meditation, divination, sacred architecture, symbolism, even archaeology, geometry and that mystical state of consciousness relating to the experience of unity with the Divine.[2]
Organization and structure
[edit]AMORC presents itself as a worldwide philosophical and humanistic, non-sectarian and apolitical fraternal order devoted to "the study of the elusive mysteries of life and the universe."[3] It is also open to both men and women of legal adult age (18 years old in most countries) regardless of their various religious persuasions.
AMORC is governed by the Supreme Grand Lodge of AMORC which is composed of the Imperator, and the board of directors, which is further composed of the Grand Masters of the Grand Lodges and related executive officers, and meets annually, often in Lachute, Quebec, Canada (however, in August 2009 the Supreme Board met in Toulouse, France, in honor of the 100th anniversary of H. Spencer Lewis's initiation there) and more recently in Rome, Italy. It is responsible for the worldwide coordination of AMORC, the establishment of new administrations, and the appointment of jurisdictions to Grand Lodges, usually based on language.[4]
Each AMORC Grand Lodge has its own headquarters and facilities. The headquarters of the English Grand Lodge for the Americas owns the Rosicrucian Park in San Jose, California, founded in 1927, which includes the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, the fifth planetarium built in the USA (and the first to have a US-built star projector, built by Dr. Harvey Spencer Lewis), the Rosicrucian Peace Garden, Rosicrucian Research Library, Grand Temple, Administration Building, Fountain Plaza and Gardens, the Alchemy Garden and the walking Labyrinth.[5]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Chryssides 2006, pp. 30–31.
- ^ According to AMORC's publication Mastery of Life
- ^ "The Rosicrucian Order, AMORC". AMORC.
- ^ H. Spencer Lewis Rosicrucian Manual, p. 18-19, Supreme Grand Lodge of AMORC, 1982 ISBN 0-912057-00-9; 1st ed. 1918
- ^ Rachael Myrow, What Is the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum and Why Is It in San Jose?, Kqed.org, 13 July 2017
- Sources
- Chryssides, George D. (2006). "Ancient Mystical Order of the Rosy Cross (AMORC)". The A to Z of New Religious Movements. The A to Z guide series. Lanham: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-5588-5.
Further reading
[edit]- Chantin, Jean-Pierre, ed. (2001). Les Marges du christianisme: « Sectes », dissidences, ésotérisme. Dictionnaire du monde religieux dans la France contemporaine (in French). Paris: Éditions Beauchesne. ISBN 978-2-7010-1418-0.
- Introvigne, Massimo (2005). "Rosicrucianism III: 19th-20th Century". In Hanegraaff, Wouter J.; Faivre, Antoine; Broek, R. van den; Brach, Jean-Pierre (eds.). Dictionary of Gnosis & Western Esotericism. Leiden ; Boston, Mass: BRILL. ISBN 978-90-04-14371-5.
- Introvigne, Massimo (2004). "AMORC". In Clarke, Peter (ed.). Encyclopedia of New Religious Movements. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-134-49970-0.
- Lewis, James R., ed. (2006). The Order of the Solar Temple: The Temple of Death. Controversial New Religions. Aldershot: Ashgate. ISBN 978-0-7546-5285-4.
- Faivre, Antoine (2010). Western Esotericism: A Concise History. SUNY series in Western Esoteric Traditions. Translated by Rhone, Christine. Albany: SUNY Press. ISBN 978-1-4384-3377-6.
External links
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