Background Behind the Masonic Trial of Praxis Lodge Venerable Master

Below is a detailed background behind the upcoming trial of Praxis Lodge Venerable Master, Krispen Hartung.

In August, 2009, Brother Krispen Hartung submitted a simple request to the officers of Boise Lodge #2 of the Grand Lodge of Idaho, wherein he stated that he wanted to demit because the Lodge was no longer meeting his needs and he was potentially interested in joining the Idaho Research Lodge. He was sent a confirmation of his demit within days with no questions asked; however, before the demit documentation was sent to the Grand Lodge of Idaho, he was informed that in order to remain a member of the Shriners (of which we was currently a member), he had to maintain membership in a standard lodge under the Grand Lodge of Idaho, and a research lodge could not serve this purpose. Consequently, Brother Hartung decided to hold off on his demit until he was certain of what he wanted to do. He did not at this time, however, let Boise Lodge #2 know that he was building a new Modern Lodge of Freemasonry in Boise, Praxis Lodge, as this work was too premature to announce.

On November 10, 2009, after careful deliberation on the matter, Brother Hartung sent a second an final demit request to Boise Lodge #2, wherein he revealed exactly what he was doing with Praxis Lodge and his detailed reasons for wanting to demit. A digital copy of that request can be viewed or downloaded here. Brother Hartung's reasons for demit are summarized as follows:

• Lack of personal needs being met
• Irreconcilable philosophical differences with Blue Lodge or “Antient” Freemasonry
• Membership of Masonic obediences and orders deemed “irregular” by Blue Lodge Masonry
• Leadership of two Modern Lodges
• Acceptance and establishment of co-gender Masonry
  

After approximately one month, and having not received a confirmation of his demit, Brother Hartung sent a letter to the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Idaho, wherein he stated that he was still waiting for a confirmation and that once he received the confirmation, he would request that he be taken off the books of the Grand Lodge of Idaho (in other words, removed from the order completely). Additionally, Brother Hartung stated that in order to dispel rumors about his intent and motivations in building a Modern Lodge of Freemasonry, he was open to having coffee with any of the brothers of the lodge, to explain his objectives and the nature of Modern Freemasonry. A copy of this letter can be viewed or downloaded here. Attached to this letter, Brother Hartung also included key documents, including a history of the Grand Orient of France and the Grand Orient of the United States, as well as an address to the 2002 California Masonic Symposium, presented by Alain Bauer, past Grand Master of the Grand Orient of France. Brother response received no response from the Grand Master.