To which constitution does Scots Rite belong to?
The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite does not belong to a Grand Lodge constitution, such as the Grand Lodge of Scotland or the United Grand Lodge of England. Instead, it operates as an independent concordant body under its own Grand Constitutions.
Historically, these governing documents are the Constitutions of 1762 and the Grand Constitutions of 1786. Albert Mackey highlights that the validity and legal force of the Constitutions of 1786 do not depend strictly on whether they originated with Frederick the Great, but on their adoption as supreme law by the first Supreme Council of the Rite at Charleston 1. Under the authority of these Grand Constitutions, the first Supreme Council in the world was organized at Charleston, possessing exclusive jurisdiction before other regular Supreme Councils were subsequently formed 1. Every lawful Supreme Council of the 33rd Degree recognizes and derives its authority from these Constitutions, which serve as the foundational governance for the Rite 1.
Written by AI. It can make mistakes — check anything that matters against the sources listed.
4 follow-ups left in this thread
Where to go next
Each opens a thread of its own.