05/17/2026
The always informative (and lively) French-language Masonic news site Hiram.be (actually based in Belgium) has a recent article with current membership statistics from the eight largest Masonic obediences in France. The reason I bring it up is to show the layout of the French Masonic landscape and how it differs from what we mostly encounter in the U.S. They have grand lodges (or grand orients) requiring a belief in Deity, and some that welcome non-believers (often referred to as a doctrine of 'freedom of conscience'); some that are centuries old, and some younger than a decade; some for men only, women only, or both; some that were started merely because of an internal schism over personalities, over philosophical issues, or both. And there are combinations of all of these.
It works out that about 51% of French Masons are not required to have a belief in deity. That doesn't make all 86,000 of them atheists, it just means acknowledging a personal belief in a Supreme Being is not a requirement. Which seems curious concerning a fraternity that bases its rituals around the Old Testament story of constructing the most sacred temple on Earth which housed the revealed Word of God. But it takes all kinds to make a world. France is a very different country with a VERY different history than us mere upstarts over here. (When Chinese Premiere Zou Enlai was asked by Richard Nixon in 1972 what he thought of the French Revolution, he answered, "It's too soon to tell.")
Also, 15% of French Masons are females, which is a pretty sizable percentage for any country. (LOTS MORE DETAILS AT THE LINK BELOW)
https://freemasonsfordummies.blogspot.com/2026/05/france-membership-of-largest-masonic.html
Freemasonry around the world, featuring Masonic news, history, trivia, and more. By the author of 'Freemasons For Dummies,' Christopher Hodapp.
