10.15.2010

The Book of Hiram, by Christopher Knight and Robert Lomas

Christopher Knight and Robert Lomas authors of a bunch of books on ritualism, ancient mysteries and freemasonry (and also Scottish freemasons) dedicate their recent book (2005) to the relations between Masonic rituals, the Bible, the role of the planet Venus in the forming of the believes of the initiatic traditions, and the emerging of the sect of  Gnostic Jews, a sect that Jesus was a leading member. Some of the ideas are daring but the authors have now the prudence to quote the primary sources for their arguments that lead them to amazing conclusions. The Portuguese version edited by Madras deserves a positive assessment and the technicality of the questions analyzed recommends Portuguese readers to read this book in Portuguese, rather then in English. For those who progress through the High Degrees, the book includes very well presented material on the histories of Abraham and Moses, which saga is an important part of the ritual. King Solomon is presented under a light, opposed to what we are used to but needs to be aprehended in context. A very satisfying book under any perspective in the very scarce panorama of masonic books available for Portuguese-speaking audiences.