Ronald Reagan: Freemason Or Not?

﻿"Going to college offered me the chance to play
football for four more years."

~Ronald Reagan

﻿Over Ronald Reagan's long career as both an actor and a politician, he had been involved with events and charitable causes supported by Freemasonry and the Shriners.  He is often listed as a Freemason, or a member of the Shrine.  Now Freemasons thought a great deal of Ronald Reagan without question, but President Reagan was never a Freemason himself.

Now here's where people get confused.  On February 11, 1988, the Grand Master of Washington, D.C. presented President Reagan with a "Certificate of Honor" which said that President Reagan's life was a testament to his firm belief in brotherly love, relief, and truth, and his service to the public has broadened the applications of temperance, fortitude, prudence, and justice to the benefit of all mankind. But the certificate was given to Reagan to acknowledge his life's work--he was not made a Mason by the Grand Master of Washington, D.C.

Freemasons present Reagan with certificate in Oval Office in 1988
﻿﻿ A little later, both the Scottish Rite and Shriners followed suit and honored Reagan for his contributions.  The two Scottish Rite Grand Commanders (Northern Jurisdiction and Southern Jurisdiction) jointly gave President Reagan a Scottish Rite Certificate, and the Imperial Potentate gave him a Shrine certificate giving him "honorary membership" in both organizations--but again, he was not made a Mason.

Great American?  Yes.  Freemason?  Unfortunately, no.



  1. Please explain the difference between "honorary membership" and being made a Mason. It all sounds the same to me.

  2. It is confusing to non-Masons, but not too difficult to explain. At least in the U.S., Grand Lodges & Scottish Rite Jurisdictions are separate organizations, and only Grand Lodges can "make Masons." The Scottish Rite can admit members who have previously been "made Masons" within a Grand Lodge. Obviously, this shows the supremacy of Grand Lodges within their Jurisdictions & the dependence of the Scottish Rite upon Grand Lodges. Therefore, when the D.C. Grand Lodge presented the certificate in recognition his upholding Masonic virtues & principles, he was not technically "made" a Mason. Though some might argue that the Grand Lodge might have preferred to "make" President Reagan a Mason "at sight", that traditional power hardly exists anywhere in modern times. Thus, Reagan was honored by the Grand Lodge, and given honorary membership in the Scottish Rite Supreme Council & the Shrine's Imperial Council, but, in spite of his years of work with those organizations, he was not actually a Mason.

  3. All esoteric bs. He was made a 33rd degree Freemason of the Scottish Rite when he accepted it meritoriously. Albert pike didn't have to go through 32 degrees, he was just made a 33nd degree Freemason meritoriously and would become sovereign grand commander, and known as one of the greatest masons of all time.

  4. Reagan became a free mason meritoriously, thats what they awarded him meritoriously. Not all masons had to go through 32degrees, just look at Albert Pike.

  5. i outlined the facts in this piece. I don't know where you came by your information but it is inaccurate.