A MAÇONARIA OPERATIVA E ESPECULATIVA: Uma Discussão Em Torno Das Origens Da Ordem (OPERATIVE and ESPECULATIVE FREEMASONRY: a Discussion Around Origins of Order)

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A MAÇONARIA OPERATIVA E ESPECULATIVA: Uma Discussão Em Torno Das Origens Da Ordem (OPERATIVE and ESPECULATIVE FREEMASONRY: a Discussion Around Origins of Order) Recebido em: 15/05/2014 Aprovado em: 13/06/2014 A MAÇONARIA OPERATIVA E ESPECULATIVA: Uma discussão em torno das origens da Ordem (OPERATIVE AND ESPECULATIVE FREEMASONRY: A discussion around origins of Order) Luiz Mário Ferreira Costa ¹ Resumo O intuito deste artigo é introduzir o leitor ao longo e intenso debate em torno da “verdadeira” ori- gem da Maçonaria. É um texto rápido e com breves referências a alguns dos mais importantes estu- diosos da temática. Palavras-chaves: Maçonaria Operativa; Maçonaria Especulativa; Origens. Abstract The purpose of this article is to introduce the reader to the long and intense debate around the "true" origin of Freemasonry. It is fast and brief text references to some of the top experts in the thematic. Keywords: Operative Masonry; Especulative Freemasonry; Origins. 1 Luiz Mário Ferreira Costa é Doutorando pelo Programa de Pós-Graduação em História do Instituto de Ciências Huma- nas - ICH / da Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora – UFJF. Doutorando Visitante do Instituto de Ciências Sociais - ICS / Universidade de Lisboa – UL. Graduação (2006) e Mestrado (2009) pela UFJF. Tem experiência na área de História Con- temporânea, com ênfase nas seguintes temáticas: maçonaria, integralismo, intelectuais e teoria da história. E-mail: [email protected] C&M | Brasília, Vol. 2, n.1, p. 65-72, jan/jun, 2014. 65 COSTA, L. M. F. A MAÇONARIA OPERATIVA E ESPECULATIVA: UMA DISCUSSÃO EM TORNO DAS ORGINES... Introdução mens e as nações a uma busca incessante pela O debate em torno das origens da Maçonaria antiguidade de origem (MENDONÇA, 1833, p.19). sempre atraiu enorme interesse por parte dos especialistas maçons e não maçons e dos leigos de uma maneira geral. Contudo, determinar as Em busca de uma origem para a Maçonaria: verdadeiras raízes históricas da Ordem sempre Inglaterra ou Escócia? foi um obstáculo aparentemente insuperável, Em seu livro As origens da Maçonaria: O sé- pois fatos verídicos muitas vezes aparecem fun- culo da Escócia (1590 – 1710), o historiador Da- didos a uma enorme variedade de elementos vid Stevenson (2005) lançou-se ao desafio de re- lendários. Deste modo, como sugeriu o historia- constituir a estirpe maçônica. Para isso estabele- dor Alexandre Mansur Barata (2006), o primeiro ceu, inicialmente, uma distinção entre a fase me- exercício, no sentido de uma melhor compreen- dieval e a fase moderna da Ordem. A primeira são da procedência da Ordem, é adotar um novo fase, também ficou conhecida como operativa, já olhar para a vasta literatura produzida, em sua que neste período a função da Loja estava dire- maioria, pelos próprios maçons desde o início do tamente vinculada ao ofício da construção. A se- século XVIII. Para legitimar sua atuação, os ma- gunda foi denominada de especulativa, uma vez çons buscavam em “tempos imemoriais” o inicio que a corporação passou a aceitar membros que da instituição, o que era reforçado pela ritualísti- não estavam ligados à arte da construção, como ca e simbolismo utilizados em suas reuniões. filósofos, políticos, alquimistas, dentre outros Desta forma, os maçons do século XVIII se auto- (STEVENSON, 2005). retratavam como herdeiros diretos dos egípcios antigos, dos essênios, dos druidas, de Zoroastro, Na operativa, a palavra maçom ou mason era de Salomão, das tradições herméticas, da Cabala, utilizada no sentido de pedreiro, um profissional dos Templários, etc. (BARATA, 2006, p.23). ligado à arte da construção. O termo indicava um artesão hábil para trabalhar com pedra de canta- Um exemplo dessa atitude pode ser encon- ria, um indivíduo plenamente qualificado, dife- trado nas Cartas sobre a Framaçonaria publica- rente dos assentadores de pedras comuns. Além das no início do século XIX e cuja autoria é atri- disso, a palavra Maçonaria – em sua forma ingle- buída ao jornalista e maçom Hipólito José da sa freemasonry – não possuía significado misteri- Costa Pereira Furtado de Mendonça (1833). Nes- oso (STEVENSON, 2005, p.26). tas Cartas... , o autor demonstrava a existência de pelo menos quatro versões bem conhecidas so- Entretanto, pelo menos em um sentido, pode bre as origens maçônicas: -se dizer que a arte do pedreiro era incomum mesmo na Idade Média. Pois enquanto o modo 1°) No Reinado dos primeiros faraós do Egito, de vida da maioria dos artesões era fixa, produ- as formalidades utilizadas pelos maçons nos di- zindo os bens para venda local ou por meio de ferentes graus e iniciações, seriam criações dos intermediários em mercados distantes, o ofício antigos egípcios. 2º) No Reinado de Salomão à dos construtores exigia mudanças de um empre- aproximadamente 1000 anos a.C , o rei hebreu go para outro. Comparada com a vida regular e teria sido um reformador da Maçonaria; 3º) No estática da maioria dos artesãos, a do pedreiro Reinado de Felipe, o Belo, na França em 1300, ou maçom costumava ser móvel e imprevisível atribuindo a criação desta instituição aos Tem- (STEVENSON, 2005, p.31). plários; 4º) - No Reinado de Carlos I, na Inglater- ra em 1640, onde Cromwell seria um dos princi- Foi, exatamente, devido à especificidade do pais fundadores. Nas palavras de Hipólito da oficio do “mação”, em termos de organização e Costa a utilização de um passado “perdido” não relações profissionais, que surgiu a distinção com era uma característica excepcional da Maçonaria, os outros artesãos. A fraternidade maçônica re- mas sim “uma mania geral”, que conduzia os ho- presentava, nas palavras de Stevenson, “uma es- pécie de família artificial”, unidos não por san- C&M | Brasília, Vol. 2, n.1, p. 65-72, jan/jun, 2014. 66 COSTA, L. M. F. A MAÇONARIA OPERATIVA E ESPECULATIVA: UMA DISCUSSÃO EM TORNO DAS ORGINES... gue, mas por interesses comuns reforçados por junto a uma estrutura institucional baseada em meio de juramentos e rituais. Nessa época ope- Lojas, além de rituais e procedimentos secretos rativa, a Maçonaria mantinha uma relação estrei- para reconhecimento, conhecidos como a Pala- ta com a Igreja Católica, a corporação maçônica vra do Maçom (STEVENSON, 2005, p.22). era uma espécie de “confraternidade ou irman- A fase especulativa ou moderna da Maçona- dade religiosa”. Geralmente, empregava-se um ria, apesar de melhor conhecida, é também re- padre e festejava dentro das igrejas locais os pleta de indefinições e contradições entre os es- santos padroeiros das artes, com a celebração de pecialistas. Conforme sugeriu o pesquisador missas especiais e procissões. Naquele contexto, português Oliveira Marques (1989) durante muito as autoridades procuravam controlar e regula- tempo os historiadores acreditaram que a Maço- mentar a arte e o ofício dos artesãos através das naria especulativa derivava diretamente, por evo- guildas e a afiliação deveria ser um privilégio lução, das antigas Maçonarias medievais. Entre- guardado com ciúme pelos maçons tanto, atualmente esta tese foi superada por hi- (STEVENSON, 2005, p.32). póteses muito mais elaboradas, como a de que a Em seu sentido original, a Loja de um maçom Maçonaria moderna disfarçou-se na “aparência significava simplesmente uma construção tem- de uma corporação”, com o intuito de encobrir porária onde se realizava alguma obra importan- atividades e ideias que na época não poderiam te. Talvez fosse uma estrutura montada contra a ser assumidas abertamente. Ou que a origem da parede de um edifício já existente ou em cons- Maçonaria atual remontasse às associações de trução ou um barracão separado, onde os pe- socorros mútuos, mais ou menos laicas, deriva- dreiros podiam esculpir e moldar a pedra longe das do convívio interprofissional conseguido em do sol ou da chuva. Entretanto, as Lojas se de- tabernas, botequins e outros locais onde pudes- senvolveram e passaram a ser um local onde os sem desenvolver-se novas formas de socialização maçons comiam, descansavam e até dormiam, (MARQUES, 1989, p.17). quando estavam em outra cidade e não podiam Para D. João Evangelista Martins Terra (1993), voltar para a casa todas as noites. Com o passar por exemplo, foram os partidários dos Stuarts do tempo, a Loja se tornou o centro da convivên- destronados e refugiados na Escócia – na guerra cia temporária dos maçons. Referências às Lojas contra a Casa de Hanover – que criaram a Maço- nesse sentido podem ser encontradas na Ingla- naria. Para ele a organização maçônica foi copia- terra e na Escócia no final da Idade Média. Na da e introduzida nos regimentos militares para fase operativa, igualmente aos outros ofícios me- transformá-los em facções políticas. Imitando es- dievais, a Maçonaria também possuía seus docu- sas Lojas militares, surgiram as Lojas civis. Esta mentos históricos, onde neles enfatiza-se a anti- seria a origem da Maçonaria escocesa, que se es- guidade, a importância religiosa e a moral de seu palhou pela França juntamente com os stuardis- trabalho (STEVENSON, 2005, p.33). tas refugiados, cujos fins, eram apenas imediatos, Pelo menos em um sentido os maçons esco- não possuindo organização central e muito me- ceses do século XV eram peculiares, pois a histó- nos declaração de princípios. Mesmo a restaura- ria mítica de seu ofício, contida nos Antigos De- ção dos Stuarts tendo se mostrado impraticável, veres, era extraordinariamente elaborada. Esse essas Lojas conseguiram perpetuar-se conservan- legado daria uma significativa contribuição para do uma vinculação geral com ideais maçônicos a Maçonaria, por sua ênfase na moralidade, sua comuns (TERRA, 1993, p.135). identificação da arte do pedreiro com a Geome- Existe, porém, uma forte corrente, dentro e tria, e a importância que dava ao Templo de Sa- fora da Maçonaria que rejeita completamente a lomão e ao antigo Egito no desenvolvimento do hipótese das Lojas stuardistas e considera, ape- ofício do pedreiro. Nessa época, aspectos da Re- nas, o movimento iniciado na Inglaterra em 1717, nascença foram inseridos às lendas medievais, quando as quatro Lojas de Londres se uniram pa- C&M | Brasília, Vol. 2, n.1, p.
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