MASONIC TITLES, TRADITIONAL APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION,
SUCCESSION FROM JOSEPH SMITH,
EDWARD ALEXANDER CROWLEY AND JULES DOINEL

A statement on spiritual legacy by Rt. Rev. T Allen Greenfield

Please note that, as Tau Michael Bertiaux has held, since June 16, 1979, all major independent lines of the traditional apostolic succession through consecration at that time by Bishop Forest Gregory Barber, all such lines flow to me by virtue of my consecrations by Bertiaux. Bertiaux, later reconsecrated by Jorge Rodriguez, then also consecrated me. In line with MY FORMER ASSOCIATES AT OTO's Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica, Patriarch Tau Silenus and Primate Tau Apiryon, I hold that there is a distinction between, on the one hand, Spiritual Appointment and Consecration in the lineage of Edward Alexander Crowley (Baphomet XI°) and, on the other, the traditional Apostolic Succession. Both have their importance and validity. In my view, and, in having held both, I believe I can render a rather well informed and detached opinion on this. I held the succession of Baphomet as a Bishop "now and forever" through Consecration by both the Absolute Grand Patriarch of the Ordo Templi Orientis Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica (November 19, 1988). While I am no longer associated with EGC-OTO, I hold with the Augustinian doctrine "once a bishop-always a bishop" though I claim - and would have - no authority within OTO as of late July, 2006. As Tau Silenus recognized me in writing unconditionally as Bishop in writing prior to my becoming an OTO initiate, I maintain I hold the succession of Baphomet, such as it is. Others are free to disagree; nobody questions my Full Apostolic Succession, which is what counts magically. The "Baphomet descent" doctrine peculiar to the current OTO management was, in my opinion, a reaction to questions about their own Apostolic Succession, and nothing more, a silly over reaction typical of them. I also hold the Latter Day Saints succession through Bishop Conway, and the Doinel Succession through various consecrations. The Honorary Title of "Rabbi" was recently also given me by the Fellowship Assembly, which I accept in the sense of being a "teacher of spirituality" in the Reform Jewish tradition.

It is my own conviction that verifiable spiritual powers are demonstrably attributable to various lineages of spiritual succession, be this the so-called "Succession of the Apostles" (which descends from the ancient Roman State Religion through Roman Christianity), various non-apostolic but similar lines of succession (Latter Day Saints, Doinel Gnostic, New Aeon, et al), or blood lineages as in the hereditary Hindu Brahmins or Hebrew Kohenim, from which I descend. I profess only two fundamental convictions in these endeavors: I advocate Scientific Illuminism, or the method of science employed in pursuit of the aims of religion, and I holds firmly to the conviction that the world as-it-is is sufficiently unsatisfactory that exploration of almost any ethical "out-of-the-box" alternative, however unconventional, is worth the effort. We consider this Tikkun Olam, the attempt to improve the world as envisioned in our native great Hebraic tradition.

I hold also with Tau Michael Bertiaux that "Apostolic Succession" is of value as a continuation of the most ancient priesthoods of Egypt and Rome through the Christian communion, and that special mystical powers "objectively" are transferred by consecration in these lineages. My particular assertion is that this can be objectively verified through scientific experimentation, similar to that performed in parapsychology with spiritual healers. The legend of Ormus, the Egyptian Priest converted in apostolic times to Christianity, and transforming Egyptian Rites into a mode suitable to the Aeon of Osiris is, at least allegorically, a fair hint of the orderly continuity between ancient Near Eastern religions and the Christian Succession in the Eastern Churches, making it a suitable vehicle for continuity in our times. In the Western Churches, the Apostolic Succession existed in the many currents of the long-enduring state religion of Rome, which can be traced to the early Roman ruler Numa Pompilius, founder of the College of Pontiffs and the office of Pontifex Maximus, hundreds of years before Pauline Christianity; passing through the Roman Imperial State as one with the Emperor as Pontifex Maximus from the time of Julius Caesar until the Christian Emperor Gratian renounced the title in 379 E.V., apparently in favor of the Bishop of Rome, Pope Damasus I. According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, "The title pontifex was used of Roman Catholic bishops and pontifex maximus of the pope by the end of the 4th century." The continuity from the most ancient spiritual sources should be obvious here, and its historical value in continuity for the New Aeon equally valid, all other considerations and theories aside.

The following apostolic lineages are quite well documented. Others are also quite well documented and available for suitable historical research purposes.

OLD CATHOLIC & LIBERAL CATHOLIC EPISCOPAL SUCCESSION

(This constitutes the full succession of Rome, through Pope Urban VIII, his Archbishop of Rheims, the Archbishop of Mieux, and the subsequent accepted lineage of the Dutch Old Catholic Church through Archbishop Gerardus Gul.)

Arnold Harris Mathew consecrated by Gul April 28, 1908 Frederick Samuel Willoughby consecrated by Mathew October 28, 1914
James Ingall Wedgwood consecrated by Willoughby February 13, 1916
Irving Steiger Cooper consecrated by Wedgwood July 13, 1919
Charles H. Hampton consecrated by Cooper September 13, 1931
Herman Adrian Spruit consecrated by Hampton June 22, 1957
Forest E. Gregory Barber consecrated by Spruit June 15, 1971
Michael Paul Bertiaux consecrated by Barber June 16, 1979
ALLEN HENRY GREENFIELD consecrated by BERTIAUX September 21, 1986 & December 4, 1993

EASTERN ORTHODOX (JACOBITE) EPISCOPAL SUCCESSION

(Jacobite/Eastern Orthodox Succession of Antioch)

JOSEPH RENÉ VILATTE consecrated by Archbishop JULIUS ALVARES May 29, 1892
PAOLO MIRAGLIA consecrated by VILATTE May 6, 1900
JULIEN HOUSSAYE consecrated by MIRAGLIA December 4, 1904
LOUIS FRANÇOIS GIRAUD consecrated by HOUSSAYE July 21, 1911
JEAN BRICAUD consecrated by GIRAUD July 12, 1913
VICTOR BLANCHARD consecrated by BRICAUD May 5, 1918
ROGER MENARD consecrated by BLANCHARD January 7, 1945
ROBERT AMBELAIN consecrated by MENARD June 10, 1946
ROGER POMMERY consecrated by AMBELAIN MAY 26, 1958
WILLER VITAL-HERNE consecrated by POMMERY September 16, 1967
ROGER VICTOR-HERARD consecrated by VITAL-HERNE September 7, 1970
JORGE RODRIGUEZ consecrated by VICTOR-HERARD January 6, 1985
MICHAEL PAUL BERTIAUX consecrated by RODRIGUEZ November 14, 1985
ALLEN HENRY GREENFIELD consecrated by BERTIAUX September 21, 1986 & December 4, 1993

JULES DOINEL - "NEW GNOSTIC EPISCOPAL" SUCCESSION

1893 - Jules Stanslas Doinel consecrates Gerard Encausse
1909 - Dr. Gerard Encausse consecrates Dr. Theodor Reuss
1912 - Dr. Theodor Reuss consecrates Sir Aleister Crowley
1944 - Sir Aleister Crowley consecrates Major Grady McMurtry
1983 - Major Grady McMurtry consecrates Tau Silenus
1988 - Tau Silenus consecrates Tau Allen Greenfield
1993 - Tau Apiryon reconsecrates sub conditione Tau Allen Greenfield

Note that, while this clearly constitutes the New Aeon Succession recognized by the Order of Oriental Templars, the succession from the mercurial visionary, Bishop Doinel, to Gerard Encausse (Papus) to Crowley as listed here has been disputed. The (non-apostolic mystical) succession of Doinel has come to Greenfield through so many other sources, it is listed here purely in the context of referencing the "New Aeon Succession" from Crowley. Be it noted that Greenfield was once again reconsecrated by the U.S. Primate of EGC, as part of the initiatory process within OTO.

The succession of the Russian Orthodox Church, Coptic Orthodox Church, Armenian Orthodox Church and the [non-apostolic] succession of the Mormon Church through Bishop William C. Conway, as well as the [non-apostolic] Doinel Gnostic succession through various routes are also applicable to my spiritual work. I am a descendent of the Kohenim of Israel (Hereditary Jewish Priesthood), and hold the special title of Rabbi. Information will be provided upon request from serious academic and ecclesiastical scholars.

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Documentation

(Please click on each document to view at larger size.)

T Apiryon Reconsecration of Greenfield

"I, Tau Apiryon, Bishop of Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica ... do here certify, affirm and proclaim that I did this day ... impose my hands upon Bishop Allen H. Greenfield Tau Sir Hasirim to reconsecrate him ... that he may oversee the Rites and Mysteries in accordance with the Law of THELEMA ..."

Rodriguez Consecration of Bertiaux

"We, Jorge Enrique Rodriguez-Villa, ecclesiatically Tau Johannes XIII ... have imposed our hands upon the Reverend Cleric Michael Bertiaux ... and have consecrated him as a Bishop ..."

Charter of the Lodge of the Sons & Daughters of Aaron

"I, Michael Bertiaux, do authorise the Rev'd Allen H. Greenfield, doctor of divinity and philosophy, living in Atlanta, Georgia, USA to found, gather, rule, and teach a philosophical and research Lodge of the Ancient and Primitive Rite of Memphis-Misraim ..."

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