De schaduw van Salomo

by Laurence Gardner, Ingrid Buthod-Girard (Translator)

De vrijmetselarij is geen geheim genootschap, maar is het een genootschap met een geheim?
In De schaduw van Salomo volgt Laurence Gardner, die zelf twintig jaar lang meestermetselaar was bij de Verenigde Grootloge van Engeland, een onderzoeksspoor naar geschriften die volgens de vrijmetselaars zelf ruim drie eeuwen geleden verloren zijn gegaan.
Tijdens zijn zoektocht vergelijkt hij de vrijmetselarij in haar huidige vorm met de oorspronkelijk broederschap en stelt zichzelf de vraag: hoe kwam het dat zij na 1688 van een groep wetenschappers die zich bezighield met de vrije kunsten en de natuurwetenschap veranderde in een herenclub die zich wijdt aan liefdadigheid. Het antwoord schuilt in de geschiedenis. Laurence Gardner doet uit de doeken hoe de vrijmetselarij werd beïnvloed door de politieke verwikkelingen in Engeland en hoe ze zich verhoudt tot de middeleeuwse steenhouwersgilden, tot ridderorden als de tempeliers en de rozenkruisers en tot de mysteriescholen van het oude Egypte. Hij ontdekt dat Salomo de erfgenaam was van een veel oudere traditie en onthult welk verband er bestaat tussen de alchemistische Steen der Wijzen, de Egyptische piramiden en obelisken, het bijbelse gouden kalf en de Ark des Verbonds. Zijn onderzoek levert aanwijzingen op dat de hedendaagse wetenschappelijke ontwikkelingen duizenden jaren geleden al bekend waren. Deze herontdekte oude kennis brengt hem bij een essentieel element binnen de vrijmetselarij: het Maçonnieke Woord, dat Noach, Mozes, Salomo, Hiram Abif en anderen kenden maar dat in vergetelheid is geraakt. Het is dit woord dat de sleutel biedt tot oude mysteriën en geheimen die voor 1688 binnen de vrijmetselarij een grote rol speelden maar na die datum hun betekenis verloren.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Alternate History, Ancient History

416 pages, Paperback

First published June 30, 2005

About the author

Laurence Gardner was a prominent author and speaker in the alternative history genre of research and writing.
--from the author's website

Reviews

[Inge · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the book. It was far more informative then the others I red about the subject. Sadly it reads like a history course: dates everywhere, a lot of footnotes (and those are in the back explained), more sources then there ever should be in a book (around 50 pages), it is not reading fluently...

Yes to the knowledge of the freemasons but I would have preferred better writing and a nice story this is more an analytic CANVAS or VRT-program about politics. I definitely learned a few things but this is one of the first books where I skipped pages to things I wanted to know and things I know that weren't so important. There were a lot of chapters so skipping is possible. Something are way overthought, it could have been fiction...
I was happy to read it but as you can see there were some struggles... I would advice only to read if you are really interested and when you're planning to make an effort because it isn't an easy read.

[Sammy Sutton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although The Shadow of Solomon is a complex piece of work it is a wonderful collection of a vast array of theory. The author's dedication and detail is impeccable. Yes, he is a conspiracy theorist, but he goes to great lengths to back up his hypotheses.

Much of this book surrounds around Secrets from within Freemasonry. Mr. Gardner traces lengths of the organization as well as beliefs back to Solomon, and Ancient Egypt. It reads like a rich text book with bits of the author's fabulous sarcasm scattered throughout. For those interested in the subject this is a wonderful read.

[Chris Jesse · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book presents itself as a historical work when it is really a stitched together quilt of speculation that leads to somewhat improbable conclusions. It is very similar to reading a book that speculates on the assignation of JFK. Had the author chosen to present the material as a historical novel or conspiracy revelation I might rate it higher, but as a historical read, one star.

[Dan McGirt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engagingly written and well-footnoted. Discusses some interesting aspects of the development of Freemasonry and its influence on history, esp. in Scotland, England and the American Revolution. I love a good conspiracy theory and enjoy this genre of speculative history. I would put this book more in the category of dwelling on obscure aspects of history rather than proposing some way out there theory of "what REALLY happened that THEY don't want you to know".

Well, except for the part about the ancient Egyptians and their magic levitating white gold powder, of course.

[Nox Prognatus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Regardless of what people have said regarding Gardner and his position on Michael La Fosse. Read this very informative book with an open mind and you will learn a lot. This is not pseudo history, but a very compelling history of Freemasonry from within. It is a well researched and written book covering history of Freemasonry, mysteries and the influence of these on the World. Including on the monarchies and Governments of UK and the founders of America. Make your own mind up.

[Mike Luoma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished this one. Gardner reveals himself to be a true Jacobite in this retrospective of Freemasonry which is highly sympathetic to the Stuarts and the Scots. Also ties in his theories from "Lost Secrets of the Sacred Ark", which he now argues was also the "lost secret of the masons." Fun read if you don't take him too seriously.

[Clive Walker]

A thought provoking read detailing the activities of the knights templars and suggesting that the secrets once known by them are now lost . Will the Freemasons re-discover what knowledge was found beneath Jerusalem?

[vahid]

I am looking for a copy or PDF file of this newly released book.

[Nicholas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting read, informative and interesting. Well researched.