Freemasonry, Gnosticism and syncretism in the church: Why are they incompatible with the gospel?
By Pastor José Hutter - Posted at Evangelical Focus:
Published June 24, 2026
"The combination of Gnosticism, Freemasonry and Theosophy offers an attractive spirituality adorned with medieval symbols and oriental rituals. But behind this façade lies a rejection of biblical revelation, sovereign grace and the sovereignty of Christ."The recent controversy in the Spanish Reformed Episcopal Church (IERE), where a priest was accused of combining Masonry and yoga with his ministry, has exposed the doctrinal fragility of certain communities.
Protestante Digital reported on the details and resignations, but we will not stop there. Instead, we will analyse why Freemasonry, Gnosticism and other esoteric movements contradict biblical faith and why their adoption is dangerous for churches 1.
What do these movements teach?
A “church” that blends Eastern and Western traditions
The Liberal Catholic Mar Thoma Church, linked to the priest in question, presents itself as a community that unites “the esoteric and mystical traditions of East and West”.They claim that their goal is “the realisation and manifestation of their inner Christ”: each person would carry within them a spark of divinity; Jesus came to reveal it, and salvation would consist of awakening that spark through sacraments and meditation.
Furthermore, they state that the church aims to be Gnostic, helping its members to reach the “true Gnosis” through ancient paths of purification, illumination and union.
Another section promotes Sanatana Dharma (the eternal religion of Hinduism) and affirms that there is not enough contemporary evidence for the Gospel accounts; what is important is the Christ within you.
Overall, the official doctrine of this group mixes Christianity, Hinduism, Druidism and Theosophy with a syncretic spirituality 2.
The features of Gnosticism
Gnosticism was a religious movement of the 1st and 2nd centuries that taught that people harbour a spark of divinity trapped in a corrupt physical body.For the Gnostics, matter was evil and salvation consisted of liberating oneself from the physical world through a secret knowledge communicated by a saviour.
They denied that Jesus had a real body, despised creation and promoted elitism, claiming that only the “enlightened” could be saved.
The early Church rejected those doctrines because they denied the goodness of creation, the incarnation of Christ and the universal nature of the gospel.
