{"id":41828,"date":"2026-06-17T08:47:25","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T08:47:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/41828\/"},"modified":"2026-06-17T08:47:25","modified_gmt":"2026-06-17T08:47:25","slug":"freemasonry-and-esotericism-within-the-anglican-church-of-spain-led-to-resignations-evangelical-focus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/41828\/","title":{"rendered":"Freemasonry and esotericism within the Anglican Church of Spain led to resignations, Evangelical Focus"},"content":{"rendered":"

Eastern philosophies, naturopathy and esotericism are part of the areas of expertise\u00a0of Reverend Francisco Javier Alonso, a priest at the Anglican church in Vigo, which belongs to the Spanish Reformed Episcopal Church (IERE) and whose bishop in Spain has been Carlos L\u00f3pez Lozano for more than three decades.<\/p>\n

Javier Alonso, who also goes by the names Javier Akerman or Sangye Dorje (a name referring to a spiritual yoga guide) on social media, was ordained as a priest in 2011.<\/p>\n

In the region of Galicia, Alonso is known for regularly organising retreats on Eastern spirituality, meditation and yoga, which he combines with his ministry in the Anglican Church.<\/p>\n

All Evangelical Focus news and opinion,\u00a0on your WhatsApp<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Anglican vicar from Vigo is also in contact with Masonic, theosophical and esoteric movements. He has been ordained within a Templar Masonic movement called the \u201cMar Thoma Liberal Catholic Church\u201d, whose primate, Alistair Herrick Bate (who calls himself Tau Blaise as a \u201cdruid\u201d), has officiated at religious ceremonies in the worship place of the Anglican church in Vigo.<\/p>\n

\"Freemasonry<\/p>\n

Alistair Bate officiating at a religious ceremony at the Anglican church in Vigo, Spain. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Mar Thoma Liberal Catholic Church holds a \u201cclearly esoteric\u201d doctrinal position, according to Luis Santamar\u00eda, one of Spain\u2019s leading experts on cults, in his book A las afueras de la cruz (On the Outskirts of the Cross), published in 2023, in a chapter examining the practices of this specific group.<\/p>\n

\"Freemasonry<\/p>\n

Pages from Luis Santamar\u00eda\u2019s book, which refer to various cult movements within the Christian sphere. \u00a0<\/p>\n

The author identifies Francisco Javier Alonso Rebollo as a member of the cult, underlining that he is also \u201can active priest of the IERE\u201d.<\/p>\n

According to Santamar\u00eda, the group \u201coffers a single objective to its initiates: the realisation and manifestation of their inner Christ\u201d through \u201cthe sacraments as means of spiritual enlightenment, supplemented by meditation\u201d. According to his research, the group organises initiation trips to Glastonbury, championing the union \u201cof the mystical traditions of the East and West\u201d.<\/p>\n

The leader of this movement, \u201cTau Blaise\u201d (Alistair Bate), appears in several photographs of various Masonic ceremonies, in some of which he is also accompanied by the Anglican Francisco Javier Alonso.<\/p>\n

Blaise acknowledges on social media that his journey of spiritual discovery has included initiation into Wiccan magic. He considers himself the successor to a lineage of magical guides \u201cof the universal priesthood of Melchizedek\u201d, which includes well-known occultists and Satanists such as the Englishman Aleister Crowley.<\/p>\n

In another document, Blaise signs a diploma from the \u2018Grand Priory of St Andrew\u2019 under the \u2018Holy Celtic Order of the Temple\u2019 to authorise \u2018Reverend Francisco Javier Alonso Rebollo-Akerman\u2019 in the \u2018Ecossais Rectifi\u00e9\u2019 Masonic rite.<\/p>\n

\"Freemasonry<\/p>\n

Reverend Alonso\u2019s diploma following his ordination by Tau Blaise (Alistair Bate). \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Anglican Church in Spain faced a crisis in 2025 once these links of the Vigo priest came to light amongst leaders of the IERE, after these facts had been brought to the attention of Bishop Carlos L\u00f3pez without any disciplinary action being taken against Reverend Alonso.<\/p>\n

One of the vicars sent a circular letter addressed to his Anglican colleagues in Spain in which he denounced Alonso\u2019s practices as heretical. The response from Spain\u2019s Anglican bishop was one of full support for the Vigo priest.<\/p>\n

\"Freemasonry<\/p>\n

One of the websites of the esoteric orders to which Reverend Alonso belongs. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Thus, the IERE\u2019s Standing Commission, led by Bishop Carlos L\u00f3pez, issued a statement on 4 July 2025 rejecting the accusations contained in \u201ca defamatory letter\u201d as \u201cbaseless\u201d and intended to \u201csow division and confusion amongst the faithful and ministers\u201d.<\/p>\n

According to the Commission, \u201cthe Reverend Francisco Javier Alonso (\u2026) is a minister in full communion, who fully upholds Christian doctrine as expressed in the doctrinal forms and the statement of faith of our Church\u201d. The statement says that the circular letter denouncing the esoteric practices \u201cundermines the truth\u201d. The Standing Commission closed with a threat to \u201ctake legal action in defence of the honour, truth and integrity\u201d of the IERE.<\/p>\n

The priest who had sent the circular was dismissed from his posts by Bishop Carlos L\u00f3pez.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The crisis was not contained as other priests also reacted. Two months later, in September 2025, Julian Milson tendered his resignation, after six years of ministry as reverend of the Anglican parish of the city of Valencia.<\/p>\n

In an interview published on Evangelical Focus<\/a>, Pastor Milson lamented the decisions taken by the IERE\u2019s Standing Committee in handling this crisis. When announcing his resignation to the local congregation, Milson explained how he found it untenable to continue belonging to an organisation that supports, as a minister, a person involved in esotericism, magic and Freemasonry.<\/p>\n

Another minister from a parish in Barcelona tendered his resignation in July 2025. Speaking to Spanish news website Protestante Digital, he explained that he did not wish to remain with the IERE after examining the evidence and seeing how the Standing Committee and Bishop Carlos L\u00f3pez were closing ranks around Reverend Alonso.<\/p>\n

In recent months, Protestante Digital has sent questions to Bishop Carlos L\u00f3pez for this report, but has received no response.<\/p>\n

\n Published in: Evangelical Focus<\/a> – europe<\/a>
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