A fraternal organization, or fraternity, is an organization, society, club or fraternal order, traditionally of men but also of women, associated together for religious or secular aims. The Western concept developed in a Christian context, notably through the religious orders of the Catholic Church in the Middle Ages, and was extended through medieval confraternities and guilds before early modern fraternal orders such as the Freemasons, the Rosicrucian Society of England and the Odd Fellows, alongside gentlemen's clubs, student fraternities and fraternal service organizations.
Facts
Institution Type Emergence Era Membership Basis Connections
Associated With
The confraternity is an earlier, religiously oriented form of the same voluntary fraternal-association pattern later secularized in fraternal organizations.
Freemasonry is the most prominent historical example of the fraternal organization form.
Scouting organizations share the fraternal organization's structure of ranks, oaths, badges and mutual obligation among members.
In the Other Atlases
Originated In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject originated.
Source Fraternal Organization (Wikipedia)Article bodyQuote, Article body
The development of modern fraternal orders was especially dynamic in the United States, where the freedom to associate outside governmental regulation is expressly sanctioned in law.
Sources
1. Fraternity (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationLead section
A fraternity or fraternal organization is an organization, society, club or fraternal order traditionally of men but also women associated together for various religious or secular aims.
English Wikipedia, intro text
The Western concept of fraternities developed in the Christian context, notably with the religious orders in the Catholic Church during the Middle Ages.
English Wikipedia, sections text
Generally, these organizations are open to all students who wish to join.
Lead, institution-type-category voluntary-association
A fraternity (from Latin frater 'brother' and -ity; whence, "brotherhood") or fraternal organization is an organization, society, club or fraternal order traditionally of men but also women associated together for various religious or secular aims.
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