Who we are
Welcome to the Knights Templar of Australia.
✠ L’Ordre du Temple de Jérusalem ✠
OTJ stands for the French, “L’Ordre du Temple de Jérusalem”, or The Order Of The Temple Of Jerusalem in English.
The KTA-OTJ, The Knights Templar of Australia are a Christian (including Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox etc.) fraternal and chivalric Order. We are ecumenical, meaning we are not affiliated with any single denomination but represent all of Christendom.
We are a part of a world-wide organisation for the fellowship and networking of like-minded individuals. Our Order is organized Internationally under the “L’Ordre du Temple de Jérusalem” (otj.ngo). Each Grand Priory translates this into their own language.
The Grand Master of our Order is H.E., General Ronald S. Mangum,
Retired General, United States Army.
Our Order vows to hold to the virtues of Honesty, Loyalty, Perseverance, Charity, Humility, Courage, and Honor. We take our vows seriously and hold each other accountable as our ancient statue proscribes: “Each day we must help our brethren for whom we are responsible, for one day God will say, ‘Where is thy Brother?’”
In contrast to much of today’s society, with people moving from place to place, and from relationship to relationship, this Order calls Knights and Dames to live a committed life of purpose.
Historically, the Knights Templar were a Christian order of warrior monks founded about 895 years ago in 1118 A.D..
Named for the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, the Templars initially protected pilgrims traveling through the Holy Lands, but eventually evolved into a powerful military force that waged war to protect the Holy Land during the Crusades (See “History”).
The reasons for the order are to:
– Spread the light of Christ in an increasingly dark world. Today’s Templars are faced with a spiritual battle instead of a physical one.
– Practice works of mercy, charity, and benevolence.
– Act as a force to unify all Christians, Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox, under the banner of Christ. Today, Christians are under attack by extraordinarily powerful enemies. “We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.” ― Benjamin Franklin
– Perpetuate the traditions of the Knights Templar by defending Christendom through non-violent means.
– Live a life of Chivalry and hold each other accountable to a lifestyle of excellence.
– Promote historical studies, heraldry, and the genealogy of the Order.
– Promote, through the values of friendship, loyalty and respect, feelings of universal brotherhood and ideals of solidarity between all people.
The 12th century Cistercian Abbot, Bernard of Clairvaux wrote, ”The Knight Templar is truly a fearless knight and secure on every side, for his soul is protected by the armor of faith just as his body is protected by armor of steel. He is thus doubly armed and need fear neither demons nor men.
Not that he fears death–no, he desires it. Why should he fear to live or fear to die when for him to live is Christ, and to die is gain?”
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