21^st-Century Templars are comprised of diverse groups of individuals spread across the world.  These groups are organized in groups with unique identities. Those Templars, like the Masonic Templars, often exist as a sub-group under larger organizations. This webpage does not seek to name any Templar group over another, although the author is a non-Masonic Templar knighted by largest international organized group of Templar Knights in the world. Be careful that you understand that many of these organizations claim to have directly inherited the sole mantle of Templarism from an ancient right. There is hardly any actual evidence of that claim – but just be aware it is out there.      

There are many rather obvious differences between the 13th-century Knight Templar, and his 21st-century counterparts.  And yet, excepting the obvious stylized depictions, there are many surprising similarities.  The original Templar key role was rather basic from the very first days they were given permission to perform their called-out duty by Jerusalem’s King Baldwin II: 

“To form themselves into a company with a plan for protecting pilgrims of all faiths headed to and from Jerusalem from robbers and murderers along the public highways leading to the holy city.” 

Thus the Templars became the first sect of Christian monks recognized by the Church to perform military duties.  As they became more powerful and influential, the Templars expanded their duties to include development of a complex economic system, and were apparently allied with the great sailor-fraternity that had created a worldwide trading empire in Phoenician times.  The Templar's decline and ultimate disappearance from the world stage is tragically well known.

As we review our current duties, as outlined by the Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem (SMOTJ), they are described as: 

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Seeking God in our lives and promoting love and respect for our community.

Increasing understanding between religions, helping pilgrims visit holy places, and maintaining a Christian presence in the Holy Land.

Supporting the poor, sick, and unjustly accused; standing against oppression, and protecting freedom of speech.

Encouraging the noble ideas of Chivalry; maintaining the monuments, archives, and history of the Knights Templar.

What is conspicuously missing from the requirements for the 21st-century Knight Templar?  The monastic oath and direct military activities.  Each Knight Templar swore an oath of poverty, chastity, and obedience, and renounced the world and their worldly possessions.  Like the Cistercian monks who formed their direct model, the Templars heard the Divine Office during each of the canonical hours of the day, and were expected to honor the fasts and vigils of the monastic calendar. They were not permitted to gamble, swear, or become drunk.  They were required to live in community, sleeping in a common dormitory and eating meals together. They were not, however, strictly cloistered, as were other monks. The Templars’ primary duty and calling was to fight.  Yet, the Templars gradually expanded their duties from protecting pilgrims to mounting a broader defense of the Crusader states in the Holy Land.  These original requirements are obviously not a part of the 21st-century Knights Templar daily life; yet, the modern Knights Templar of the SMOTJ still retain many links to our predecessors.

The original Templar Knights dedicated themselves to the Order for one overriding reason, and that was each individual knight’s personal commitment to their Lord Master, Jesus Christ, and the preservation of His Kingdom and its most important work on earth.  Today, the 21st-century Templar Knight becomes a SMOTJ member for exactly the same reason.  No one is invested as a modern Templar Knight in the SMOTJ unless they have been individually evaluated as a committed, productive Christian citizen of the Kingdom of God.  We are Templar Knights specifically because we are committed to the well-being of God’s Kingdom, to His Word, and to His work in each of our lives during our individual pilgrimages to the Kingdom of Heaven.  In this regard, the overriding, single-most important reason and purpose for becoming members of the Order has not changed at all in nearly a millennium.  While few of us have taken monastic oaths of poverty, chastity, and obedience, each of us has taken a most solemn oath to defend and protect the Greater Kingdom of God while serving in the lesser kingdom of men; utilizing our positions, talent and wealth, as they have been granted by the Master in each of our lives.

Our forerunners rode out to risk their lives in battles with highwaymen, assassins and thieves that were wont to prey on innocent pilgrims making their way to worship at the holy sites in and around Jerusalem.  These early Templars did not possess swords and armor merely for ornamental appearance.  Indeed, they used them without pause, remorse, or regret, and were the single line of defense for millions of pilgrims spanning at least two centuries.  Today, we, as Knights Templar, perform exactly the same function but in a fundamentally different way.  Many of us use the most complex technology available, as well as individual personal connections we have made to officials around the globe and in the Holy Land, to perform the same task.  While we do not swing a sword of steel to protect the pilgrims of all faiths who seek to worship there, we wield a sword that is in many ways much more effective; and that is the sword of technology and intelligent, compassionate diplomacy.

This task has become increasingly difficult year after year as the presence of extremist elements and the steady rise of a rigid, unyielding ideology has increased in the region.  These factors have fused to cause the Christian population in the Holy Land to decrease dramatically for reasons of both personal security and individual economic stability.  But, through a systematic and sensitive understanding of the dynamic and interwoven cultures there, the modern Knights Templar have been able to increase educational and business opportunities for followers of Christ in the region so that the incentive for individual Christians and their families to remain is significantly increased.  We have also been able to subtly develop cross-cultural friendships and covenants that have reduced the pressures to leave for many Christian individuals and communities.

 Supporting the Poor, Sick and Unjustly Accused; Standing Against 

Each individual SMOTJ Templar subunit (Priory, Preceptory, and Commandery) has developed related programs, and have taken on active and robust local responsibilities for meeting needs in all of the above listed areas.  While the SMOTJ Knights Templar is not self-defined as a ‘service organization’ per se, many of our activities are focused to support the poor, sick, and unjustly accused in our communities as we also stand against oppression, and protect the freedom of speech, each within our own spheres of influence.  In so doing, we thus actively promote love and respect for our communities by becoming a powerful force for the individual wellbeing of all those around us.

The term ‘chivalry’ defines a precise code of conduct that was practiced and maintained specifically by knights.  In its most elementary essence, it was, and is still, defined most precisely as:  “Individuals who exhibit the behaviors of courage, honor, courtesy, justice, and a readiness to help the weak.”  It is called a ‘code’ because it was formalized and agreed-upon between knights as a set of standard behaviors expected of those who took the oath and commitment of knighthood.  The Code of Chivalry is derived from and mirrors, of course, the unified precepts of our Holy Scriptures.  In the modern Order of the Knights Templar, we have each vowed to reflect and follow this Code as surely as if the words were tattooed permanently on the flesh of our hearts.  The timeless Code of Chivalry defines who we are as individual Christ followers, just as it defined our ancestors in this most sacred Order.

Finally, the concluding link between the ancient and the modern Order of Knights Templar circles back to the original, founding reason for our being, yesterday and today: our eternal, uncompromising commitment to our Lord Master, Jesus Christ.  We each seek Him in our own way each day, as directed by His Holy Spirit, Who indwells our hearts because of His work on our behalf.  Without this commitment, we would be usurpers to the title Knights Templar.  But because of our commitment to our Lord Master and His Kingdom, we are each given our knightly authority and its attendant power by Him and Him alone.  Thus it is that each of us serve in the sacred duty of our Lord Master.  For we are the Knights Templar in the 21st century who carry forth the timeless commitment and sacred oath of all those who have honorably gone before us.