Book of Hiram: Freemasonry, Venus, and the Secret Key to the Life of Jesus

When Freemasons Christopher Knight and Robert Lomas set out on a personal quest to search out the origins of old rituals used by their Order, they did not expect to become involved in prehistoric astronomy or enmeshed in the development of Christianity. Fourteen years later they conclude their mission with The Book of Hiram . It puts forward explosive new evidence drawn from the latest archaeological discoveries, the Bible, and early versions of Masonic rituals.The authors have now painstakingly rebuilt the long forgotten story contained in the scattered rituals of Freemasonry. They call this reconstructed legend "The Masonic Testament" because it tells a parallel story to the Bible, and describes events the Bible does not mention — including a secret science of astronomy that they reveal is encoded in the Bible.The book concludes with the startling revelation that a lost science has changed the world before and could change it Did the early kings of Israel, including David and Solomon, practice ritual child sacrifice? Was the famous Jerusalem Temple dedicated to Venus worship? Was the birth of Jesus long preordained by astrological events? Or did he plan his life and actions by the movements of the stars and planets?The Book of Hiram will change everything you thought you knew about both the Bible and Freemasonry.Christopher Knight completed his education with a degree in advertising and graphic design. He has always had a strong interest in social behavior and belief systems and for many years he has been a consumer psychologist involved in the planning of new products and their marketing. He is Chairman of a marketing and advertising company.Robert Lomas gained a first class honors degree in electrical engineering before being awarded a PhD for his research into solid state physics and crystalline structures. He later worked on electronic weapon systems and has always had a keen interest in observational astronomy and the history of science. He currently lectures in Information Systems at Bradford University Management Centre.