The York Rite is an appendant
body of Masonry, and confers degrees beyond the Blue Lodge's three degrees. It
consists of nine additional degrees: Mark Master, Past Master, Most Excellent
Master, and Royal Arch Mason; the Cryptic Degrees of the Royal Master, Select
Master, and Super Excellent Master; and the Chivalric Orders of the
Illustrious Order of the Red Cross, Order of Malta and the Order of the
Temple.
The Templar orders, which comprise the last degrees of the York Rite are
specifically Christian. Or at least, it can be stated that the oath is: in
some Grand Lodges in the US and abroad, one need not be a Christian, but
rather only be willing to take a Christian OATH. The difference here is that
there are some who would willingly swear to defend the Christian faith on the
grounds that they would defend any man's faith. The Chapter (or Royal Arch)
and Council Of Royal And Select Masters (Cryptic Rite), which comprise the
first two sections of the York Rite, are not specifically Christian.