The International Association for Religious Freedom (IARF) includes 86 member organizations in 27 countries speaking more than 20 languages and representing faith traditions on all continents. The IARF is the oldest global inter-religious organization and the only one with corporate memberships by constituent religious communities. For more than 96 years the IARF has worked for multicultural understanding, justice, peace, and religious freedom.

Religious communities from Europe, America, Asia and Africa contribute to the spiritual breadth of the IARF. The IARF includes liberal Christians, Unitarians and Universalists, Buddhist, Shinto, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh and Zoroastrian groups, as well as tribal communities. IARF members are united by a commitment to religious liberty and to liberating religious practice.

Every three years the IARF brings together participants from around the globe. These triennial Congresses are held in different parts of the world: 1975 in Canada, 1978 in Britain, 1981 in Holland, 1984 in Japan, 1987 in the United States, 1990 in German, 1993 in India, 1996 in Korea and 1999 in Canada. In between the IARF sponsors regional inter-religious meetings and consultations.

IARF members affirm the one Spirit of life, in which we live and move and have our being. We acknowledge that we often mistake what is fleeting for this ultimate reality, and yet we know the truth of life is expressed in many ways. Therefore, we affirm that openness to diverse expressions of faith and wisdom is necessary for spiritual growth. We recognize our common humanity in our failures and sufferings, in our aspirations and hopes, and in the universal experience of love and friendship. In gratitude for the unity of all life, we seek with compassion to realize our true nature, and justice and peace in the world.

The groups which are followed by an asterisk (*) are associate members. As they share some of the purposes of the IARF but have a more limited scope of work than member groups, either because they limit their activities to education or to a local geographical area, they receive all the privileges of the Association other than voting delegate status at the triennial General Assembly.

Australia & New Zealand

Bangladesh

Canada

The Czech Republic

Denmark

Egypt

France

Germany

Great Britain

Hungary

India

Israel and the Palestinian National Authority

Japan

The Netherlands

Nigeria

Northern Ireland

Pakistan

The Philippines

The Republic of China, Taiwan

The Republic of Korea

Romania

Russia

South Africa

Spain

Sri Lanka

Switzerland

U. S. A.

International

Contacts & Addresses

Index of Member Groups

The Australian and New Zealand Unitarian Association was formed in 1974 to promote fellowship and communication between Unitarian and other liberal groups in the vast continent of Australia. There are three active Unitarian Congregations in Australia—in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. There is a Unitarian Church in Auckland, New Zealand, founded in 1898, and fellowships at Wellington and Palmerston North. The Australian and New Zealand churches maintain affiliation with the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches of Great Britain. The Adelaide and Auckland congregations are also affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Association.

The purposes of the Association are: 1) The worship of God on the basis of the two affirmations of Jesus, the love of God and the love of humankind; 2) freedom of inquiry in matters of religion and the exercise of reason in the pursuit of truth; 3) fellowship with all who care for the cultivation of the spiritual and ethical life; 4) cooperation among Unitarians, consulting on their common interests and the strengthening of denominational unity.

The Bangladesh Bouddha Kristi Prachar Sangha was established in 1949. It has over 15,000 members. The Sangha runs an orphanage for boys, a residential school, a technical school and a medical center. It organizes international seminars and symposiums on Buddhism, non-violence and peace and on the Buddhist heritage of Bangladesh; it sends goodwill missions to different countries to promote international understanding; it organizes occasions for inter-religious dialogue; it runs a training course for Buddhist monks; and it publishes Kristi as well as various books in English and Bengali.Bangladesh Buddhist Missionary Society*

The Bangladesh Buddhist Missionary Society works to inculcate humane instincts among the people and to establish national and international brotherhood among followers of all religions.

The stated objectives of the society include: "1) awakening awareness among world Buddhists to help safeguard the interests of orphans and destitute children irrespective of caste, creed and color; 2) arranging translation and publication of the holy Tripitaka in different languages; and 3) stimulating and contributing to the development of the worldwide peace movement and struggle for disarmament."

Since 1977 an abode for monks has been built, a 200 year old temple with small prayer hall has been rebuilt, and a home and technical school have been established for 150 orphans.

This interfaith Unity Council is promoting respect for different religious beliefs and practices and the protection of the human right of religious freedom in Bangladesh. It holds interfaith meetings and publishes reports on the violation of religious freedom and other human rights in Bangladesh.

The Young Men’s Buddhist Association is engaged in religious education and vocational programs. It also operates a savings and credit program for women, a free clinic, and works with orphans. It is governed by a committee of representatives from around the country.

The Canadian Unitarian Council (CUC) was founded in 1961. The CUC is thus a relatively new organization, yet it represents a movement with well over a century of history. The CUC does not aim to provide a full range of denominational services, but focuses on those for which national identity is important. Thus CUC activities include multi-cultural and interfaith programs; publication of materials; communication between the local societies across the country and support for their growth; social responsibility; fund-raising and financial management.

Until 50 years ago, most Canadian Unitarians were Christocentric in belief and practice, but then the majority became humanists. Now, like Unitarians elsewhere, they have moved strongly towards a deeper spirituality drawing on the insights of ecology, feminism and world religions.

The Religious Society of Unitarians was founded in Prague in 1930 under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Norbert Capek, who was influenced by contacts with American Unitarianism. Rev. Capek died as a martyr in the concentration camp at Dachau during the World War II.

The Czech Unitarians maintain a building in Prague and hold Sunday services. In Prague they have their own publishing house and also offer bed and breakfast possibilities to travelling Unitarians from abroad. In addition to the Prague church, there are a number of fellowships around the country, especially in larger cities like Pilzen, Brno and Olomouc, which are served by ministers and lay people.

The Unitarian Church in Denmark (formerly The Free Church Union) was formed in 1900, and was influenced by the Unitarian movements in England and Norway. The church was originally focussed around the teachings of Jesus and the Golden Rule, "love thy neighbour." Most of the members today prefer a more abstract theology, and many of the services now contain only a few Christian elements.

Danish Unitarians hold the following religious and ethical points of view: "The universe forms a unity or a whole (entity) where everything is connected. Accordingly, there is only one universal godpower which, however, can be regarded in different ways: as a personal god, a spiritual law, etc. It is life affirming to have confidence in this godpower and in all that is alive. All religions spring from the same source. Variations are due to different cultures and environments. Every person has the responsibility for his/her own way of life and religion, and the freedom to disassociate from dogmatic exterior authorities in favor of reliance on an inner authority."

This group in Cairo, Egypt learned of the IARF through its contact with the International Council of Christians and Jews. It describes itself as "A study group of young Islamic scholars that produces books, films and media studies." It publishes ‘Against the Current’ (1,000 copies). The South Group of Research is also involved in international and national conferences.

ASISTI is committed to research in comparative religion and to publishing in Esperanto spiritual texts from diverse religious traditions. Its constitution states that "The association is dedicated to dialogue, and is religiously neutral.... It is antiracist and will actively endeavor, at least in its publications, to strengthen respect for...religious freedom and freedom of conscience (including that of unbelief)."

Association Libérale represents liberal Protestants in France. The majority of the members belong to the Reformed or Lutheran churches. Each year a main conference is held in the South of France and regional conferences are conducted in Lyon, Strasbourg and Paris. It publishes a magazine Evangile et Liberté. Albert Schweitzer was a Past President of Association Libérale. In 1913 the IARF Congress was held in Paris.

This Association is a body of liberal Protestant Christians in Germany. It was founded in Frankfurt/Main in 1948. It has predecessors in previous Protestant organizations dating back to 1863 and earlier, which followed liberal concepts. Basic ideas concern the conviction of personal freedom derived from New Testament thought and insights from the times of the Reformation and Enlightenment. Presupposed for theological thought is the historical-critical method and that of the historical development of religion.

Free Christians reject one-sidedness and dogmatism because the spirit of Jesus stands for serving society and all of creation with the openness of worldwide love and justice. Free Christians feel responsible to exemplify beliefs in a way that helps the individual to grow rather than cling to often-misunderstood ancient images, concepts and structures (i.e. the traditional confessions of faith). Personal honesty in faith, thought and action is asked for in an effort to realize the "kingdom of God" here and now.

Free Christians are conscious of God’s action and revelation in their inherited religion but they see God’s presence and revelation in other religions as well. Therefore, Free Christians support inter-religious dialogue not only to give their own witness but also to learn from other faiths and to become more conscious of the wider fellowship of believers worldwide.

The Association publishes a bimonthly magazine, Freies Christentum (Free Christianity). It has been a member of the IARF since 1949.

The Deutsche Unitarier Religiongemeinschaft (German Unitarians) is a fellowship movement of 70 lay-led congregations throughout Germany. It has descended from a group of German liberal Protestants in the 1870s and was reorganized in 1950. It continues the tradition of the anti-dualistic heretics of Europe through a religion of unity in accordance with modern science. On this basis it is developing a new religious ethic of universal responsibility. The supporting organizations of the German Unitarians include a Unitarian Service Committee, an adult education center and a youth organization. Their monthly publication is the Unitarische Blätter für ganzheitliche Religion und Kultur (Unitarian Papers for Religion and Culture).

Deutscher Untarierbund is a lay-led German movement advocating reason and tolerance in religion. Its center is located in Frankfurt, and the Bund is related to the Free Religious groups.

The free religious movement finds its spiritual roots in antiquity, in some heretical Christian movements, in German mysticism, in the left wing of the Reformation, and also in the Enlightenment.

As an organized body, the Free Religious Community emerged in the year 1845 out of various religious groups, including those which had broken with sacramental Catholicism as well as orthodox Protestantism, and those seeking reform in the Christian faith, based on freedom, reason and tolerance. In the meantime, the Free Religious Community has distanced itself considerably from the State Church. Religious views range from ontological pantheism to religious humanism.

The Freireligiöse Landesgemeinde Baden is an officially recognized congregation under German law and dates back to the Deutschkatholischen Gemeinden founded in 1845 in Heidelberg, Konstanz, Mannheim, Pforzheim etc. The Deutschkatholischen Gemeinden came into being to establish a democratic religious community without a hierarchy, without creed or dogma. The Freiprotestantischen Gemeinden (the so-called "Lichtfreunde") had tried at the same time to establish in their church a new reformation on the basis of the Enlightenment. 1859 the Deutschkatholischen Gemeinden and the Freiprotestantischen Gemeinden united to form the Bund Freireligiöser Gemeinden Deutschland. Many liberal Jews belonged to its membership.

After the failure of the democratic revolution of 1848/49many Freireligiöse emigrated into the USA and later joined Unitarian communities there. Today the Freireligiöse Landesgemeinde is based on humanism and pantheism.

The Jugend und Bildungsstätte Klingberg der Deutschen Unitarier (German Unitarians Place for Youth and Education) is situated on a four-acre piece of land close to the Baltic Sea and about 15 miles north of the city of Lübeck. There are summer camps for young people, children and parent seminars, courses for further and adult education, and meetings for handicapped people. There are also seminars concerning religious, ethical, political and ecological problems. Besides this, creativity seminars are offered that help develop craftsmanship and other working skills. This work is based on Unitarian ideas and principles and enforces an understanding of the world, which accepts the equality and unity of all beings as an expression of what we call God.

The Unitarische Kirche in Berlin was founded in 1948 under the leadership of Rev. Hansgeorg Remus and others, who tried to raise liberal religious ideas in Germany after the end of World War II. Rev. Hansgeorg Remus, descendant of an old East Prussian family, who was converted to the Unitarian religion in 1580, gave the church its own liturgy and started a periodical called Der Unitarier which is still published monthly. The congregation sponsors regular services, lectures at the adult education center, and radio addresses.

Friends of the Western Buddhist Order is a well-known network of Buddhists which developed initially in support of the revival of Buddhism in India. It now supports Buddhist practice in many countries.

The General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches links together almost two hundred congregations across Great Britain. Among its publications are The Inquirer (bi-weekly), The Unitarian (monthly) and Yr Ymofynnedd (Welsh language quarterly) which are general in nature, and Faith and Freedom (three times a year) which has an academic content.

Unitarians recognize that each person has the right and responsibility to think for himself or herself on religious matters. They recognize that religious understanding may properly be gleaned from diverse sources—science, the arts, the exercise of human reason and reflection upon personal experience, as well as from the scriptures of the world's faith traditions. Unitarianism stresses the value of congregational life, both as a support in one’s personal spiritual journey and as a beacon of liberal religious values and social action in the local community.

The General Assembly is a founding member of the IARF.

Manchester Harris College offers places to mature students to read for Oxford undergraduate and graduate degrees. Many liberal religious leaders from other countries have also studied here. MCO hosted the 1937, 1952 and 1978 IARF Congresses.

This is a liberal organization within the Anglican Church of England. The Union joined IARF in 1978. It publishes Modern Believing and holds an annual conference on contemporary issues.

The Unitarian College Manchester was founded in 1854. Since 1904, when it helped to form a free Faculty of Theology, the College has had close links with the University of Manchester. In 1984 it became an associate founding member of the Northern Federation for Training in Ministry, retaining its separate identity while sharing common premises with other Manchester theological colleges at Luther King House close to the University campus.

The College adheres to its tradition of freely imparting theological knowledge without insisting on the adoption of particular theological doctrines and continues its object of preparing men and women for the ministry, and of the education of lay persons in liberal religious thought and principles.

The history of the Hungarian Unitarian Church goes back to 1568, to the Diet of Torda, where the movement started. From that time until 1920 Transylvania belonged to Hungary. In the 16th century there were more than 100 congregations in the territory of present Hungary, in the South part around Pécs. After the Roman Catholic Counter-Reformation, Unitarians could only be found in Transylvania. Unitarians came back to Budapest and present-day Hungary after the revolution in 1848-49. The Church considers itself to be liberal Christian.

The Sangye Manlai Gedun, Community of the Medicine Buddha, was formed in 1992. It is a Buddhist community following the medicine aspect of the Buddha Shakyamuni. The main ideas of Buddhism are accepted as is the religious obligation of curing humanity according to the Tibetan system of medicine.

The All India All Religious Federation was founded in Tamil Nadu in 1992 as a response to growing communal conflict. It seeks to work for justice and democracy by bridging the divisions of religion, caste, gender, and political party. It sponsors dialogue in furtherance of "secularism" in India, which means rejecting the idea of a theocratic state and affirming the equality of all religions before the law. The Federation also seeks "to restore the lost spiritual, religious and cultural ideals" of India.

The All India Christian Association held its first meeting, under the name All India Council of Indian Christians, in 1914. Its objective is to promote cooperation among Christians and, with other religious people of goodwill, to protect the basic human right of religious freedom. The All India Christian Association publishes newsletter and sponsors educational and service activities.

This educational organizaton was formed to promote Sikh studies. It sponsors the National Institute of Punjab Studies and is a literary and cultural center. Recently it was authorized to teach courses for Ph.D. candidates in northern India.

The Tani tribes live in five districts of Arunyachal Pradesh and the Dhemaji District of Assam in the North Eastern region of India. The people are simple, freedom loving and democratic. Each village constitutes an autonomous unit. Their traditional faith and practice is known as Donyo-Poloism. Donyi Polo has no scripture or literature, and thus is relatively unknown. "Donyi" mean the Sun and "Polo" the Moon.

The Tani do not distinguish between the Sun and Moon, but rather Donyi-Polo is their principal spiritual Being or Guardian or Guide or Teacher. Donyi-Polo is the torchbearer who illumines the purest and surest path leading to the peak of glory. Under the guidance of Donyi-Polo the people of the tribes hope to attain "Donyi-Polo Among" or the land of light and peace.

Founded in Delhi in 1969 on the eve of the quincentenary of the birth of Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh faith, Guru Nanak Foundation has devoted itself to the "propagation of the religious equality and universal brotherhood of the Sikh Gurus." It aims to prepare authentic biographies of Guru Nanak, saints, martyrs and others, who have contributed to the moral and spiritual uplift of humanity, and to promote family feeling among all human beings. It maintains branches in India and overseas. The foundation edits and publishes a biannual journal called Studies in Sikhism and Comparative Religion.

This group in Chennai (Madras), India learned of the IARF through Dr. J.J. Bennett, the General Secretary of the All India Christian Association, an IARF member group. Founded in 1888 the ICA of Tamil Nadu is a non-profit organisation committed "to the welfare of all Christians in Tamil Nadu and generally for the welfare of other minority communities, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and backward classes in Tamil Nadu". It has elected officers and publishes quarterly the ‘Indian Christian Association Bulletin’. The leader of the ICA attended the IARF Congress in 1996.

The Maha Bodhi Society was founded in 1956 by the Venerable Acharya Buddharakkhita Thera. There is a training center called Sangharama, for motivated young men to receive intensive training to qualify as teachers of Dhamma and meditation, and to demonstrate that it is possible to lead a pure life. There are Sunday discourses where the Buddha’s ethical, psychological and philosophical teachings are applied to daily life. A library is maintained with over 2,000 volumes. A project has been started to translate the entire Pali Tipitaka from the original Pali into Kannada, the local dialect. A monthly magazine, Dhamma is also published. The Society’s shrine is an International Meditation Center where many devotees are trained in calmness and insight meditation.

Devotees not only receive teachings, but are encouraged to practice charity by visiting hospitals, retirement homes, orphanages, etc. The cultivation of compassion is an essential part of the spiritual practice. Thus the society also runs a residential school for 100 boys, the Arogya Hospital beside the Bangalore slums, an artificial limb center, and a burns and casualty center.

This village indigenous group is located high in the hills of North East India. It is divided into clans, and the heads of these clans constitute the governing body of the religious group.

The Ramakrishna Mission Association came into existence in May, 1987 to: 1) impart and promote the study of the Vedanta and its principles as propounded by Sri Ramakrishna and particularly illustrated by his own life, and of comparative theology in its widest form; 2) impart and promote the study of the arts, science and industries; 3) to train teachers in all these branches of knowledge and enable them to reach the masses. In other words, the basic goal of human life may be attained by pursuing the Path of Bhaktiyoga (devotion), Karmayoga (action), Jnanayoga, (knowledge) and Rajayoga (psychic control). Ramakrishna Mission undertakes various activities and programs by pursuing any combination of these paths.

Thus the Ramakrishna Mission runs various welfare services as demonstrations of Karmayoga. It runs various temples where people worship following the path of devotion. It organizes various religious discourses based on scriptures of all major religions for those people who want to pursue the path of knowledge or Jnanayoga. Lastly it maintains monasteries where people can meditate pursuing the path of Rajayoga. All the activities of Ramakrishna Mission can be grouped under any of the above categories.

Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Narendrapur is one of the many branches of the Mission. It has grown into a big complex with varied activities. It has nearly 1,819 students in residence and occupies about 150 acres of meadow dotted with flower gardens, green fields, mango groves and lakes. Coming from all over India, the students speak different languages and profess different religious faiths. In selecting students, preference is given to boys coming from displaced families and backward classes and to boys who are physically or otherwise handicapped.

The Headquarters of Ramakrishna Mission are located in the district of Howrah on the Western Bank of the river Ganga. There are 130 branches of the Mission located in Bangladesh, 97 centres in India, 12 in the United States of America and one each in Fiji, France, Mauritious, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Argentina, Canada, Japan and the UK.

Formed in 1828 the Brahmo Samaj is a founding member of the IARF. Rammohun Roy, known as the Father of Modern India (1772-1835), was the first leader of this Hindu reform movement. He took a stand on social and political issues, such as widow burning, the caste system and women’s rights. In 1842, Debendranath Tagore provided the new movement with a statement of faith, philosophically expressed by his son Rabindranath Tagore, the world-famous poet. The next Brahmo leader, Keshub Chunder Sen, was inspired by the American Unitarian minister Charles Dall, who served 31 years in India. Sen developed a program to prevent child marriage.

The Indian Messenger is the newspaper of the Sadharan Brahmo Samaj in Calcutta. Brahmos maintain colleges, schools, libraries and clinics.

The primary aim of the Institute is to propagate the teachings of Mahapurush Sankardeva and to render his works into English and other languages for wider circulation, in the hopes of promoting global unity.

The tradition represented by Sankar Deva Institute of Culture International (SICI) is properly known as Mahapurusiaism or Eksarana Namdharma. It is the religion of love and unconditional devotion for Lord Krishna (God). "Krishna is the complete incarnation of God culminating in all the arts reminiscent of the cosmic efficacies of the Almighty." The tradition is an important aspect of the Bhakti movement.

Mahapurush Sankaradeva worked relentlessly to reform the caste system and other social vices and superstitious practices. He revived the basic tradition of chanting God’s name, which is the practice upon which his religion is based. He designed singing, dancing and theatrical performances based on the stories from Bhagawata and Ramayana and other Vaisnavite Puranas so that the community is continually engaged in the remembrance of God’s name. He composed Bargeets based on the classical ragas, various dance forms based on classical dance postures (Hasta) and the Ankia Bhaona on the essence of Indian theatre.

Khasis inhabit the Khasi and Jaintia Hills in North East India. Sengh Khasi is the sociocultural organization of Khasis who did not adopt other religions and still follow Niam Khasi, the indigenous Khasi religion based on the belief of God as creator with due respect for the ancestors. Sengh Khasi was formally inaugurated on November 23rd, 1899, and this day is celebrated as Seng Kut Snem every year.

The aims and objectives of the Sengh Khasi include: "To foster a sense of brotherhood among the Khasis who still retain their sociocultural and religious heritage; to work for the advancement of education; to encourage national sports like archery, cultural dances, and other social festivals; to undertake welfare and development activities such as maintenance of the cremation grounds for those who dispose of dead bodies according to tradition and religion."

Archery is the national game of Khasis, and the Sengh Khasi organize archery competitions every year. Villagers from all over the Khasi Hills participate in the hopes of winning the coveted trophies. Sengh Khasi also organizes "Shad Suk Mynsiem" (Thanksgiving Dance) annually with the advent of Spring, offering homage to God.

Unitarianism in North East India is the result of the teachings of a Khasi Tribal, the late Hajom Kissor Singh. He came from a Christian family, but was dissatisfied with the orthodox Christian doctrine of his time. With the help of Khasi Brahmos and American Unitarians, in 1887 he began the Unitarian movement at Jowai with three companions. The movement developed gradually until in 1991 there were 29 congregations of 6800 members scattered in the hilly regions of Meghalaya and Assam.

Historic visits by Unitarians from North America and Britain highlight and helped stimulate the development of the Unitarian movement in India. Rev. Anna Margaret Barr, M.A. (Oxford), British Unitarian missionary, teacher and social worker, stayed in the Khasi Hills from 1936 until her death in 1973. She founded the Kharang Rural Center.

Khasi Unitarians believe: "In the oneness of God; in the fatherhood and motherhood of God and the brotherhood of man; in the life eternal; in the salvation by character; in the power of reasoning; in the freedom to search the truth of ourselves; and in the teaching of Jesus and other great religious teachers." Like most Unitarians, they believe in the teachings of Jesus, but they see him as a man to be followed not as God to be worshipped. Four services are conducted each Sunday, and family prayer is offered daily on rising from bed and before eating and going to sleep.

Al-Liqa’ (The Center for Religious Studies in the Holy Land) is an organization of Palestinian Muslim and Christian scholars in the Holy Land. It sponsors programs on Palestinian heritage and dialogue programs between Jews, Christians, and Muslims. It has existed for over ten years and has published studies and conference materials in both Arabic and English. It also regularly publishes a newsletter in English.

The Center for Religious Pluralism involves Muslims, Jews and Christians in dialogue and service programs stressing the common heritage of the three Abrahamic traditions.

This program was initiated by a Palestinian family, which lived in the house before 1948, and an Israeli family, which now owns the house. Today Open House is used for educational programs for Jews and Arabs including a day-care center for Arab children. It is also a meeting place for peace groups and includes among its sponsors Oz Veshalom, the religious peace movement in Israel.

The Israel Interfaith Association has been working since its inception throughout the country to promote understanding and mutual respect between all the sects, religions, and ethnic groups within Israel.

Ittoen (Garden of the Light) was founded by Tenko Nishida in 1905. He made up his mind to follow the law of nature, completely giving himself in trust to God (or Light), like a baby trusts and depends on its mother. He worked to help people without any remuneration, and wherever he went he was given what he needed to live. His way of life attracted spiritual people and gradually a community was formed at Yamashina district in Kyoto.

Every day Ittoen members work in the spirit of repentance, thanksgiving and service, living as one big family. In the community there are a kindergarten and primary, junior and senior high schools. There are also knitting, agricultural, printing, publishing and constructing departments and a travelling drama group. They hold monthly training sessions. There is also a monthly magazine, which is called The Light. "Friends of Light" are in many parts of the country, practicing the Ittoen spirit and way of life.

The Japan Free Religious Association was formally organized in 1948 by persons whose religious affiliation was Unitarian, Universalist and Free Christian. The roots of this movement stemmed from the introduction of liberal Christianity in Japan in the 1880s by German and American liberal Christians. This association goes beyond liberal Christianity and treats all religious liberals, Christian, Buddhist, Shinto and others, on an equal basis. At present, the Japan Free Religious Association consists of the Tokyo Unitarian Church, the Japan Liberal Christian Church, the Japan Universalist Church, the Absolute Altruism Association and a high school founded on the basis of the principle of free religion. While the Japan Liberal Christian Church and the Japan Universalist Church are Christian and the Absolute Altruism Association is Buddhist, the Tokyo Unitarian Church professes a nonsectarian faith being a newly organized church in 1948. The Association publishes a monthly bulletin named Sozo (Creation) and holds an annual meeting in November.

Konko-kyo was founded by Konko Daijin in 1859, when he received the Divine Call from Tenchi-Kane-no-Kami (Principal Parent of the Universe). Konko-kyo has about 1,700 churches and a half million believers in the world. The guiding principle of the teaching is to maintain a harmonious life between Heaven and Earth in which every human being lives as a child of the Parent Kami-God and no person lives apart from that relationship. The Kami-God is fulfilled in humanity, and human nature is fulfilled in the Kami-God.

The Konko Church of Izuo was founded in Osaka in 1927 by Rev. Toshio Miyake, who is the life Chief Senior Minister. Since then, under his leadership, the Church has worked diligently for the salvation of followers and for the promotion of world peace movements and inter-religious cooperation. To help suffering and distressed people in developing countries, the Konko Church of Izuo has established Miyake orphanages and schools in India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Rissho Kosei-kai, a Buddhist lay organization with headquarters in Tokyo and 239 branch churches in Japan and six in other countries, has grown to 6.7 million members since its founding in 1938 by Founder Nikkyo Niwano and Co-founder Myoko Naganuma. Under the guidance of Founder Niwano and his son, President Nichiko Niwano, members take their inspiration from the teaching of the Lotus Sutra and vow to follow the example of the bodhisattva for the sake of human well-being and world peace. Practice consists of daily sutra recitation as the expression of faith; hoza, of group discussion of the application of faith to everyday life; and social activities that foster faith.

Rissho Kosei-kai’s work to foster interreligious cooperation is fuelled by the conviction that the strongest impetus for creating a peaceful world is a genuine understanding of the ultimate value of human life, which transcends differences of race, nationality, and creed. Money collected primarily through the Donate-A-Meal Campaign is used to help the needy worldwide. The object of the campaign is not only to collect money, but to instill in participants a sense of compassion and humility. The religious, scholarly, and popular books and magazines published by the affiliated Kosei Publishing Co. include such English-language publications as the bimonthly Dharma World.

Shi-tennoji Temple, the first officially established temple in Japan was founded in 593 by Prince Shotoku to be dedicated to the four Guardian Kings of Shi-tteno. Since its foundation, the temple has been ruined several times by disasters, but people’s devotional faith in Shi-tenno-ji Temple and the Prince has always made reestablishment of the temple possible.

Shi-tennoji Temple today has developed not only in the fields of welfare work and educational activities following Prince Shotoku's noble mind, but it is also well known as a people’s temple, where many worshippers visit during the equinoctial weeks in spring and autumn.

At the foot of Mt. Takayama and Hikiyama, up the stream of the river Suzuka in Mie Prefecture where "Sarudahiko Okami" (the Great God) lived, the Tsubaki Grand Shrine was built in the year 300 A.D. The shrine is the oldest Shinto shrine in Japan. Rev. Yukitaka Yamamoto is the 96th of his family to serve as the Shrine’s priest. His duties are to teach true ways of life directly to the people as a mediator between the god and the people. An important element of the religious practices of the Tsubaki Grand Shrine is the misogi or purification ceremony. The word "misogi" derives its meaning from a story in kojiki, a Japanese classic, which tells us that the ancestral god Izanagi-no-mikoto purified himself by bathing in divine water and thus rid himself of all the impurities of the temporal world. Modern day Shintoists perform this ritual under the bracing cold waterfall near the Shrine. A variety of other symbolic purification ceremonies are performed for special purposes by the priests. The basic principle of Shinto is "the way of Kannagara," which means "to give a hundred lights to those who desire a hundred lights, to give innumerable lights to those who so desire, in fact to act towards all human beings with perfect justice and impartiality." This principle of tolerance and understanding motivates the involvement of the Tsubaki Grand Shrine in IARF.

This Foundation in the Netherlands promotes the evolutionary theory of Teilhard de Chardin in order to assist the convergence of religious thinking. It publishes a review entitled Gamma six times a year. It is related to French and American de Chardin groups.

The Netherlands Protestant Association was founded in 1870 to provide an organization for the liberals in the Netherlands Reformed Church, who were seeking greater religious freedom within their denomination. Today it welcomes all those who are interested in its programs, whether they identify themselves as religious or not. Its local branches vary from churches that worship in the Christian tradition to humanist groups, which sponsor educational programs.

The Remonstrant Brotherhood was founded in 1619, in a time of great political and ecclesiastical upheaval, by followers of Arminius who were excommunicated from the Netherlands Reformed Church. The Arminians defended the freedom of the will and the universality of the love of God against the Calvinist doctrines of predestination and eternal damnation for the non-elect. Most of the Remonstrant churches are in the west of the Netherlands.

The Association of Liberal Members of the Netherlands Reformed Church aims to preserve the liberal element within its more conservative denomination. It resists the imposition of a strict Calvinist theology on the members of the Netherlands Reform Church.

The Association was formed in 1948 in opposition to the 1951 constitution of the Netherlands Reformed Church, believing that the principles of this constitution are irreconcilable with liberal faith. It publishes a monthly periodical and promotes Unitarian principles.

The Unitarian Brotherhood Church was founded by a group of liberal religious people of different denominations in 1917. The first place of worship was a Town Hall opposite Anglican Kings Church in Lagos. Both their hymns, which they composed, and their church services were in the vernacular, called yoruba. They also added the use of native drums in their worship. Many Christians, embracing this practice, left their own churches to worship with the Unitarians. When this was observed, the other churches felt that they were losing members and persecution started. But the persecutions gave them courage, and with the support of influential people, they expanded, and even built a new church building and primary school in 1936.

In 1973 the IARF held a mini-congress in Lagos, Nigeria.

The First Unitarian Church of Nigeria Inc. has recently been formed to propagate a gospel of freedom and service in Nigeria.

The Light of Salvation Mission is a Christian Church with ten congregations, four pastors, and eight evangelists. It sponsors Bible lectures, cares for orphans and widows, and organizes Sunday School classes. The Mission was accepted as associate member of the IARF in 1986.

The Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church of Ireland comprises some 35 congregations, tracing their origin back to the Scottish Presbyterian Settlement of the 17th century. They accept as their basis the teachings of the Bible but reject subscription to the Westminister Confession of Faith. Their congregations are Christocentric in outlook. They have a very representative membership, drawn from the working and professional classes. The ministers have the full standing and rights of Presbyterians. The Church publishes "The Non-Subscribing Presbyterian" monthly and sponsors young people’s and women’s leagues.

The liberal churches of Northern Ireland presently occupy a dangerous position between extremist Roman Catholics and Protestants who have engaged in bloody conflict. Several members of this denomination have been assassinated. Many others have been personally attacked or suffered property damage. Despite this personal suffering, the Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church of Ireland has taken a leadership role towards reconciliation and understanding through its sponsorship of the Mothers and Toddlers Play Centers. These Centers provide a haven where parents and children of both sides can play and meet in safety. Financial support of these Centers was the first project of the IARF Social Service Network after it was formally organized. The 1955 IARF Congress was held in Belfast.

The Unitarian Universalists Pakistan is made up of individuals who are committed to freedom of religion and tolerance of various religious beliefs. It supports interfaith dialogue and counsels persons who are persecuted by religious authorities for their religious beliefs and resistance to orthodoxy, whether they are Christian or Muslim.

BCYCC, as it is known, is a self-help organization working with young people in Bataan. It sponsors educational programs for poor students, vocational training, and development projects to strengthen the community. With assistance from Rissho Kosei-kai, BCYCC has constructed a museum and library and has provided substantial assistance to the many victims of typhoons, which frequent the region.

The Independent Church of Filipino Christians was originally the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (Philippine Independent Church). It was founded by the religious reformer and revolutionary leader, Gregorio Aglipay, in 1902. The church broke with Rome over the rampant abuses of power perpetuated by Spanish Catholics throughout Spain’s 350-year rule in the archipelago. The Aglipayan Church subscribed to the Unitarian belief, and conducted its services in the vernacular. In 1931, the Aglipayan Church became the very first IARF member group from Asia.

The ICFC is represented throughout the Philippines, but it is especially prominent in Batac, Ilocos Norte, hometown of Gregorio Aglipay, and in Central Luzon. It has started a series of social service projects in key provinces in the Philippines, such as the cow dispersal project in Pangasinan, day-care centers, and a woman’s livelihood program. Relief and reconstruction work has been ongoing, following the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in Central Luzon in June 1991. The ICFC has procured and distributed relief goods to the people of Zambales, seen to the reconstruction of their homes, and provided them with alternative means of livelihood. At the same time it has successfully strengthened a religious fervor among the people, drawing them closer to God.

The Manobo Tribal Group consists of about 30,000 indigenous people in Central Mindanao in the province of North Cotabato. These people are mostly nomads who live off the land, as they move around in the forest. About 80% of the household heads have not attended school. The people are threatened by development and by the majority populations of Muslims and Christians, which have moved into the area and cleared much of the forest. The Manobo Tribal Group is committed, however, to the peaceful resolution of these problems.

From modest beginnings as a vocational school for boys in 1901, the "campus by the sea" has grown to become a bulwark of Christian education not only in the Philippines but throughout the Asia-Pacific region as well.

Today, Silliman University continues to take an active part in shaping a future where the reign of God in peoples’ lives is supreme, where society is built on the principles of justice and peace, and where the environment and its resources that materially sustain us are utilized responsibly — not for self-gratification — but rather as a divine gift. It is developing three areas: 1) strengthening of the general education program; 2) focusing of professional degrees on the contextual approach to local transformation (integrating instruction, research and extension to make education at Silliman uniquely experiential;) and 3) establishing alternative learning processes and delivery systems for lifelong learning.

The Unitarian Universalist Church of the Philippines (UUCP) is the result of an overseas engagement in 1955 by the Universalist Church of America. Having learned by coincidence in the Philippines about far away Universalism and backed by the UCA, Rev. Toribio Quimada built a community of 20 lay-ministers serving 5 churches and 10 fellowships in the remote villages of Negros Island and Mindanao. With the help of Unitarian Universalist mailings, the church developed a unique blend of Filipino religious liberalism, combined with charismatic preaching.

Farmers and fishermen struggling to cope with economic necessities and confronted by a revolutionary political ground-swell are, at the same time, deeply concerned with the classic theological questions of Unitarian Universalism such as "the nature of God" and "universal salvation." The IARF Social Service Network has supported the UUCP in many ways.

The objectives of Fo Guang Shan are 1) to propagate the Dharma through cultural activities; 2) to foster talent through education; 3) to benefit society through charitable programs; 4) to purify human hearts and minds through Buddhist practice.

Fo Guang Shan was established in 1967. Under the leadership of the Founding Master, the Venerable Hsing Yun, the devotion of his ordained disciples, and the support of his lay devotees, Fo Guang Shan has evolved from a mountain-top bamboo forest to the largest Buddhist monastery in Taiwan and an internationally recognized Buddhist religious site.

Dedicated since its very inception to the establishment of the Pure Land on earth, Fo Guang Shan has focused the religious spirit inherited from ages past on the altruistic activities of the Bodhisattva. By striving to bring to others faith, happiness, hope, and comfort from sorrows, Fo Guang Shan works to actualize a dynamic and humanitarian Buddhism appropriate to the contemporary world.

Won Buddhism is a new religious movement based on the enlightenment of Ven. Sotaesan. He started Won Buddhism with three major principles: modernization, popularization, and practicalization of Buddhism. He emphasized that Buddha Dharma should be manifested through everyday life and that everyday life is Buddha Dharma. He also stressed the integrity of mind and body and the balance of material civilization and spiritual civilization. In its ecclesiastical system, Won Buddhism does not discriminate between men and women, and the role of women is especially prominent compared to other religions in Korea.

Since its foundation, Won Buddhism has been engaged in three major activities: missionary works, educational institutions and charitable operations. At present, there are 24 parishes and 454 Won Buddhist temples, including 13 overseas, with almost one million followers. Won Buddhism also runs many educational institutions, including Won Kwang University, and several Mind Training Centers in and out of Korea. It also operates charitable organizations for the mentally disabled, orphans, and senior citizens.

Unitarianism began in Romania within the liberal wing of the Protestant Reformation in the second half of the 16th century. On 13 January 1993, the Church celebrated the 425th anniversary of the Diet of Torda, which lawfully declared liberty of conscience and religion for the first time in Europe. Its central figures were King John Sigismund and his court preacher, Francis Dávid. This Diet marks the beginning of the Unitarian Church.

The Unitarian Church in Romania had at least 400 congregations towards the end of the 16th century. Because of more than 400 years of persecutions, it has lost a majority of its churches. Today there are 124 congregations with ministers and about 50 fellowships.

Most Unitarians live in villages, some of which are entirely Unitarian. The Church’s center is in Cluj (Kolozsvár), the capital of Transylvania. All Transylvanian Unitarians are Hungarian, but, since the Treaty of Trianon, Transylvania has belonged to Romania. There are about 75,000 Unitarians in Romania and all services are conducted in Hungarian.

Since 1949, theological students have been trained by a Common Protestant Theological Institute in Cluj, which includes Calvinist, German and Hungarian Lutheran, and Unitarian students. In 1948, when Marxist education became the norm, the two Unitarian confessional high schools and the Unitarian elementary school were taken over by the state. The church now is working to have them returned, together with all the buildings and estates which were illegally taken during the Marxist dictatorship.

Membership in Logos is representative of Russia’s intelligentsia actively involved in the effort to preserve and creatively develop those aspects of Russia’s traditional culture which are related to the Russian Orthodox faith. The disintegration of the USSR has aggravated many inter-ethnic conflicts, which often threaten traditional culture.

In Abkhazia, for example, Logos is endeavoring to evolve a fair and civilized solution to murderous inter-ethnic conflict. Abkhazia land is unique both because of its varied scenic beauties and because of the wealth of historic sites including religious shrines, the most notable being the 8th century church in Novy Afon erected above the grave of St. Simon the apostle.

Logos believes that it is imperative to encourage the desire for a cultural renaissance in Abkhazia. Members of Logos maintain contact with Abkhazia by giving economic assistance, as they are able, to the Anakopi Historical and Cultural Reserve. The Logos Society holds that a future world order should rest on foundations that completely rule out all subjugation of the weak by the strong. Only then will local culture and tradition be preserved.

The Unitarian Church in Cape Town was founded in 1867 by the Rev. Faure of the Dutch Reformed Church, who had absorbed liberal views while studying for the ministry in the Netherlands. On returning to South Africa he was rejected by the Dutch Reformed Church and therefore established an independent congregation. There is now also a Unitarian group which meets once a month in Somerset West. In Johannesburg a Unitarian Fellowship was formed in 1956. A similar fellowship exists in Durban and meets in the Old Fort Chapel.

The Cape Town Church and the Johannesburg Unitarian Fellowship are members of the British General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches, and friendly contact is maintained with the Unitarian Universalist Association in North America.

In 1993 MUNE organized several interfaith activities in Barcelona, including a meeting of the main religious communities, to celebrate the Centenary of the Parliament of the World’s Religions. MUNE was officially recognized by the Spanish government in 1994.

The Unitarian Universalist Association of Sri Lanka is both a religious and social welfare organization. It is promoting interfaith cooperation and mutual respect among the different religious communities of Sri Lanka.

The Schweizerischer Verein für Freies Christentum (Swiss Union for Liberal Christians) was founded in 1871, but the liberal movement in Switzerland dates back to 1830. The Swiss Union is the federal organization of the "canton" (state) associations. The members of the Swiss Union have remained in the national Reformed Church instead of forming independent congregations. The liberal influence is found in both German and French speaking churches of Switzerland. Scholarly books under its influence have assisted greatly in spreading the knowledge of liberal theology. The universities’ theological faculties have a few liberal Protestant professors, but in the churches liberal traditions and influences are considerable. The Swiss Union is especially interested in spreading the theological and philosophical thoughts of Albert Schweitzer and publishes a periodical Schweizerisches Reformiertes Volkksblatt.

The American Humanist Association is a non-profit, national association that promotes the philosophy of humanism and serves as a clearinghouse for information on ways in which humanists can actively practice that philosophy. The association publishes The Humanist magazine and Free Mind, the news publication of the AHA, and audio and videotapes. It holds annual meetings and conferences offering lectures, seminars and fellowship. There are nearly 70 chapters nationwide. The AHA certifies humanist counselors for the performance of weddings and memorial services and pastoral counseling; counselors have all the rights of traditional clergy.

This fellowship was incorporated in 1964 and has its headquarters in Yellow Springs, Ohio. It is associated with the Unitarian Universalist and Ethical Culture movements. The magazine Religious Humanism is published quarterly.

Reconstructionists define Judaism as the evolving religious civilization of the Jewish people. They believe that every generation has the responsibility to fashion its beliefs and practices in the light of its own highest ideals and authentic knowledge. History imposes upon us the need to change in order to redeem history itself.

Meadeville Theological School was founded in 1844 in Meadeville, Pennsylvania. The school was built at its present site in Chicago in 1930 near the First Unitarian Church. Half of the student’s course work is taken at the nearby University of Chicago.

Meadeville/Lombard is, according to Dean Spencer Lavan, "a community of religious people learning together what religious leadership is all about." While most students are Unitarian Universalists, the school welcomes candidates from traditions including Hindu, Buddhist and other non-Christian religious traditions affiliated with the IARF.

The school is affiliated academically with the University of Chicago Divinity School and also an ecumenical association of twelve other Chicago area denominational theological schools. Recently it has expanded its curriculum to include extended offerings in Religious Education and Women’s Issues in Ministry.

Starr King offers a three-year graduate program in theological education. Founded in 1904, the school educates women and men for "the liberal ministry and especially for that of Unitarian Universalist churches," and offers a Master of Divinity degree and continuing education for laity and clergy. The school is named after Thomas Starr King, who was both a Unitarian and a Universalist. He was a minister in San Francisco during the Civil War.

Starr King School is part of the Graduate Theological Union, a consortium of nine seminaries in the San Francisco Bay area affiliated with the University of California at Berkeley. Recognizing that ministry can take many forms, the program of study is individually structured to respond to the gifts, background, needs, interests and calling of each student. The program includes course work in theological study, field work in the practice of ministry, supervised clinical pastoral experience, tutorials and independent study projects, participation in community life and worship, and opportunities for nonresident learning.

The Unitarian Universalist Association of North America (UUA) represents the consolidation in 1961 of two religious traditions—the American Universalists who organized in 1793 and the American Unitarians who organized in 1825. Unitarians and Universalists were among the founders of the IARF. This denomination has direct historical ties to the Unitarians of Great Britain and Eastern Europe. With historic roots in the Judeo-Christian tradition, the UUA today is a fellowship of liberal religious people with a strong ethical and cultural content in their programs.

The movement has been active in a variety of social action efforts, including the American civil rights movement and the IARF Social Service Network. Congregations, including churches and lay-led fellowships, celebrate life through worship services and offer a variety of community services and congregational activities. The Association’s governing body is the General Assembly, which meets annually and is made up of delegates from the 1,000 member congregations. Beacon Press is the publishing house of the UUA. Its bimonthly denominational magazine, The World, is the oldest religious periodical in continuous publication in the United States. It began as a monthly newspaper in 1821.

The UUCA seeks to promote and uphold the Christian element and historic witness of Unitarian Universalism. It is associated with the UUA and publishes the Unitarian Universalist Christian.

The UUJA is a membership organisation affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist General Assembly. It has a membership mailing list of approximately 250 individuals located in 33 states and several Canadian provinces. It is an unincorporated non-for-profit association granted tax-exempt status under Section 501 (c) (3) of the US Internal Revenues Code. The purposes set forth in the bylaws of the UUJA are as follows:

The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee is a membership organization of people working for justice in the United States and around the world. Its mission affirms the worth, dignity and human rights of every person, and the interdependence of all life. The UUSC supports project partners in grassroots organizations in ten countries. Through grants for agriculture, health care, family planning and small-scale economic development projects, the UUSC helps individuals and communities become more self-reliant, improve their living conditions and determine their own futures.

The IALRW is one of the oldest international organizations in the world. In the IALRW, liberal religious women are encouraged to share their ideas and concerns, and to support each other in the search for spiritual identity. The IALRW sponsors an international Triennial Conference, held prior to the IARF Congress.

The IALRW is currently sponsoring, with matched funds from the IARF, a literacy and vocational service project for young Hindu and Muslim women in India.

The IRF is an association of individual members and young adult groups from seven countries who are predominantly religious liberals. The fellowship began in 1923 as the Leyden International Bureau.

The World Congress of Faiths (WCF) was established in 1936 when Sir Francis Younghusband convened the first World Congress of Faiths at University College, London.

The WCF arranges a variety of conferences, meetings, retreats, and group travel. All these provide occasions to learn what others believe, what they think about life today and how they pray, meditate and worship. Some meetings are of special interest to teachers or to health and social workers. WCF also provides a chance for members of local interfaith groups to meet people from different parts of the country and the world, who share their concerns.

The WCF believes that understanding between people of different religions is important for good community relations, for moral and spiritual renewal, and for world peace. The WCF therefore encourages interfaith understanding at all levels of society. The WCF recognizes the diversity of religions and rejects syncretism. It publishes World Faith Encounter, which is an informative and readable journal with news and views on interfaith matters.

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