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IARF August 2026: upcoming Free Religion Institute sessions, Congress preparations, community news and the latest News Digest.
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Learning & Exchange
Free Religion Institute
Upcoming live discussions, recordings and source materials exploring free and liberal religion from different traditions and perspectives.
Coming Up
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30 August · Two live sessions
The Eightfold Path (1)
Rev. Michinori Maruta continues the long-running Buddhism and Free Religion series with the first half of the Eightfold Path: Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech and Right Action.
30 August · 01:00 and 10:00 UTC. Part two follows on 20 September.
Open the Course
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31 August · BEYOND discussion series
The Concept of Freedom from a Unitarian Perspective
IARF President Robert Ince joins BEYOND’s continuing exploration of freedom from different religious perspectives, this time from a Unitarian point of view.
31 August · 17:00 UTC / 19:00 CEST.
Course & Joining Details
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28 September · Coming next in the series
The Concept of Freedom from a Buddhist Perspective
Dr. Mathias Becker, a long-time practitioner of Nichiren Buddhism with SGI Germany, will lead the next BEYOND discussion in the freedom series.
28 September · 17:00 UTC / 19:00 CEST.
View the Series
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Also on the Calendar
| 30 Aug–4 Sep | Geschichten unter einem Zelt · hybrid interfaith programme at St Paul’s Church in Frankfurt, in German. Details |
New Materials & a Series to Watch
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Free Religion: History and Evolution to the Present Day
Pascal Schilling’s New Series Is Under Way
The first session, A Rebellion of the Mind, opened the four-part series on 23 August. Its course page now includes slides, bilingual and English translations of nineteenth-century primary sources, the 1859 federation constitution, and larger source collections spanning 1844–2000.
The session recording is still to come. Next live session: 11 October · Between Science and Spirituality – Free Religion in the Age of Modernity.
Explore the Materials & Series
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Help Shape Future Sessions
What Should the Free Religion Institute Explore Next?
We welcome suggestions for subjects worth exploring and speakers who might bring them to life, particularly around free and liberal religion, religious humanism, progressive religious thought, interfaith practice, and liberal religious movements past and present.
If there is a topic you would like to see discussed—or someone you think we should invite—please let us know.
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IARF Updates
IARF in Action
Congress 2027
Preparations on the Ground in the Balkans
IARF President Robert Ince will visit North Macedonia and Albania to meet our Bektashi partners as preparations continue for the 37th IARF Congress. The Congress will be hosted by the Bektashi community in Albania. Please keep 6–13 September 2027 in your calendar.
IARF World Congresses
Religious Freedom Advocacy · Netherlands
Standing with the Yezidis
IARF marked twelve years since the genocide against the Yezidis began in Sinjar. Peter Le Poole attended commemorations in The Hague and Heerlen; Ad Ipenburg also joined the gathering in Heerlen. Peter has been supporting young Yezidis campaigning around protection and returns to Iraq.
Read the Network post
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Across Our Community and Beyond
News & Ideas
From the IARF Network
Freedom to Believe — and Not Believe
Humanists in Lithuania are pressing for equal recognition of non-religious convictions, including in marriage ceremonies and funerals.
Read on the Network
A Little-Known Unitarian Story
A recent post looks back at more than 125 years of Unitarian history in Scandinavia, from Kristofer Janson’s congregation in Norway to the continuing community in Copenhagen.
Read on the Network
Selected from the IARF News Digest
A short selection from the Digest Team’s latest additions. The full rolling Digest contains more.
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Support & Community
Help Sustain IARF’s Work
Educational programmes, international advocacy, the member network and public resources all depend on donations as well as an extraordinary amount of volunteer work. If you are able to help, one-time and recurring contributions are warmly appreciated.
Join the Conversation
The IARF Network is where members, volunteers and friends meet between events for discussions, groups, courses, resources and community updates.
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