We're excited to introduce the Free Religion Institute, a new IARF initiative where people from free and liberal religious traditions can find inspiration in each other's wisdom and experiences. The Institute creates spaces for learning, sharing ideas, and exploring religious thought together. We welcome both members of different faiths and individual seekers from our global community.
About the Institute
"In the university of human life there is no graduation."
The Free Religion Institute represents IARF's commitment to fostering liberal religious thought and education. Taking inspiration from Rev. Dr. Imaoka's wisdom, we recognize that learning is a lifelong journey - one that transcends formal education and embraces the continuous pursuit of understanding across religious traditions, cultures, and philosophies. As we embark on this ambitious journey, we begin with humble steps but clear vision. Our mission is to create an accessible platform where IARF members and all those interested in liberal religion can explore, learn, and grow together. We don't aim to replace formal education but rather to provide resources and opportunities for continuous learning and development throughout life's journey.
Since last Congress in September 2023, over a year ago, Prof. George Williams, our team of volunteers from the Institute Working Group, as well as our first instructors, Rev. Andrew Brown and Rev. Michinori Maruta, have been working to create an ambitious educational platform that will serve the IARF community and beyond.
We envision the Institute as a vibrant hub of liberal religious education and inspiration, offering a diverse range of learning and sharing opportunities:
Live & Self-Paced Courses
Interactive sessions with expert instructors and self-guided learning modules on liberal religious thought
Digital Library
Growing collection of resources on liberal religion, including historical documents and contemporary scholarship
Global Collaboration
Partnerships with IARF member institutions, special events at IARF Congresses, and international meetups
With our e-learning platform now ready, we're preparing to release our first courses in the coming weeks and months. These are being developed with scholars and practitioners from within and beyond the IARF community. Our first sessions, which will later be published as short courses on our platform, will be held on 30 October, 27 and 30 November on Zoom (see below for details). They are free and publicly accessible.
Going forward, we'll be partnering with IARF member seminaries and educational institutions, organizing in-person events and summer schools, creating a curriculum that explores free and liberal religious thought, and building a library of resources for our community. We're grateful to everyone who has helped make this possible.
Learn More About the InstituteInaugural Events
Imaoka Shin'ichirō and Free Religions
The sessions are now a part of Rev. Brown's course on the Institute's e-learning platform.
View CourseSession 1: An Introduction to Imaoka Shin'ichirō (1881-1988)
Understanding Free Religion (jiyū shūkyō 自由宗教)
Wednesday 29 January 2025
Session 2: Free Religion and the Tokyo Kiitsu Kyōkai
Wednesday 26 February 2025
About the Instructor: Rev. Andrew James Brown
A philosophically/theologically inclined writer with deep sympathies towards Imaoka Shin'ichirō's understanding of creative, inquiring, free and liberative spirituality (jiyū shūkyō 自由宗教), Jōdo Shinshū Buddhism, Konkokyo, Christian non-theism, D. G. Leahy's "thinking now occurring for the first time", a Lucretian inspired religious naturalism, new materialism and Kyoto School philosophy. Beyond his academic pursuits, Rev. Brown is also a photographer, cyclist, walker and jazz bass player, serving as the minister of a small, liberal, free religious community in Cambridge (UK).
Buddhism and Free Religion (自由宗教 jiyū shūkyō)
Session 1: Buddhism and Liberation
Rev. Michinori Maruta exploring Buddhist perspectives on liberation
Thursday 22 February 2025
Session 2: Buddhism and Jiyū Shūkyō
Exploring connections between Buddhism and free religion
Friday 29 March 2025
About the Instructor: Rev. Michinori Maruta
Rev. Michinori Maruta has dedicated his life to Buddhist practice and interfaith dialogue since joining Rissho Kosei-kai (RKK) in 1966. After studying applied chemistry at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, he pursued Buddhist studies at RKK Seminary and later studied the New Testament at Ripon College, Cuddesdon, England. His diverse experience includes significant work in interfaith dialogue and cooperation at RKK headquarters, serving as minister at RKK centers in California and Hokkaido, and since 2001, leading the Institute of Mindful Life. Through lectures, seminars, and digital platforms, he continues to share Buddhist wisdom and promote mindful living, bringing together traditional teachings with contemporary understanding.
