Date Added: 20/07/2025
Type: Book
Content Category: IARF, History of IARF, IARF Publications, Member Groups & Profiles
Author: Robert Traer
Language(s): English
Published: 2000
Publisher: IARF
Page Count: 125
This collection of essays offers a comprehensive history of the International Association for Religious Freedom (IARF), the world's oldest international interfaith organization, on the occasion of its centenary. The volume begins with a chronological overview by Robert Traer, tracing the IARF's development from its founding in 1900 as a council of Unitarian and liberal Christian thinkers to a diverse, multi-faith global community.
Subsequent chapters, contributed by various longtime members and leaders, provide detailed accounts of the IARF's involvement in specific countries and regions, including Japan, India, Canada, the Philippines, and several European nations. The work also explores thematic aspects of the IARF's mission, such as its social service network, its relationship with the United Nations, and the role of its women's association. Woven throughout are personal recollections and reflections that offer unique insights into key events, challenges, and congresses that have shaped the organization over its first century.
Robert J. "Bob" Traer served as the Executive Director of the International Association for Religious Freedom (IARF) from 1990 to 2000. An ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA), he holds a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from the Graduate Theological Union, a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) from the University of Chicago Divinity School, and a Juris Doctor (J.D.).
During his leadership, the IARF shifted its focus from its origins in liberal religious traditions toward a more broadly interfaith model. Following his tenure, Traer taught at the Dominican University of California. He is the author of several books on religion and human rights, including Faith in Human Rights and A Short History of the IARF.
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