Following two massive typhoons, including Typhoon Tino (Kalmaegi), that devastated the Philippines in early November, the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Philippines (UUCP) is leading recovery efforts for the worst natural disaster in its nearly 70-year history. Eleven UU congregations and scores of families, particularly on Negros Island, were severely impacted. The UUCP, whose members are mostly farmers and fisher folk, received emergency grants totaling $20,000 from the UUA and UUSC for immediate food and water relief. The article emphasizes the need for ongoing donations to rebuild damaged homes and churches, restore livelihoods, and support community education on climate change resilience.

The IARF is launching a new, global online “Free Religion Institute” offering lectures on inter-religious and worldview dialogue from various spiritual and expert perspectives. Prof. George Williams, IARF International Board Chair and a Hindu specialist, will coordinate the program and host a free, open Zoom session on June 10 (8 PM European time), duplicated for different time zones. Vrijzinnigen Nederland’s board has tentatively approved a subsidy for the institute, reinforcing its connection to IARF’s international platform. This initiative is seen as a crucial step towards fostering mutual respect, tolerance, and global cooperation in addressing contemporary challenges, encouraging members to actively participate in the institute’s courses or the upcoming IARF conference in Offenbach. More information is available on iarf.net or via [email protected] for the Dutch member group.

The IARF (International Association for Religious Freedom) EME Conference 2025, themed “Limits of Religious Freedom and Tolerance,” will take place from September 11-14 in Offenbach and Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Prompted by current global challenges, the conference will explore freedom of thought, conscience, and worldview from diverse liberal perspectives, emphasizing international dialogue for support and problem-solving. The event, which is hybrid (online and in-person), also celebrates the 180th anniversaries of the host communities and IARF’s 125th year. A pre-conference tour of German frei-reigiöse groups is scheduled for September 9-11. All are invited, including young people, to engage in interfaith exchange and experience unity in diversity. Further details and registration are available at iarf.net.

The General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches (GA) commends the passage of the ‘Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill’ through the House of Commons, now proceeding to the House of Lords. This advancement aligns with the GA’s 2013 motion in favor of assisted dying for terminally ill patients, reflecting Unitarian values of inherent worth, dignity, and freedom of conscience. The GA hopes these principles will guide the Bill’s implementation and ensure that individuals facing intolerable physical conditions have the right to seek a painless and dignified end to their lives.

This article commemorates the Transylvanian Unitarian victims of the repression following the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, who faced persecution, imprisonment, and forced labor for advocating spiritual and national freedom. Numerous Unitarian clergy, theology professors (including Dr. Lőrinczi Mihály and future Bishop Dr. Erdő János), and students were targeted by the regime. Sentences often ranged from several years to 25 years of hard labor (as experienced by Nyitrainé Deák Berta and Sándor Balázs). Rázmány Mór is identified as the first Unitarian victim of Communism, interned in 1952–53. Tragic fates included Pastor Gellérd Imre, who committed suicide due to harassment, and Moyses Márton, who self-immolated in 1970 in protest. The community is urged to preserve their memory and draw strength from their courage. An ecumenical memorial service is announced for October 23rd at the Unitarian Church in Cluj-Napoca.

Timothy Stacey has been appointed as the new endowed professor of Liberal Religiosity and Humanism at the University for Humanistics (UvH), effective November 1st. This chair, financed by the Foundation for the Promotion of Liberal Thought (SSVG), is dedicated to researching sources of meaning and values from liberal traditions to guide individuals and society in a secular and diverse world. Stacey, a religious scholar and anthropologist, will focus his research on symbolic strategies that help restore faith in freedom and democracy, emphasizing that the ‘religion of a free society’ originates among those striving for a better world.

This article reviews Rienk Klooster’s extensive reference work, “Het Modernisme in Friesland 1840-1940,” which chronicles the history of theological liberalism (vrijzinnigheid) in the Dutch province of Friesland. The book highlights unique figures and events, such as Louis Bähler, a controversial Christian anarchist minister inspired by Buddhism and Tolstoy; Jan Sevenster, who was jailed for his anti-militarist views expressed in the Conscientious Objection Manifesto of 1915; and Frits Reitsma, the ‘red minister’ who established a reed-weaving school to alleviate local poverty. The text emphasizes Friesland’s crucial role in the development of Dutch liberalism, noting it hosted the first department of the Association of Liberal Reformed Christians.

An interview and report on the launch of a new comprehensive photo-monograph, “To the Worship of the One God. The Congregations of the 450-Year-Old Hungarian Unitarian Church,” detailing 155 congregations across 506 pages and 736 photos. Editors highlight the book’s importance in providing a unified historical overview after nearly a century, showcasing the resilience, community strength, and capacity for renewal of the Unitarian Church through centuries of minority existence and hardship. They emphasize that the churches and religious artifacts are living parts of faith life, not just relics.

Twenty-five young liberal religious individuals, representing various denominations (Mennonites, Remonstrants, etc.), met at the Ecumenical Inspiration Festival to foster unity and discuss the future of the freethinking movement. Participants agreed that collaborative efforts are essential for survival and growth, stating, “Only together do we have a future.” They plan to develop joint initiatives and programs, focusing specifically on engaging younger generations (those in their thirties and forties).