About the Humanist Society

Our Mission

The mission of The Humanist Society is to broadly advance humanism and humanist values by cultivating, promoting, and continuing to support an outstanding community of humanist professionals, fully equipped to meet life’s celebratory and supportive needs.

We envision a world where humanism is a meaningful way of life accessible and inspiring to all people.

Who We are

Humanists embrace the principles of humanism, which include helping others, caring for our environment, connecting in community with each other, and continuing to grow and learn to make our world a better place.

Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that, without theism and other supernatural beliefs, affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good of humanism. —Humanism and Its Aspirations © 2003 American Humanist Association

While we have no supernatural or divine belief systems, our commitment to our values is deeply-held and provides us with answers to the ultimate questions of life, death, and meaning.

The Humanist Society builds on a long humanist and scientific tradition that dates back to the Enlightenment and the moral and natural philosophers of the ancient world.

What We Do

The Humanist Society provides information, endorses clergy, and builds connections in service to a laity of humanists throughout the United States.  The Society was first recognized in 1939 by the IRS not just as a nonprofit under section 501(c)(3), but for religious purposes as a church under section (i) of section 170b1A for our religious purposes.

The Humanist Society supports humanist professionals to lead life celebrations and provide guidance to people during difficult times in hospitals, schools, the military, and other institutions.  Our celebrants, chaplains, lay leaders, and invocators give people a meaningful alternative to traditional religious services and ceremonies across the nation.  To facilitate this process, the Humanist Society offers a variety of endorsement options for humanists to serve the secular community, including a short-term option for those who only want to do one or a few ceremonies.

Providing values-based support to those in need, humanist or otherwise, is a critical service to our humanist community.  The Humanist Society takes very seriously its responsibility to humanists and to non-humanists in need who can be served by our chaplains.  Our endorsements are recognized by the Association of Professional Chaplains and the College of Pastoral Supervision & Psychotherapy, and we are very proud of our board-certified chaplains currently in service.  We are fully participating in members of the COMISS Network as endorsers.

Learn More About Humanists and Humanism

About the Humanist Society