1/1, 1887-1936. $2.00 a year. 8-64 pp.

The journal held itself out as a forum for the free exchange of ideas, proclaiming that it "was founded to serve as a center for an earnest and thoroughgoing reformation of religion under the influence of science, and in working to this end it has combined a fearless radicalism with a reverent conservatism." In practice, this meant a scientific criticism of the established churches combined with an idealistic philosophy that reduced religion to little more than a vague universal sentiment of awe and reverence and a striving for "interfaith" dialogue toward progressive goals ("the Religious Parliament Idea"). Religion was "a scientific fact," but the journal carried on a relentless battle with its contemporary doctrinal expressions. The editor of the journal, Paul Carus (1852-1919), was German born and educated and a devotee of Spinoza. His father-in-law Edward Hegeler owned this journal and its sister, the Monist, which Carus edited as well. Carus's approach to the religion of the day, not surprisingly, allied him with the educated, progressive East Coast reformers like Sarah Farmer, at whose Green Acre camp Carus lectured. Not surprisingly, Buddhism (which Carus played a central role in introducing to the west) and Baha'i were regularly featured in the journal. The journal offered translations by leading scholars of the "sacred writings" of the East, coupled with learned discussions of socialism, Tolstoy, Schopenhauer, psychical research, free trade, woman's rights, and other topics of current interest to the classes for whom the journal was published. Contributions by Francis Ellingwood Abbot, Moncure Conway, B.F. Underwood, and others of the antecedent "free religion" movements, as well as by Anna Ballard, Sara A. Underwood, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, D.T. Suzuki, William Wundt, Max Dessoir, C. Staniland Wake, and many others. The journal and its publisher also regularly published revelations by Henry R. Evans and David Abbott on the "legerdemain" of current spiritualist mediums. See also the note under the Monist, also owned by Hegeler and edited by Carus. Rowell's American Newspaper Directory for 1900 says the journal had a circulation of about 2,500.