Our Adult Education Program
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To make suggestions for new classes or to provide feedback concerning the program, contact Kathy Kammien (see below).
People are not born knowing how to build good relationships, create ethical cultures, or experience spiritual well-being. They learn these lessons by trial and error, and so doing, learn to succeed in each stage of life.
Our adult education program fosters the continuing development of our members. Our aim is not to adapt individuals to their existing social circumstances, but to develop each person as a leader who can raise the quality of relationships with his or her family, friendships, workplace, community, and country.
Classes are open to the entire community—not just Society members—and are taught by experts from the St. Louis community and beyond. We offer programs in such areas as philosophy, relationship building, public policy, and leadership, with special programs for men, women, singles, couples, children, parents, and seniors.
For an entire list of classes, please see the Adult Education Bulletin for information on our upcoming classes, groups, and programs, including descriptions and cost.
Partial List of Ongoing Classes
- Book-of-the-Month Club Across the Board Book Club is a participant-guided book club where members of the group get to choose the book, date, place, and time of the next month's meeting.
- Chorus The Chorus of the Ethical Society meets weekly and performs approximately once a month at Sunday Platforms and at the Fall, Winter, and Spring Festivals.
- Current Events Salon This group maintains and engenders awareness of ethical implications of items currently in the news. Participants bring clippings to share with others then engage in spirited discussion.
- Ethical Circles Ethical Circles are facilitated small groups of members and friends that meet once a month to share our feelings and personal experiences about our lives, our beliefs, and our daily ethical challenges and dilemmas.
- Ethical Mindfulness Meditation Mindfulness Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years. It is a powerful tool to deal with stress, promote physical and mental well being, and awaken the senses by living pur-posefully in the present moment.
- Good Eatin' is a potluck group for vegetarians, vegans, and those who want to explore vegetarian and vegan cuisine. We meet at members' homes to share dinner, recipes and good times.
- Great Books Discussion Group, started in 2001, there are two groups: one that is based on the Great Books Foundation series and the other that reads short stories. The groups read works that span multiple disciplines, such as philosophy, theater, and social criticism
- Great Decisions Discussion Group As part of our Education for Living offerings, this group meets monthly to discuss international affairs. The Foreign Policy Association is the nation's oldest organization devoted to citizen education in world affairs.
- Young Ethicals Young Ethicals is a group for members and visitors between the ages of 20 and 40 and their partners, regardless of age. The group aims to encourage younger people to attend Society events through coordination and the creation of new programs.
Other Past Classes
- Second Friday Cinema: A monthly film series including moderated discussion.
- Philosophy of Science: A six-week disussion group.
- Promises and Perils of Genetic Engineering: An introduction to the science behind and the ethical implications of this field.
- Tai Chi Chih: "moving meditation" or "joy through movement."
- Opera Fun: sneak preview in music and words of operas to be performed later in the season by Opera Theatre of St. Louis.
- Felix Adler’s Ethical Philosophy: Explored the founder of the Ethical Culturalism movement's opus, An Ethical Philosophy of Life.
Please see the Adult Education Bulletin for information on our upcoming adult education classes, including descriptions and cost. Alternatively, email our program director ( ) to request a free hard copy of the most recent Adult Education Brochure.
How to Register:
Send a list of your selections, a check (payable to The Ethical Society), and your name, address, and phone number to:
The Ethical Society
9001 Clayton Road
St. Louis, MO 63117
Call Kathy Kammien, program director, about scholarships, last-minute changes in times and dates, or cancellations at 314-991-0955.