Who We Are
Being Human Together
At the Ethical Society of St. Louis, we are connected by a shared desire to do some good with this one beautiful, challenging, and brief life we have.
Here, curiosity is welcome, questions are encouraged, and we support one another on the journey to live thoughtful, ethical lives.
What Is Ethical Humanism?
Ethical Humanism is the philosophy that guides our community. It’s built on a simple idea: people are capable of using reason, compassion, and cooperation to create meaningful lives and a better world.
Instead of relying on religious doctrine, Ethical Humanism encourages us to think deeply about how our choices affect others and to take responsibility for building a more just and caring society.
Questions Worth Exploring
At the Ethical Society, we spend a lot of time exploring questions like:
- What does it mean to live a good life?
- How should we treat one another?
- What responsibilities do we have to our communities and our planet?
- How can we create a more just and compassionate world?
These questions show up in Sunday talks, small group discussions, book groups, and conversations over coffee.
What We Value
Our community is grounded in a few simple values.
We believe every person has dignity and worth. We value curiosity, kindness, fairness, and responsibility. We believe people can learn from one another and that working together is how positive change happens.
These ideas shape how we treat each other and how we try to show up in the world.
A Long History in St. Louis
The Ethical Society of St. Louis was founded in 1886, making it the fourth-oldest Ethical Society in the world, after the societies founded in New York City, Chicago, and Philadelphia. Today, it is also the largest Ethical Society in existence.
Our community has been part of St. Louis civic and cultural life for well over a century. In fact, we built The Sheldon, the historic concert hall in Grand Center, as our original home. We later built and moved to our current modernist building in 1966.
While our programs and conversations continue to evolve with the times, the heart of the community remains the same: thoughtful people coming together to learn, grow, and try to make a positive difference.
Our Mission
The Ethical Society of St. Louis inspires ethical living in a humanist-centered congregation by affirming the worth of every person and advocating the primacy of ethical behavior above any creed.
We reflect on ethical questions, support one another in living our values, and work toward a more just and compassionate world.
Many Paths, Shared Purpose
People come to the Ethical Society from many different backgrounds.
Some grew up religious. Some didn’t. Some identify as humanist, atheist, agnostic, spiritual, or simply curious. What brings people together here is a shared desire to live thoughtfully, treat others with respect, and contribute to a better world.
You don’t have to arrive with the same beliefs as anyone else. Curiosity and goodwill are enough.
