Overview

The Center for Inquiry (CFI) is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to promoting secular, humanist, and scientific approaches to questions of public policy, ethics, and culture. Its mission emphasizes reason, critical inquiry, and evidence-based thinking as foundations for civic life. CFI operates through public education, advocacy, legal support, and community-building for people who identify as secular, skeptical, or nonreligious. For information about its public positions and resources see secular values.

Activities and programs

CFI carries out a range of activities intended to reach both specialized and general audiences. Typical programs include educational workshops, public lectures, advocacy on church–state separation, legal assistance in cases involving religious privilege, and support for secular celebrants who perform nonreligious ceremonies. It also hosts conferences and local chapter meetings to connect volunteers and supporters.

  • Public policy and legal advocacy on secularism and science education
  • Popular and scholarly publications to encourage critical thinking
  • Community programs, outreach, and local centers

History and development

CFI traces its roots to the late 20th century efforts to organize and promote humanist philosophy and skeptical inquiry. The organization was founded by philosopher Paul Kurtz as part of a broader movement to establish institutional support for secular humanism and scientific skepticism. In 2016 CFI merged with the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science, consolidating resources and broadening its international profile. Leadership has changed over time; notable directors have included Ron Lindsay, who led the organization beginning in the late 2000s, and Robyn Blumner, who became executive director after the merger.

Structure, publications, and distinctions

CFI comprises several programmatic branches and affiliated projects, some focused on skeptical investigation and others on humanist thought and public engagement. It publishes or supports widely read periodicals and forums aimed at both specialists and general readers, fostering dialogue between science, philosophy, and the public. The organization is often described as one of the major secular advocacy groups in the United States and has been influential in debates over science education, church–state separation, and the public role of religion.