“Ethical Culture, Then and Now”

When Felix Adler created our dynamic alternative to traditional religion, he saw a world without a moral compass. Humanity appeared to be “drifting on the seething tide of business,” leaving the conscience of each person lost in a sea of greed and competition. By focusing on ethics in caring communities, Adler believed we could chart a new course for civilization. How different is our situation today? How has Ethical Humanism evolved to respond to our current crisis while maintaining our commitments to honor the worth of each person, grow ethical relationships, and build justice?

Hugh Taft-Morales joined the Baltimore Ethical Society as its professional leader in 2010, the same year he was certified by the American Ethical Union as an Ethical Culture Leader. He also serves as Leader of the Ethical Humanist Society of Philadelphia. His presence in Ethical Culture has been termed “invigorating.” Taft-Morales lives in Takoma Park, Maryland, with his wife Maureen, a Latin American Analyst with the Congressional Research Service, with whom he has three beloved children, Sean, Maya, and Justin.