September / October 2026

No One Should Be Without Fellowship

At the foot of burning Mount Doom, Samwise the gardener kneels beside his friend, Frodo, who can no longer walk. Frodo has been carrying a great weight– the One Ruling Ring, which grows heavier with every step. As Sam watches his friend press onward at a crawl, he knows he...

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Features

Up Front

More than Algorithms

This piece was awarded first place in the Humanists of Greater Portland's annual essay contest for high school seniors seeking funding for post-high school education.  Every day reminds me how much we rely on tiny lines...

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Columns

Reviews

Elsewhere in the Humanist:

Beyond the Numbers: What LGBTQ+ Students Are Really Experiencing in Schools

IN CLASSROOMS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, LGBTQ+ students are navigating something far more complex than assignments and attendance. They are navigating safety, identity, belonging and, increasingly, a political climate that shapes all three. The latest National School Climate Survey from Glisten offers...

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Elsewhere in the Humanist:

Faith, Authority, and the Lure of Certainty

THE RISE OF THE NAZI PARTY did not emerge from a cultural vacuum. It was enabled by a psychological and social environment receptive to hierarchy, obedience, mythic identity and the moral elevation of the in-group. While Nazism was not a religious movement,...

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Elsewhere in the Humanist:

When They Speak of Our Time

Speech delivered at the No Kings protest at the Lexington Common, MA, October 18, 2025. Good morning to all. My name is Regie Gibson and I am the Inaugural Poet Laureate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. I always feel it necessary to...

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Elsewhere in the Humanist:

By Conscience Alone

We are here today to present the American Humanist Association’s Humanist of the Year award to Jelani Cobb. The award was established in 1953 to recognize a person of national or international reputation who, through the application of humanist values, has made...

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