The Northern Virginia Ethical Society was founded in the 1980s as an outgrowth of the Washington, DC, Ethical Society, which sponsored our development for several years. All Ethical Societies are descendants of the New York Society for Ethical Culture which was founded by Felix Adler and others in 1876. Adler envisioned that ethics was the common ground among all religions and among well-meaning people who did not think of themselves as religious. We have no standard dues, but rather we distribute guidelines for membership pledges and leave it to the individual to determine what he or she ought to contribute. The Ethical Society also encourages members to financially support other organizations which express their values.
Ethical Leaders are our equivalent of clergy.
Leaders present Sunday morning platform addresses, adult education programs to inspire and challenge. Leaders perform pastoral duties including counseling, teaching, and officiating at life passage ceremonies including weddings, memorials, and baby namings. Weddings performed by Ethical Leaders have legal standing as religious ceremonies. The Leaders also represent the Society in other forums in the larger community. Usually the programs of the Society are open to the public.