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CFI Report Update
The Center for Inquiry Breaks All Records!
 From Paul Kurtz
Chairman, Center for Inquiry
The Center for Inquiry (CFI) and its affiliated magazines and
organizations continue to make unparalleled progress on behalf of
reason, science, and free inquiry.
CFI Announces Two New Magazines
CFI is pleased to announce two distinguished magazines added to its
roster. They are The Scientific Review of Alternative Medicine, edited
by Dr. Wallace Sampson; and The Scientific Review of Mental Health
Practice, edited by Professor Scott Lilienfeld. These provide
evaluations of claims made in alternative medicine and/or psychotherapy.
Both are published by the newly integrated "Council for Scientific
Medicine and Mental Health" and have transferred from their original
publisher, Prometheus Books, to the Center for Inquiry. CFI is concerned
with applying scientific methods to health. With its focus on human
health, the new Council will be launched on November 13th at the New
York Academy of Medicine (1216 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10029) from
1-5pm. For details, contact Dr. Austin Dacey at
adacey@centerforinquiry.net.
New Spanish-Language Magazine to be Published by CFI
A new magazine on skeptical inquiry, to be called Pensar (To Think),
will begin publication throughout Latin America in January 2004. Edited
by Alejandro Borgo of Argentina, its Editorial Board will include
editors from Peru, Ecuador, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, Costa Rica, and
Venezuela. The magazine will be published under the auspices of CSICOP.
This now brings to a total of sixteen the number of magazines, either
published or financially supported by the Center: Free Inquiry,
Skeptical Inquirer, Philo, The American Rationalist, Skeptical Briefs,
Secular Humanist Bulletin, Family Matters, SOS International Newsletter, AAH Examiner, Ingersoll Report, CFI Report, The Skeptic (United
Kingdom), Common Sense (Zdrauj Smysl) (Russia).
New Appointments
The Council for Secular Humanism (CSH) announces the appointment of its
new Executive Director, Dr. David Koepsell, who holds both a Ph.D. in
Philosophy and a Law degree from the State University of New York at
Buffalo. Dr. Koepsell has taught philosophy and practiced law. He
replaces Dr. Edward Buckner who has moved back to Atlanta and has been
named Southern Director of CSH. Paul Kurtz, Chairman, said, "We are
pleased to welcome Dr. Koepsell to the Council, and are especially
grateful to Ed and Diane Buckner for their significant service and for
the fact that Ed will be the leading spokesperson for CSH in the
southern United States."
Grand Opening of CFI-West and "Steve Allen Theater" in Los Angeles
The Center for Inquiry will celebrate the completion of its CFI-West
regional headquarters at 4773 Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles. The
grand opening will be held on November 15th from 3:00-5:00pm and
7:00-10:00pm. This occasion will officially open the handsome "Steve
Allen Theater and unveil a bust made in his honor. A gala cast of
celebrities will be in attendance. CFI-West is working hard to close the
final gap in its $5.8 million fund drive.
876 Groups
Now Affiliated with CFI and Its Programs
The Center for Inquiry (CFI) is a coalition of local, regional,
national, and international groups and societies. A new census of these
groups brings the total number to 876: this makes CFI the largest
movement advancing scientific naturalism and free thought in the history
of North America. Included in these figures are the following:
10 Centers for Inquiry have been established: 4 in the United States
and 6 in other countries.
Barry Karr, Executive Director, reports that:
102 skeptical groups are affiliated with the Committee for the
Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (39 in the United
States and 63 worldwide).
DJ Grothe, National Field Director of the Council of Secular Humanism
and Director of the Campus Freethought Alliance, reports that:
122 secular humanist, atheist, and freethought groups affiliated with
the Council.
142 student groups on campuses worldwide are affiliate groups of the
Campus Freethought Alliance.
Jim Christopher, founder and Executive Director of SOS, estimates that:
There are nearly 500 Secular Organizations for Sobriety (SOS). These
include approximately 475 secular, abstinence-based self-help recovery
groups in the United States and 25 in various countries of the world
(Canada, United Kingdom, Russia, Italy, Israel, etc.).
New Future
Fund Launches $26.26 Million Campaign
The Center for Inquiry is pleased to announce the launching of a
four-year, $26.26 million New Future Fund. The purposes of this effort
will be to raise capital and endowment funds to expand the Centers
influence and impact. The campaign projects continued dramatic expansion
by CFI in the future. A brochure describing this campaign will be in the
mail shortly.
The Center for Inquiry Executive Committee issued a statement in
launching the New Future Fund: "We are gratified with the progress of
the Center for Inquiry, CSICOP, and the Council for Secular Humanism,
but this is in the face of the massive forces of unreason, irrational
fundamentalist and intemperate paranormal claims that confront us. We
have a tremendous battle ahead if the movement for reason and the
scientific outlook is to make further headway.
Dr. Paul Kurtz, Chairman Tom Flynn, Director, Inquiry Media
Productions Barry Karr, Executive Director, CFI and CSICOP Dr. Bill
Cooke, Director, International Programs Dr. David Koepsell, Executive
Director, Council for Secular Humanism Dr. Austin Dacey, Director, CFI
Institute DJ Grothe, Director, Campus and Community Programs Jim
Christopher, Director, SOS Norm Allen, Director, African Americans for
Humanism Andrew Szalanski, Managing Editor, Free Inquiry Ben
Radford, Managing Editor, Skeptical Inquirer Kevin Christopher,
Public Relations Director.
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