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World's Parliament of Religions
Chicago, 1893· Event· New movements & secular thought
Historical recordConfirmed by archaeology, outside sources or contemporary records.
A 17-day gathering at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, the first major meeting of representatives of the world's religions.
See it on the World Religions map →What it is
Held September 11–27, 1893, alongside the World's Columbian Exposition, it drew speakers for Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Islam, Shinto, Zoroastrianism, Judaism and many Christian churches. Its organizers, led by Presbyterian minister John Henry Barrows, were mostly liberal Protestants. Swami Vivekananda, the Sri Lankan Buddhist Anagarika Dharmapala, the Japanese Zen master Shaku Sōen and the Jain Virchand Gandhi drew wide attention. Audiences of up to about 4,000 filled the hall.
Why it matters
It is usually seen as the start of organized interfaith dialogue and the moment Asian religions won a respectful public hearing in the West; a revived Parliament has met since 1993.
Sources and history
Barrows's two-volume official record (1893), Chicago newspaper coverage, and the speakers' published addresses and letters.
Questions and debates
Historians note its Christian framing: many organizers expected Christianity to prove supreme, while Asian speakers used the stage to push back against missionaries.
Connections (3)
▸Swami Vivekananda spoke at World's Parliament of ReligionsHistorical record
The connection
Vivekananda reached Chicago without an invitation or credentials; a Harvard professor, John Henry Wright, vouched for him. On September 11, 1893, his opening words, 'Sisters and brothers of America', drew a standing ovation. He argued that all religions are true and condemned sectarianism, and newspapers called him a star of the Parliament.
When and where
Hall of Columbus in the new Art Institute building, Chicago, September 11–27, 1893; he spoke several times.
Historical evidence
Barrows's official record prints his speeches, and Chicago and New York newspapers reported his popularity.
Questions and debates
Details of the ovation come mostly from admirers; some historians say his fame grew larger in later Indian retellings than it was in America at the time.
▸World's Parliament of Religions launched modern Interfaith dialogueHistorical record
The connection
The 1893 Parliament was the first formal gathering of representatives of Eastern and Western faiths, giving Hindu, Buddhist and Jain voices a Western stage. Its centenary in Chicago in 1993 revived it as a recurring event, where Hans Küng's 'Declaration Toward a Global Ethic' was adopted.
When and where
Chicago, September 1893; John Henry Barrows organized it; the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions has met since 1993, most recently in Chicago in 2023.
Historical evidence
Published proceedings of 1893, wide press coverage, and the records of the modern Parliaments.
Questions and debates
Historians debate whether 1893 was genuine dialogue or a showcase for liberal Protestantism; Muslims and Native Americans were barely represented.
▸World's Parliament of Religions introduced Westerners to Chan, Seon and Zen BuddhismHistorical record
The connection
The Japanese Zen master Shaku Sōen spoke at the Parliament, the first Zen teacher to address an American audience. His contact there with publisher Paul Carus led him to send his young student D. T. Suzuki to Illinois in 1897. Suzuki's English books later made Zen famous across the West.
When and where
Chicago, September 1893; Suzuki then worked with Carus in La Salle, Illinois, from 1897 to 1908.
Historical evidence
Barrows's record prints Shaku's address, which Suzuki helped translate into English; Carus's and Suzuki's letters document the connection.
Questions and debates
Scholars such as Robert Sharf argue that Shaku and Suzuki presented a modernized Zen tailored to Western tastes, unlike traditional Japanese monastic practice.