2007 marks the start of the 26th year for the journal Studies in Comparative Religion, which is now located in Bloomington, Indiana and sponsored by World Wisdom.

Studies in Comparative Religion was founded in Britain in 1963 by Francis Clive-Ross (1921–1981) and is the first and most comprehensive English-language journal of traditional studies. The journal was published under the name Tomorrow until 1967, when it was changed to its present name. Four quarterly issues per year, containing over 1,200 articles in total, were published during the first 25 years of Studies in Comparative Religion’s existence, before its publication was interrupted in 1987. William Stoddart served as the assistant editor for most of these years.

F. Clive-Ross clearly explained the journal’s goals in his introduction to the first issue:

Studies in Comparative Religion is devoted to the exposition of the teachings, spiritual methods, symbolism, and other facets of the religious traditions of the world, together with the traditional arts and sciences which have sprung from those religions. It is not sectarian and, inasmuch as it is not tied to the interests of any particular religious group, it is free to lay stress on the common spirit underlying the various religious forms.

One of our primary aims is to meet the need for accurate information created by the now world-wide interest in the question of “ecumenical relations” between the great religions, by providing a forum where writers of proven authority can exchange views on various aspects of religious life, doctrinal, historical, artistic and mystical, not forgetting the element of personal experience and reminiscence.

By collecting accurate information about the great religions under their many aspects and rendering them available to interested readers we feel we are fulfilling a very pressing need of our time and also contributing in a practical manner to the cause of inter-religious understanding. If there is to be an effective measure of this understanding at any level this can only be on the basis of accurate presentation both of teachings and facts. An ill-informed benevolence is no substitute for genuine insight, based on information that is neither willfully distorted nor confined to the surface of things.

In this manner we think that we are best serving the interest of our readers in their search for truth.

The overall goals of the journal remain as they were originally stated more than forty years ago by F. Clive-Ross.

This second phase includes both an on-line and a paper journal.

The free on-line journal and comprehensive archive contains the following features:

• A free on-line archive of all the issues of Studies in Comparative Religion dating back to 1963. All of the more than 1,200 existing articles have been scanned but proofreading is not yet complete for all of the articles. Additional articles will be posted on-line as the proofreading is completed.
• Database search functions by subject or author.
• The “key word” search engine is powered by Google, thus allowing detailed key word searches throughout this entire historic archive.
• “Pop-up definitions” are provided by the Dictionary of Spiritual Terms, which allows the reader to click on highlighted foreign or technical words to obtain short pop-up definitions.
• Free on-line subscriptions to new issues of the journal.

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During its first 25 years, Studies on Comparative Religion had its offices in a wing of the Clive-Ross home in Pates Manor, Bedfont, near London, which dates its origins to the 15th century. Standing in front Pates Manor are, from left: Francis Clive-Ross, Catherine Schuon, Frithjof Schuon, Martin Lings, Leslie Lings, Whitall Perry, Barbara Perry and Olive Clive-Ross. Photograph c. 1965.