HIBBERT JOURNAL. – A monthly journal founded in London in 1902 as an emanation of the Hibbert Foundation (Hibbert Trust). The latter was established with a capital of 50,000 dollars granted in 1847 by Robert Hibbert (1770–1849), in order to promote the study of and disseminate knowledge about the various religions from a cultural and philosophical standpoint, independently of any particular religious faith or confession, while safeguarding individual freedom of conscience in religious matters.
At first, the trustees of the fund disbursed its resources for scholarships and for the support of young men wishing to devote themselves to the pastoral ministry. Then, at the invitation of a group of scholars, they organized a series of lectures (Hibbert lectures) on historical and religious subjects, inaugurated by Fr. Max Müller at Westminster Abbey in 1878, on the theme: The origin and development of religion studied in the light of the religions of India. Other lectures followed each year, delivered by scholars in the most varied historical-religious and philosophical disciplines, such as Kenan, Kuench, A. Reville, Pfeiderer, Moulton, etc. These lectures were subsequently published in separate volumes. To support this initiative and to keep the English public periodically informed about the progress of philosophical and religious studies, the H. J. was founded in 1902. Nicola Turchi