Funeral celebrant out for commentary two celebrants he considered outstanding, Brian McInerney and Rick Barclay. International acknowledgment was provided by a comprehensive article in Time Magazine (September 2004) reporting that in the "liberal" cities of Melbourne (Australia) and Auckland (New Zealand) civil celebrants "conduct substantially more than half of the funerals." It reported that before 1973 only clergy funerals were available to the general public in Australia and New Zealand. The article describes celebrant funerals as "intimate and personalised". But it also cited an alternative point of view by atheist sociologist Mira Crouch who stated that celebrant funerals were "mawkish and sentimental".
The Humanist Institute low-residency distance learning program involving 8 sessions over 2 1/2 years. The curriculum includes: The Humanist Life Stance, Humanist Values & Principles, Humanism in Relation to Others, Essential Humanist Tools (Critical Thinking), Foundation Blocks for Humanism (Physical, Life and Social Sciences), Applying Humanism to Life (Leadership) and Aesthetics & Rituals. In 2012, the Kochhar Online Humanist Education (KOHE) courses were added to the Institute’s offerings. KOHE provides an array of self-guided courses introducing individuals to humanism and giving a means to explore at basic level humanist theory and practice. KOHE was the Internet’s first website offering interactive courses in humanist