L. K. (Lemuel Kelley) Washburn

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L. K. (Lemuel Kelley) Washburn

1846–1927

A sharp, outspoken voice in the American freethought movement, this 19th-century writer challenged religious orthodoxy with wit and directness. His work remains a window into the era’s debates over belief, skepticism, and intellectual freedom.

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About the author

Born in 1846, Lemuel Kelley Washburn was an American freethought writer remembered for his outspoken criticism of organized religion. He wrote during a period when public arguments over faith, reason, and secularism were especially lively, and his work placed him firmly on the side of skepticism and free inquiry.

Washburn is best known for books such as Is The Bible Worth Reading and Other Essays and Why I Am an Agnostic. His writing is direct and argumentative rather than academic, aimed at general readers who were willing to question inherited beliefs and think for themselves.

He died in 1927, but his books still interest readers exploring the history of American secular thought. For modern audiences, Washburn’s appeal lies not just in the positions he took, but in the confidence and clarity with which he joined some of the biggest philosophical debates of his time.