INTRODUCTION :  WHO  ARE  THE  QUAKERS?  WHAT  DO THEY  BELIEVE?

      origins    ......    beliefs    ......      worship   

ORIGINS

"Quakers" is the name most generally used for members of the Religious Society of Friends  - rather a mouthful, that, and normally only used for formal or official purposes.

 The Society arose in England during the 1650's when Oliver Cromwell governed the country after executing King Charles and overthrowing the established political and religious order. It was a time of great unrest, not only in public life but also in terms of people's values and beliefs. New and radical ideas were being floated - some of them surprisingly advanced even by today's standards. Out of this atmosphere of enquiry and uncertainty emerged a Leicestershire man - George Fox - who received a direct experience of the presence of God, and realised that this was something which anyone could share, without the need for priests, Churches or theological systems.

Fox travelled the country preaching this faith, and his message attracted those who longed for a real spirituality in their lives but had so far failed to find it, or anyone who seemed to be able to guide them towards it. In a very few years the scattered congregations of his followers that Fox left in his wake were organised into a network of "Meetings" (as congregations of Quakers are still called to this day).

In those days, failing to conform to the established order - whether the King's or Cromwell's - led to persecution and imprisonment. The Quakers however refused to compromise and proved impossible to suppress, developing a technique of stubborn but non-violent resistance to the abuse of power, which has been an example to all the ages since. Soon Quakers were introducing their beliefs to lands beyond the British Isles, from Russia to Barbados. William Penn went so far as to establish a Quaker state in Pennsylvania which, during the century or so that Quakers retained control, was a beacon of enlightenment amid the narrow-minded intolerance of the neighbouring Puritan colonies in North America at that time.

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QUAKER  BELIEFS

Quakers are different from most other religions in having no "creed" - i.e. no list of religious beliefs that members must subscribe to. The basis of Quakerism is simply that there is something which lives within everyone, which we call "that of God" or, more simply, “The Light” or “The Spirit”. The more we bring our lives consciously into the presence of this Light within us, the more we can experience the love and comfort, wisdom and guidance of God's presence. As Luke's Gospel puts it, "the kingdom of God is within you". Quakers believe in a God who is available and accessible. Religion for us is not a question of having to believe things we have been told by other people who are supposed to be more "holy" than the rest of us. Rather it is what we ourselves can learn and experience on our own journeys of spiritual growth, which is the whole purpose of being here on earth in the first place.

Although Quakerism is basically Christian, Quakers have always emphasised that The Light is to be found in everyone, not only among Quakers, nor only among Christians. In the words of John’s Gospel, “It is the true Light that enlightens everyone who comes into the World”. It cannot be contained within the creeds and rules of the Churches and their priests. We do not for example insist that our Members take any specific view about the Bible or about Jesus Christ, although both are of great importance to our understanding of the world and of our purpose in it. Quakers consider that actions demonstrate better than words who the real followers of Christ are ("by their fruits you shall know them"). However while Quakers have little time for abstract religious dogma, we do share certain basic and enduring values expressed in statements which we call "Testimonies". These are attempts to express the way in which our experience of God translates into practice - for Quakerism is above all a practical religion which affects how we actually live and act day by day, not just a set of theories to be recollected on Sundays!

 "PEACE"

Probably the best known of the Quaker Testimonies is the "Peace Testimony" rejecting the use of violence, both on a personal level and by society collectively. God is Love. And God is to be found in people - all people. Hurting or harming people takes us in the opposite direction from life, from love, and from God. George Fox advised his followers to "walk cheerfully over the world, answering that of God in every one." Nobody says this is easy: there are people in whom the Light of God seems obscure, if not invisible! Nevertheless however wrong some people seem to be, and however bad their actions may appear to us, the experience of Quakers is that violence never makes a problem better - as it says in the Epistle of James, "God's righteousness is not served by men's anger".

On the other hand there is nothing "passive" about Quaker pacifism! Our peace testimony does not mean we should be silent and do nothing when faced with evil. Rather we seek to confront and speak out against evil, but reject the temptation of using evil means to overcome it. In times of war or crisis Quakers actively work to promote peace, and to find non-violent ways of resolving the problem, but in the meantime they will generally be found organising or supporting humanitarian relief work. During World War One, Quaker conscientious objectors founded the Friends' Ambulance Unit, and Quakers are also prominent in many campaigning organisations such as Ploughshares, CND, the Campaign Against Arms Trade etc.

"EQUALITY"

The principle that there is "that of God in everyone" leads to another obvious conclusion:  that we are all equal in the sight of God. This is almost a truism, and of course many religions have paid lip-service to the idea. What made Quakers different from the very beginning is that they behaved as though they really believed it! This is the reason why Quakers refused to respect titles and the trappings of power; it is why Quakers were among the first to demand the abolition of slavery. It explains why Quakers never had any problem with the idea that women should have as great a part to play as men in their worship, and in the conduct of their Meetings. It is also the reason why Quakers have no priests or clergy: for the Light of Christ is in everyone, and is not just confined to "experts" or "professionals".

One practical expression of the Testimony to Equality is a concern for the disadvantaged and dispossessed, to try and ensure that those with wealth and position in the world do not take unfair advantage of their power. This includes not only speaking out against the obvious forms of such abuse, but also keeping an eye on our own lifestyle and the implications of the decisions we all make every day. When we go shopping for example, we do not have to go unthinkingly for the cheapest brands, or those which have been most persistently advertised: we need to consider also where they come from and how they are produced. Are we aware that we may be giving financial support to a multinational corporation which maintains sweatshops in Third World countries, or which causes serious pollution, or is destroying the rainforests?

"TRUTH  AND  INTEGRITY"

This leads on to the next Quaker testimony, which is the importance of complete honesty and personal integrity. We cannot claim to be seeking God in our lives if we have falsehood within us. Quakers therefore consciously strive to be faithful to the truth, and as always with Quakers, this means taking responsibility for actually doing it ourselves in everyday life, not just thinking how nice it would be if everybody else did it! This does have practical advantages: many Quaker businesses grew and flourished because their trading partners could be confident that a Quaker's word could be relied upon. When it comes to public issues, Quakers have a tradition of "speaking Truth to Power" - in other words, telling our leaders where they are going wrong! In this context too we find that a reputation for truthfulness gives our words that little extra weight, and an influence out of all proportion to our numbers. It does mean however that Quakers have little time for diplomatic evasions, and can be disconcertingly direct if asked to express an opinion!

 An interesting "by-product" of this Testimony is the Quakers' refusal, ever since the earliest days, to take oaths in any formal proceedings, such as in a Court of Law. The Quakers argued that they do not have double-standards of honesty, and that they tell the truth all the time, not just when they are officially requested to do so!

"SIMPLICITY"

Quakers have always emphasised the value of a life of simplicity and moderation, avoiding excessive "getting and spending" and the conspicuous consumerism which is such a feature of modern industrialised societies. We seem to be constantly under pressure these days to be greedy: it is just assumed that we will want more and more things all the time. This may be good for the profits of the companies who supply the shops and pay for the advertisements, but not so good for us. We cannot truly live in the Spirit if we are addicted to the desire for material possessions - or as Jesus put it more succinctly, "You cannot serve God and mammon".  A continually increasing list of wants and needs will not make us happier or more contented. It is certainly not good for the World at large, where only a few people can afford such a lifestyle, and only then at the expense of those who have to go without, and all the while the physical resources of the planet are being strained to their limits to support the luxuries demanded by the rich.

Quaker simplicity is not to be confused with being dull or ordinary, though. In "Quaker Faith & Practice" (the Quaker "manual", for want of a better word)  we are exhorted to "live adventurously", and the Quaker spirit of enquiry and involvement in the World led to many of them becoming well known pioneers in their various fields of activity  -  these include William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania; Jeremiah Dixon, one of the surveyors who drew the "Mason-Dixon line" in North America (and whose name is still commemorated in the expression "Dixieland"); the chemist John Dalton who discovered the atomic structure of the elements; Abraham Darby, whose invention of the blast-furnace started the industrial revolution; Elizabeth Fry, the prison reformer whose face now appears on the English £5 notes; and George Cadbury the chocolate manufacturer.

In more recent times, well-known Quakers included the cartoonist Gerard Hoffnung; the musician Donald Swann (famous through his comic partnership with Michael Flanders); the broadcaster Gerald Priestland; the song-writer Sydney Carter (best known for "Lord of the Dance"); the actor Paul Eddington (who played the part of Jerry in "The Good Life" and Jim Hacker in "Yes Minister") the actresses Judi Dench and Sheila Hancock, and the astronomers Arthur Eddington (who predicted the discovery that stars are fuelled by nuclear reactions) and Jocelyn Burnell (who discovered "pulsars" in 1967).

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QUAKER  WORSHIP

Anyone is welcome to come to a Quaker "Meeting for Worship" (as our services are called). It is not restricted to Members, and there is no need to obtain permission or make any special arrangement beforehand. We are used to people just coming along to see what it is like. People who are not Members but who come regularly to share our Meeting for Worship are called "Attenders". If they wish, then once they feel ready to make a commitment to the Society and its values, Attenders may apply for Membership. However there is no pressure on them to do so, and some Attenders in fact worship with us for many years without ever feeling called to become Members of the Society at all.

Quaker worship is not quite like any other church service. There is no priest or minister to lead it, and no set form of words or prayers to follow. The Meeting is based around silence, in which we all seek to find the presence of God in our hearts and in the life of the Meeting. From time to time someone may feel moved by the Spirit to get up and say something to the Meeting. We call these utterances "Ministry". They are listened to with respectful attention, and then the silence resumes unless and until further Ministry is given. It is quite possible for a Meeting to pass in complete silence, which can be a very profound experience. It is worth going to a Quaker wedding, too, if you are ever invited. The couple - who face the congregation rather than having their backs to them - make their declarations and marry themselves, without any priest or minister being involved.

Local Quaker Meetings are mainly responsible for running their own affairs, and usually once a month there is a Business Meeting which is run along similar principles to all other Quaker activities. Everyone present participates on an equal footing. There is no "leader" with authority to make or impose decisions, only a "Clerk" who conducts the Meeting and records the decisions that are made. It is central to the Quaker business method is that nothing is ever put to a vote. Voting means in practice that a victorious Majority over-rides and imposes its will upon a defeated Minority, who are expected to grin and bear it. This is not the way Quakers like to do things. We do not want to have "winners" and "losers". Instead, everyone explores the issues and options together and seeks to discern the will of the Spirit as to the best way forward.

This idea of "discernment" is the key to the Quaker method. If necessary, decisions will be postponed to allow time for further reflection. It is not always the fastest way to reach a decision, but Quakers consider it more important to find a way forward that enables everyone to feel that their voice has been heard, and that their wishes and feelings are respected and valued even by those who may disagree with what they say .

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