Quakerism 101b

Quaker Foundations

“Take heed of the promptings of Truth and Love, for those are the leadings of God.”
What was the spiritual journey of George Fox in mid-1600 England that led him to found Quakerism?
Church of England was unsatisfying to him and others in many ways.
Fox began an inward journey to seek his relationship with God and to understand God in his life
Fox's spiritual journey spoke to many others, including those who were called “seekers”.
Fox turned to the Bible, especially the gospels, and discerned a spiritual path
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The “Basics”

There is that of God in each of us. This is often referred to as the “Light” (the gospel of John).
The life and teachings of Jesus are central to Quakerism. Think of Jesus as a man of great spiritual insight, a great teacher, someone who led an exemplary life, and a man who had almost unconstrained and instantaneous access to God's Light.
Spiritual discernment is at the heart of Quakerism. It is the “waiting upon” and the “listening for” a genuine movement of the Spirit within each of us.
Distractions and complications in our lives make discernment more difficult. Thus, silence and simplicity are important aspects of Quakerism.
The silence in a Meeting is a corporate “waiting upon”. Discernment in a Meeting Community is superadditive in many ways.
We meet for worship in the silence. We wait upon the genuine movement of the Spirit. We only rise to speak when compelled to do so by a genuine movement of the Spirit. We are “spoken through”.
The human desire to share, straighten people out, or instruct are NOT grounds for vocal ministry.
Deeply felt emotions or beliefs, untested and unchecked, are NOT grounds for vocal ministry.
We all have such feelings, and Quakers must discern between these wholly human urges and genuine movements of the Spirit.
We “sit with” a strong sense of action and see how it seasons within us. If it fades, then its root are almost surely not of the Spirit.
Patience is the central Quaker virtue.
Quakers wait for “leadings” -- a strong sense of action, change of direction, a new calling.
Clearness committees are often used by Friends to test leadings.
The role of “queries” -- a guide to group and self-examination.

Meeting for Worship

“Turn in thy mind to the Light, and wait upon God singly, as if none were present but the Lord”.
Spiritual discernment is at the heart of the Meeting for Worship. Direct experience with God.
Gather in silence in simple circumstances. No prepared ceremonies and rituals during the gathered worship. Occasionally, queries and advices are read.
Preparation is useful through prayer, meditation and study, especially of the Bible and the spiritual experiences of others.
There are no clergy
Vocal ministry. Anyone can rise to offer spontaneous vocal ministry. Each of us await the leading of a genuine movement of the Spirit. When this happens to an individual it is said that they have been “spoken through”.
After-thoughts (not all Meetings). At the conclusion of Meeting for Worship, the clerk will invite after-thoughts. Those who have something potentially valuable to offer, but who were unsure of the leading during the Meeting, will often rise at this time to offer their thoughts.

Testimonies and Concerns

Rooted in the life and teachings of Jesus, and the experience of Friends.
Extensions to social action of modern times.

Equality

There is that of God in every person, and thus we believe in human equality before God.
Create and maintain a society whose institutions recognize and do away with the inequities rooted in patterns of prejudice and economic convenience.
Meeting community open to all regardless of race, ability, sexual orientation, or class.
Meeting community, and individuals, committed to ongoing self-examination for prejudice and any practices rooted in prejudice.
Teach children, and show them through our lives, that the love of God includes affirming the equality of all people, treating others with dignity and respect, and seeking to recognize and address that of God in every person.

Peace

“We utterly deny all outward wars and strife, and fighting with outward weapons, for any end, or under any pretense whatsoever; this is our testimony to the world.”
Commitment to the elimination of the causes of violence and war.
Do not resist a wicked man. If anyone hits you on one cheek, turn the other cheek to him also.
… do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you.
Love your enemies; and give, expecting nothing in return.
Quaker commitment to non-violence does not mean that Quaker's accept injustice. There are many Quaker organizations that work vigilantly for social justice and peace.
Recognition that the root of violence often lies within individual conduct, our possessions, and motivations for materialistic improvement.

Integrity

“Your yes shall mean yes, and your no shall mean no, and you shall swear no oaths.” Teaching of Jesus from Matthew 5:37
Truthful in all actions and communications, at all times.
Completeness and full disclosure in all actions and communication is required. Knowingly omitting important information, although not explicitly speaking an untruth, is unacceptable.
Swearing of an oath implies that without an oath one's words may not be truthful, thus, Quakers do not swear oaths.
In legal proceedings, Quakers only affirm that their words are truthful, not swear to it. Many early Quakers were jailed for their unwillingness to swear oaths.
Integrity requires that Quakers listen to the words of others.

Simplicity

Spiritual discernment, which lies at the heart of Quaker faith, requires that we always open to the leadings of God.
Leadings arrive randomly and can be missed.
Conduct that complicates life -- such as the quest for wealth, recognition, or power – obscures discernment.
A simple life involves less worry. It frees time for social action and service. Simplicity deepens worship in all ways.
“Therefore I tell you, don't be anxious about what you will eat or what you will wear. … your Father knows that you need these things. But first seek the Kingdom of God; and these things will be given to you as well.”
Be attentive to the promptings of truth and love, for these are the leadings of God.

Stewardship of All Resources

Quakers recognize the interdependence of all life. We embrace and are guided by a reverence for all life, and the resources upon which all life depends.
Actions often impact others. Quakers require of themselves a full accountability of the impact of their actions on others.
The Meetinghouse and its grounds are under our stewardship, to care for and preserve, so that we can worship peacefully and, of equal importance, that future generations can worship peacefully.
Difficult self-examination is required of Quakers. Queries in this regard for stewardship of resources are:
Am I clear that I am steward, not the owner, of property under my care?
Do my employment and other activities allow for the use of time and energies in spiritual growth?
Do I simplify my needs, making choices that balance self-sufficiency (to avoid unnecessary dependence on others) and fair sharing of resources?
Do I make choices as a consumer that support the equitable distribution of income?
(A More Subtle Topic)

Decision-making in the Manner of Friends

Meeting for Business is a Meeting for Worship. All words and actions are to be guided by our love of God, our love for one another, and our love for all people, open to the leading of the Spirit.
Role of the Clerk. We have no clergy. The clerk provides guidance regarding topics for deliberation by the Meeting Community.
On any topic, after Friends have spoken, the clerk “gathers the sense of the Meeting”. This is a delicate task that is best done by a seasoned Friend.

Unity

For the Meeting Community to take an action it must be of one heart. It may not be of one mind, but it must be of one heart.
A single Friend who rises and speaks of their disquiet, or of being unsettled, with regard to an issue will result in the issue being “held over”.
Unity as a decision process stems from our recognition of that of God in each of us.
Unity does not make for quick decisions.
Quakers embrace patience as a central virtue of our Religious Society