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Quakerism FAQ
Archive-name: Quaker-faq
Last-update: Wed May 4 15:24:31 CDT 1994
Version: 1.11
In response to various requests in soc.religion.quaker
I have compiled the following FAQ answers posting. The
history in particular is rather sketchy. This is an
evolving document, and corrections are welcomed.
This posting is now being automatically sent monthly, and is
in Internet Digest FAQ format.
Marc
-----
0)Overview
1 Names
1.1 Quakers
1.2 Shakers
2 History
2.1 Origins
2.2 American Friends
2.3 "Programmed" and "Unprogrammed" Meetings
2.4 Worldwide Friends
3 Meetings for Worship
3.1 Traditional/Unprogrammed/Silent Meetings
3.2 Programmed Meetings
3.3 Children at Meeting for Worship
4 Meetings for Business
4.1 Monthly Meetings
4.2 Committees
4.3 Quarterly/Regional Meetings
4.4 Yearly Meetings
5 Beliefs of Friends
5.1 Christianity
5.2 Authority
5.3 Marriage
5.4 War
5.5 Oaths
5.6 The Death Penalty, the Prison System, etc.
5.7 Rituals, sacraments, etc.
6 Terms, Acronyms etc.
7 Speech mannerisms
7.1 Thee and Thou (archaic)
7.2 I have a Concern...
7.3 Days of the Week
7.4 Speaking Truth to Power
8 Where can I find...
8.1 a local Quaker meeting
8.2 Quaker publications
8.3 Quaker email, lists, etc.
9 Bibliography
----
Subject: (1) Names
Subject: (1.1) Quakers
The term "Quaker" refers to the Religious Society of
Friends, which is the proper name of the religion.
There are two reputed origins of the term, the first
refers to people "quaking" or trembling when feeling
moved by the Holy Spirit to speak in Meetings for
Worship, the second (and more derogatory) referring to
Friends as being cowardly and "quaking" in fear by
way of their traditional refusal to participate in
wars.
Subject: (1.2) Shakers
The "Quakers" are occasionally confused with the "Shakers";
the Shakers were actually a "spin-off" of the Quakers, a
group who formed a "celibate order" and started communities
throughout the United States. The Shakers are quite interesting
in their own right, adding speaking in tongues and free-form
dancing to the end of a Quaker-style silent meeting. Celibacy,
alas, is not hereditary, and there are fewer than 10 Shakers left
today.
Subject: (2) History
Subject: (2.1) Origins
The Religious Society of Friends was started in England around
1650, by many people, the most famous being George Fox. They
in fact intended to start a movement to unify the splintered
Christian churches, rather than to start a separate sect.
Many radical groups were formed in England about this time as a
result of the turmoil caused by the English Revolution and Civil
War, and the repeated changes between Catholicism and Anglicism
in England; however most of these disappeared soon after the
restoration of the monarchy.
Subject: (2.2) American Friends
Friends were active in New England almost from the beginning
of the Quaker movement. The Puritans of Massachusetts,
found Quaker ideas unacceptable and exiled Friends on pain
of death. Between 1659 and 1661 one woman and three men were
hanged for returning after such banishment. George Fox spent
over a year in America in 1672. The Quaker population increased
greatly after 1682 when William Penn (who was a Friend) set
about the foundation of Pennsylvania and started the city of
Philadelphia. Friends in general showed an enlightened attitude
to Native Americans, and were also active in the movement
against the slave trade. Later, they helped escaped slaves and
worked for the abolition of slavery, due in part to the work and
ministry of John Woolman (See "Bibliography").
Subject: (2.3) "Programmed" and "Unprogrammed" Meetings
During the Revival movement in the 1800's many Friends Meetings
were influenced by Revival preachers. Many of these later hired
preachers and now hold more "conventional" services, with a
preacher, choir, etc. These meetings often call themselves
"Quaker Churches" or "Friend's Churches" rather than "Quaker
Meetings" or "Friends Meetings." Some such branches of
Quakerism refer to themselves as "Evangelical Friends."
Subject: (2.4) Worldwide Friends
Many of the Friends elsewhere in the world (besides England
and America) are more of the "Programmed" meeting variety.
There are large numbers of Friends in various countries
around the world, especially Kenya.
Subject: (3) Meetings for Worship
Subject: (3.1) Traditional/Unprogrammed/Silent Meetings
Silent Meetings for Worship are quite a bit different from most
organized religious services. Basically those attending the meeting
sit silently, trying to listen to the (Holy) Spirit , until someone
is moved by the Spirit to speak. The person so moved generally
stands, says what they have to say, and sits down. Meetings like
this generally run for about an hour, and it is not out of the
ordinary for a meeting to be silent the whole hour.
It is customary to wait a few minutes between speakers to allow
time for consideration of what they have said.
It is considered bad form to "debate" a topic or otherwise
argue a point at Meeting for Worship. More subtle forms of
disagreement, such as telling a related story and how it made
you feel bad, etc. are occasionally employed.
Subject: (3.2) Programmed Meetings
A Quaker Church service is very similar in format to most
Methodist or Baptist services, if a little more mellow.
However members of the congregation rising to speak, while
uncommon, is not unheard of, and there are often periods of silence.
Subject: (3.3) Children at Meeting for Worship
Many visitors to meeting, especially those to unprogrammed/silent
meetings, worry a lot about their children and whether the children
are being quiet enough. They should relax :-). While it would be
appropriate to take your child out of meeting if the child is
screaming or being loud for long periods, the occasional noises
of small children are generally welcomed. Some paper and crayons,
or a book to read for older children is often helpful, too.
Most children, especially those of visitors, have a tough time
sitting silently for a full hour. Fortunately most Meetings have
some sort of "First Day School" or "Sunday school" for children.
If you see an adult rising after the start of Meeting and all the
children filing out, they're probably headed for the First Day
School.
Friends are generally quite tolerant of babies and their noises.
It is considered normal at most unprogrammed meetings to breast
feed babies during meeting.
Subject: (4) Meetings for Business
Groups of Friends that conduct business as a group are generally
named by how often they meet, and the period between meetings is
generally proportional to the size of the group. (i.e. a group
that meets monthly is a "Monthly Meeting," a group that meets
quarterly is a "Quarterly Meeting," etc.)
Meetings for business (or more properly Meetings for Worship
with a Concern for Business) are held in the manner of a silent
meeting for worship, although there is a Clerk who attempts to
find and record the collectively acquired insight of the Meeting.
All decisions are made by finding the "Sense of the Meeting,"
which is a statement that feels right to everyone in the meeting.
Subject: (4.1) Monthly Meetings
Local meetings that hold services generally hold meetings for
business once a month, and are called "Monthly Meetings." The
Monthly Meeting usually deals with membership, marriages,
paying rent, etc for the meeting facilities and/or real estate,
etc.
Subject: (4.2) Committees
Since most Unprogrammed Friends meetings don't have a paid
staff of any kind most activities are performed by various
Committees of the membership. Most meetings have at least
10 committees of varying description to maintain the building,
make or organize food, watch the finances, send out a
newsletter, etc.
Committees often recommend items to the Monthly meeting for
action.
Subject: (4.3) Quarterly/Regional Meetings
Larger regional groups of Friends are usually groups of Monthly
Meetings, which meet quarterly, and are often referred to as
Quarterly Meetings. Representatives from the various Monthly
Meetings generally attend such meetings. Quarterly meetings are
often places to discuss issues in preparation for Yearly Meetings.
Subject: (4.4) Yearly Meetings
Even larger groups of Friends are also usually groups of Monthly
Meetings representing several states, and are referred to as
Yearly Meetings. Representatives from the various Monthly
Meetings generally attend such meetings.
Some meetings are members of more than one Yearly Meeting.
There is no overall central organization which claims all
Friends as members that I'm aware of.
Subject: (5) Beliefs of Friends
Friends' beliefs are a little hard to quantify, since Friends
do not believe in having a fixed Creed or Dogma, but rather
in seeking for the leadings of God within ourselves. Some
generalizations are possible however:
Subject: (5.1) Christianity
The Religious Society of Friends is a Christian organization,
in the sense that it is originally based on the teachings of
Jesus in the New Testament. You will in general find some
disagreement among Friends about whether there was a Virgin
Birth, whether various miracles were supernatural occurances
or religious embellishments, whether Jesus was The Son of God,
or just one of God's children etc. You will in general find
agreement that those differences are not important :-).
We *can* all agree that certain things "feel Right," that there
is a part of us that knows what right and wrong are, and that
that part of us is in some sense God.
Many Friends are or have been involved in the Unitarian
Universalist movement, and people occasionally refer to the
_Tao Te Ching_, the _Koran_, etc. at Meetings as well as
various translations of the _Bible_. (and sometimes _Winnie
The Pooh_... :-))
Subject: (5.2) Authority
Friends generally have held that people are people; no one is
more "holy" than anyone else, (except *maybe* Christ,
(see "Christianity")) and that everyone has equal access to the
part of God in all of us. Thus Friends have traditionally
refused to use honorifics like "Your Honor," "Your Eminence,"
etc.
The only authority a Meeting has is that its members all agree that
its actions are "right." This is of course the Highest Form of
authority to a Friend.
This has a lot to do with Friends' beliefs about Marriage, War,
etc. (below) and the reason Friends do not have "priests" that
perform blessings, marriages, etc.
Barclay writes (from Dean Freiday's edition, on p. 391):
2. It is not lawful for Christians to kneel before or
prostrate themselves to any man, or to bow the body
or uncover the head.
The previous point also makes the same point as to "word
honor" in court, specifically the use of terms including
"Your Honor."
On p. 402 there is a more extensive discussion of Kneeling,
Bowing, and Removing the Hat, with some Biblical references.
A footnote quotes G. Fox's Journal, as follows:
"When the Lord sent me forth into the world, he forbade me
to put of my hat to any, high or low...neither might I
bow or scrape with my leg to any one." G. Fox, Journal,
Bi-Centenary Edition, London, Headley, 1902, v. 1, p. 38.
Finally, p. 404 remarks,
"Many of us have been badly beaten and buffeted about, and
we have even been imprisoned for several months for no
other reason except that we would not uncover our heads
or bow our bodies to satisfy the proud and unreasonable
whims of egotistical men. Certainly the innocent practice
of standing still and erect without taking off our hats
any more than our shoes does not show as much rudeness as
the beatings and knocking about we have had because of
our practice."
Subject: (5.3) Marriage
Officially, two Friends marry each other under the care of
the meeting, but no person "marries" them, God does. Most
meetings reserve the right to refuse to take a marriage under
their care if they feel the couple is not "clear" about their
intention to marry. Generally all present at the ceremony
sign the wedding certificate.
There have been a *few* meetings who have performed same-gender
marriages; and in one or two states for a while some of them
were even legal. This is a topic of much discussion in many
meetings, and is not something you can assume any given meeting
considers okay. Also to my knowledge the states whose marriage
laws had "Quaker loopholes" allowing Meetings to perform same
gender marriages have fixed them. On the other hand, several
states are now considering allowing same-gender marriages...
Subject: (5.4) War
Friends have generally refused to participate in wars, in
particular refused the draft, since the mid to late 1600s.
As the "George Fox Song" says:
"If we give you a rifle
will you fight for the Lord?
But you can't kill the Devil
with a gun or a sword."
Friends groups like the FCNL lobby heavily against military
involvement and military spending along with their other
priorities.
Friends are also concerned about finding causes of war in our
daily lives -- do you own something that someone in a foreign
country would kill to have?
Subject: (5.5) Oaths
Friends traditionally refuse to take oaths of any kind, including
oaths of fealty, pledges of allegiance, etc. (Read the book of
Matthew if you wonder why :-))
Subject: (5.6) The Death Penalty, the Prison System, etc.
"Judge not, lest ye be judged," "Let that person among you
who is without sin cast the first stone," ...
Need I say more? Okay, while early Friends (as in early
Pennsylvania law) had a death penalty for some crimes,
most modern Friends organizations are very active in anti-
death-penalty and prison reform/abolition groups, as much
for pragmatic reasons as for moral ones.
Subject: (5.7) Rituals, sacraments, etc.
Friends generally conduct very simple weddings and memorial
services and do not outwardly observe baptism or the Lord's
Supper. Friends seek to experience the sacraments in an inward
and continuing manner without symbols. The general feeling is
that rituals tend to become more important than the meaning they
are intended to convey.
Subject: (6) Terms, Acronyms etc.
AFSC:
American Friends Service Committee -- a national
organization which works on projects and programs
reflecting traditional Friends' issues.
Birthright/Convinced:
Friends who are born to Quaker families and decide
to stay with it are called "birthright" Friends,
those who join later are "convinced"; the term
"converted" is rarely if ever used.
Clearness:
When it is clear to you that something is right.
Clearness Committee:
A group formed to help someone decide if something
is right. Often formed to interview a couple
contemplating marriage for example.
Faith and Practice:
Title of a book published by several Yearly Meetings
which describes "standard" practices for accepting
new members, holding business meetings, etc. as well
as a lot of the philosophy behind them. A good
source of Queries, and good Quakerly form letters.
(See "Bibliography") There are many versions, most notably
the London Yearly Meeting and Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
versions. (London Yearly Meeting also has a separate
"Church Government" volume).
FCNL:
Friends Committee on National Legislation -- a
Lobbying group that works for legislation reflecting
traditional Friends' issues.
FGC/FUM:
Friends General Conference/Friends United Meeting, are
national organizations of Friends that provides support
services for Monthly and Yearly Meetings and which organize
yearly national gatherings. FGC's membership is predomin-
ately unprogrammed meetings, while FUM's membership is
predominately programmed meetings.
FWCC:
Friends World Committee on Consultation is sort of
like FGC or FUM, but on a worldwide scale.
Light:
Friends often speak of the Light Within, which is
a term for that of God in each of us.
Query:
A good question to ask yourself, often from some
published source, often a leading question; like
"Do you seek to find that of God in those around
you, especially those you disagree with?"
Sense of the Meeting:
A statement of what the group agrees with or is in
unity with, or more correctly the idea that such a
statment expresses.
Weighty Friends:
Folks who can be counted on to say something deep
that really makes you think. Especially someone
good at finding the Sense of a Meeting and expressing
it.
Subject: (7) Speech mannerisms
Subject: (7.1) Thee and Thou (archaic)
Among early Quakers it was traditional to call everyone and
anyone thee and thou, including royalty and church officials,
who were to be referred to in the plural in deference to their
official Holier than Thou position. This practice continued
for some time after English speakers started calling *everyone*
"you" rather than "thou."
Only a few (usually older) Friends use thee and thou anymore.
Subject: (7.2) I have a Concern...
Is the traditional method of bringing up an issue to a Meeting
for business. A much stronger statement than it sounds like,
since one unsettled concern about something will stop it from
being done. Usage: "I have a concern that replacing this
mailbox will hurt the baby birds nesting in the current
one..."
Subject: (7.3) Days of the Week
Early Friends made a big deal out of removing names of
Mythology figures (Greek, Roman, and Norse Gods) and such from
their speech. Thus the days of the week are referred to as
"First Day" through "Seventh Day" instead of Sunday through
Saturday, and "First Month" through "Twelfth Month" instead of
January through December. This notation is common in writings
like _The Journal of John Woolman_ and other classic Friends
writings.
Modern Friends are often not so picky, but Minutes of business
meetings, etc. often still refer to the days numerically, and
it is invariably called "First Day School" not "Sunday School"
at Quaker meetings in the US.
This can lead to some tricky phrasing when talking about the
second Sunday of May, which is of course the second First Day
of Fifth Month...
Subject: (7.4) Speaking Truth to Power
Refers to the general concept of the child asking the Emperor
"why aren't you wearing any clothes?"
Subject: (7.5) Holding in the Light
Thinking of someone or something while worshiping, in effect
praying for them silently.
Subject: (8) Where can I find...
Subject: (8.1) a local Quaker meeting
One of the best places to look is in your local telephone
directory; look for:
Localtown Fellowship of Friends
Localtown Friends Meeting/Church
Friends Fellowship of Localtown
Friends House
Friends Meeting/Church of Localtown
Friends, Religious Society of
Quaker Meeting of Localtown
Localtown Quaker Meeting
Religious Society of Friends
Society of Friends
(with local town names) in your local white pages, or in
the yellow pages under "Churches".
If you're really stuck, try contacting:
Peggy Morscheck, Director
Quaker Information Center
1501 Cherry Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 241-7024
or
Friends Journal
1501 Cherry Street,
Philadelphia PA 19102-1497 USA
(215) 241 7155
They probably have a meeting in your area on their
mailing list. They can also get you free introductory
issues of Friends Journal.
In the UK, try:
Quaker Home Service Committee
Friends House
Euston Road
London NW1 2BJ
(+44 71 387 3601)
Or drop a note to
Friends World Committee
1506 Race Street
Philadelphia PA 19102 USA
and ask them for a contact at your nearest Yearly
Meeting, who can probably point you to a nearby
Monthly Meeting.
Subject: (8.2) Quaker publications
Here are some bookstores that specialize in Quaker publications.
Pendle Hill Bookstore
Box J
Wallingford PA 19086 USA
(215) 566 4514
800-742-3150
Friends United Press
101-A Quaker Hill Dr.
Richmond IN 47374
1-800-537-8838
Friends General Conference Bookstore
1216 Arch St., 2B,
Philadelphia PA 19107
1-800-966-4556
Friends House,
Euston Road,
LONDON. NW1 2BJ
071 387 3601 (+44 71 387 3601 international)
Subject: (8.3) Quaker mailing lists, etc:
Quaker-L or Quaker-P, subscribe by mailing a message with
"subscribe Quaker-L <my-real name>"
to [email protected] (Quaker-P is mainly peace
issues, Quaker-L is the general list).
Read soc.religion.quaker on USENET news.
Subject: (9) Bibliography
/* Written 3:44 pm Nov 9, 1992 by [email protected] in igc:gen.quaker */
/* ---------- "BIBLIOGRAPHY OF QUAKER READINGS" ---------- */
QUAKER BIBLIOGRAPHY:
A SHORT LIST FOR THE SEEKER
Revised November 1992 by Joel GAzis-SAx
* FRIENDS FOR 300 YEARS, Howard Brinton, Pendle Hill, 1952.
Combines history and interpretation in an excellent single volume
on the essentials of Quakerism.
* GUIDE TO QUAKER PRACTICE, Howard Brinton, Pendle Hill pamphlet
#20.
* THE FAITH AND PRACTICE OF QUAKERS, Rufus M. Jones, Doran, N.Y.,
1938.
* QUAKER SPIRITUALITY, ed. Douglas Steere, Paulist Press, 1984.
* BARCLAY'S APOLOGY IN MODERN ENGLISH, Dean Friday, editor, 1967.
* THE AMAZING FACT OF QUAKER WORSHIP, George H. Gorman, Swarthmore
Lecture, 1973, Friends Home Service Committee, London.
* BEYOND MAJORITY RULE (VOTELESS DECISIONS IN THE RELIGIOUS
SOCIETY OF FRIENDS), Michael J. Sheeran, S.J., Philadelphia Yearly
Meeting of Religious Society of Friends, 1983.
* UNMASKING THE IDOLS: A JOURNEY AMONG FRIENDS, Douglas Gwyn,
Friends United Press, Richmond, Indiana, 1989.
* WHAT IS QUAKERISM?: A PRIMER, George T. Peck, Pendle Hill
Pamphlet #277.
* THE QUAKERS OR OUR NEIGHBORS, THE FRIENDS, William J. Whalen,
Friends General Conference, Philadelphia, 1984.
* FAITH AND PRACTICE: A QUAKER GUIDE TO CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE,
Pacific Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends.
* FAITH AND PRACTICE: A BOOK OF CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE,
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends.
* CHRISTIAN FAITH AND PRACTICE IN THE EXPERIENCE OF THE SOCIETY OF
FRIENDS, London Yearly Meeting.
* THE BEGINNINGS OF QUAKERISM, William C. Braithwaite, Rowntree
Series of Quaker Histories.
* PORTRAIT IN GREY (A SHORT HISTORY OF THE QUAKERS), John Punshon,
Quaker Home Service, London, 1984.
* THE QUIET REBELS: THE STORY OF THE QUAKERS IN AMERICA, Margaret
Hope Bacon, New Society Publishers, Philadelphia, 1985. includes
an introduction "The Quaker Contribution to Nonviolent Action."
* THE QUAKER PEACE TESTIMONY: 1660 TO 1914, Peter Brock, Sessions
Book Trust, York, 1990.
* THE JOURNAL OF GEORGE FOX.
* THE JOURNAL OF JOHN WOOLMAN.
* APOCALYPSE OF THE WORD, Douglas Gwyn, Friends United Press
(study guide available)
* A TESTAMENT OF DEVOTION, Thomas R. Kelly, Harper and Bros., NY,
1941.
* THERE IS A SPIRIT (SONNETS INSPIRED BY JAMES NAYLER), Kenneth
Boulding, Fellowship Publications, 1945.
* FRIENDLY STORY CARAVAN, Anna P. Broomell, Pendle Hill
Publications.
* A GUIDE FOR FRIENDS ON CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION TO WAR, Ben
Richmond, Friends United Meeting 1991
* NEW CALL FOR PEACEMAKERS (STUDY GUIDE), Faith and Life Press,
Newton, Kansas, 1979.
* BIBLICAL PACIFISM: A PEACE CHURCH PERSPECTIVE, Dale W. Brown,
Brethren Press, Elgin, Ill., 1986.
* FIRST AMONG FRIENDS: GEORGE FOX AND THE CREATION OF QUAKERISM, H. Larry
Ingle,
Oxford University Press, 1994
<HR> <ADDRESS>
Marc Mengel / [email protected]
<A HREF="http://dcdsv0.fnal.gov:8000/~mengel/resume/Resume.html">WWW</A>
</ADDRESS>
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