Religion Commons^™

Contributors, Jeffrey Dudiak

Quaker Religious Thought

No abstract provided.

Frontmatter (Volume 45, Issue 6), Jeffrey Dudiak

Quaker Religious Thought

No abstract provided.

New Forms Of Orientation For The Twenty-First Century African Quaker Movement, Robert J. Wafula

Quaker Religious Thought

Unlike in the United Kingdom and the United States, where Quakerism has been in existence since the seventeenth century, it has only been a presence on the African continent for 122 years, since 1902. The earliest missionaries, who were sent by the Friends Africa Board of Missions of the former Five Fears Meeting (now Friends United Meeting) in Richmond, Indiana, planted Quakerism in Africa on the evangelical platform. Forty years later other missionaries, principally drawn from England, came with a different tradition: unprogrammed Quakerism (or the “silent tradition,” as it is known by the African Quakers).

In this paper, reflecting …

Theological Diversity As Growth And Foundation, Rhiannon Grant

Quaker Religious Thought

The liberal branch of the Religious Society of Friends today is undoubtedly theologically diverse—for example, in Britain Yearly Meeting, the committee who are revising the book of discipline are explicitly inviting contributions from nontheist as well as universalist and Christian perspectives.¹ Some members of the community find this a source of considerable anxiety. In this paper I want to position it, rather, as a source of richness and a form of growth, and also as a potential foundation for other forms of much needed diversity. Britain Yearly Meeting is working on addressing our institutional and sometimes personal racism and …

Frontmatter Autumn 2024, Jeffrey Dudiak

Quaker Religious Thought

No abstract provided.

Tradition And Transformation, On Worship Among Kenyan Friends: Reconsidering Fox's Rejection Of Rituals, George Busolo Lukalo

Quaker Religious Thought

From the centrality of the Bible, to baptism, to holy commu- nion, to simplicity and plain dress, to the nomination of leaders, to the use of alcohol and not swearing oaths, in his essay “Tradition and Transformation, on Worship among Kenyan Friends: Reconsidering Fox’s Rejection of Rituals,” George Busolo Lukalo examines the evolving ways in which the Kenyan Quaker church continues to consider the importance and meaning for their own context of George Fox’s rejection of rituals—sometimes complying with Fox’s precedent, but often reinstating certain ritualistic practices precisely as a way of preserving their Quaker convictions.

Rationality, Silence, And The Numinous: Exploring The Mystical Theology Of Otto, Thurman, And Panikkar, Welling Hall

Quaker Religious Thought

In her essay “Rationality, Silence, and the Numinous: Exploring the Mystical Theology of Otto, Thurman, and Panikkar,” Welling Hall traces out the thought of these three important advocates of mysticism as they struggle with the relationship between rea- son and that which transcends rational comprehension, an issue of ongoing interest and concern to Quaker theology. In light of this essay, we might ask ourselves whether our rituals or lack thereof are an impediment to a deeper connection with God, or a means thereunto?

Bolivian Indigenous Quakerism, Emma C. Mamani

Quaker Religious Thought

Bolivians received the tradition of Quakerism from a group of young adult Friends missionaries from the United States of America in 1919. Bolivia is a multicultural country because of the thirty-six Indigenous communities that make up seventy percent of the Bolivian population. Bolivian Quakerism has kept the roots of Quakerism practiced by early Friends since 1919, yet the influence of Indigenous traditions is also present: in the worship service format, in Bolivian Quakers’ theology, and in church work. Quakers in Bolivia are a Christ-centered, evangelical, and programmed faith community in South America. I was born in an Indigenous Quaker family. …

Whiteness And Quaker Universalism In Britain, Mark D. Russ

Quaker Religious Thought

In this article I do not address Fox’s message or his cultural limitations. Rather, I turn this question back on to the Quaker universalist discourse itself. How is the theology of the Quaker Universalist Group shaped by the conditions of its time?

The Baby And The Big Shoes, Barbara Birch

Quaker Religious Thought

This paper problematizes the premise that the Christian liturgies scrapped by early Friends were empty outer forms of little value. My queries are—Are rituals truly empty and outward, or are they full of inner sensations and experiences not easily seen or quantified? Of course, the same questions can be asked of Quaker worship, which is itself a liturgy of silence. If silence is a liturgy, is it empty or full? Moreover, does silent worship appear empty or full to newcomers and visitors?

Contributors, Jeffrey Dudiak

Quaker Religious Thought

No abstract provided.

Frontmatter, Quaker Religious Thought, No. 137, Jon R. Kershner

Quaker Religious Thought

ABOUT THIS ISSUE

Welcome to Quaker Religious Thought! This issue contains papers that were delivered at the November 2020 Quaker Theological Discussion Group meeting. The general topic of the sessions was ministry and the second panel, featured in this issue, addressed the question: “What is a Quaker theology of vocational ministry, and how is it enfleshed/embodied in community?” The resulting conversation addressed the wide array of contexts in which ministry takes place, challenges of ministry in a Quaker context, and testimonies to the role of discernment in guiding and supporting ministry. A hearty thanks to our authors, Ben Brazil, Robin …

Frontmatter, Quaker Religious Thought, No. 140, Jeffrey Dudiak

Quaker Religious Thought

The theme of this issue of Quaker Religious Thought is “Quakers and Place.” The issue opens with an essay by Cherice Bock that explores a Quaker theology of place against the background of the climate crisis and colonialism. Grounding her analyses in Jewish and Christian theologies of place, Cherice then seeks to understand what constitutes the experience of a “sense of place,” before encouraging Quakers to undertake an intentional practice of place-making, and this for the sake of contributing to flourishing and resilient, local communities in this crucial historical moment. Rather than living “off” the land in an exploitative way, …

Contributors - Quaker Religious Thought, No. 137, Jon R. Kershner

Quaker Religious Thought

No abstract provided.

Unspoken Rules: Barriers To Quaker Worship For Disabled People, Greg Woods

Quaker Religious Thought

In this paper, I will examine how Quakers can be more supportive of disabled people in their congregations. First, I will start by stating a couple of premises, so that the reader and I are on the same page regarding what I mean by disability liberation theology and why I am using identity-first language throughout the paper. Second, I will provide some autobiographical information about my experiences as a disabled person within Quakerism. Third, I will talk about the expansive nature of the Inward Light of Christ. Fourth, I will explore the power dynamics within Quaker worship and how this …

Lucretia Mott: Isaiah 58, Mark Bredin

Quaker Religious Thought

In a sermon at Cherry Street Meeting on 31 March in 1850, Lucretia Mott drew upon Isaiah 58:6–7, 13 and James 2:15 for inspiration against sentiments expressed by Isaac Watts (1674–1748), views that led, she believed, to complacency towards the poor and the slave. She perceived such to be an outrage to the God of the biblical prophets. More precisely, Lucretia’s evocation of Isaiah 58 in her address resulted in an intensification of her already developed sympathy for the poor, motivating her to social engagement for justice. In making this argument I consider: (1) what it means to read the …

Remembering T. Vail Palmer, Jr., Paul N. Anderson

Quaker Religious Thought

One of the premier Quaker theologians of the last half century or more, Thompson Vail Palmer, Jr. passed away on February 6th. Vail was one of the founding members of the Quaker Theological Discussion Group, contributing to its original vision and momentous significance. He edited issues 39–47 of Quaker Religious Thought (1974–78), and he co-edited issues 47–54 with Dean Freiday (1979–82), who then succeeded him as editor. In addition to over a dozen essays, comments, and reviews contributed to QRT over more than four decades, Vail also published several important essays and books.¹

Vocation As Story, Story As Vocation, Ben Brazil

Quaker Religious Thought

On a frigid December morning in Indiana, a man named Dave Jetmore discovered that his daughter’s pet goat had died. Not wanting to upset his little girl—much less broach the topic of death—Jetmore planned to tell his daughter that “Billy” had simply gone to live somewhere pleasant. Inventing that story was the easy part; the harder part was hiding the body. First, Jetmore tried to bury the goat, but the ground had frozen hard as rock. Next, he had his son fling the body from the pickup to a snowbank, which failed to conceal anything. Time was growing short. And …

The Conflict Is Inherent: A Quaker Theology Of Vocational Ministry, Robin Mohr

Quaker Religious Thought

“I’m wrestling with the nagging feeling that God is calling me to this ministry of hospitality and encouragement: this work of bringing Friends together, convening learning communities, facilitating conversations and supporting Friends on their spiritual journeys, which brings me such joy and fulfillment and peace. Aren’t I really supposed to be doing this all the time? Am I disobeying God’s leading by spending so much of my time earning a secular living? Or is the desire to devote myself to a full-time, ‘hireling’ ministry a distraction? A temptation?”¹

This tension is familiar to many Quakers who are seeking to …

Review Of Michael Birkil, Quakers Reading Mystics (Brill, 2018), Mark Bredin

Quaker Religious Thought

Birkel’s book, at one level, is a searching historical enquiry establishing the possible direct influence of John Cassian on Robert Barclay, Jeanne Guyon on Sarah Lynes Grubb, Johannes Tauler on Caroline Stephen, Jacob Boehme on Rufus Jones, and Buddhist mysticism on Teresina Rowell Havens. He emphasizes his study to be “strongly shaped by…the principles of historical study” (8). His conclusion is, indeed, rooted in the language of historical probabilities, such as “based on incontestably solid ground” (100) or “are more tentative” (100).

Contributors - Quaker Religious Thought, No. 140, Jeffrey Dudiak

Quaker Religious Thought

No abstract provided.

Frontmatter (Volume 45, Issue 5), Jeffrey Dudiak

Quaker Religious Thought

No abstract provided.

Breaking The Unwritten Rule That We Do Not Talk About Power: Claiming Religious Creativity, Vibrancy, And Right Relationship In Quaker Community By Living In That Life And Power, Windy Cooler

Quaker Religious Thought

Why do Quakers avoid addressing and healing shame? The underlying fear is that if we are not seen as “good,” we will lose our sense of belonging in a community that places immense pressure on its members to uphold certain standards—or so it is widely believed. The perception that one is powerless to fully embrace one’s identity due to the fear of rejection is rarely articulated directly; instead, it manifests as dysfunctional behavior within the system, a topic I’ll delve into further later on. I would also like to posit that goodness is often conflated with innocence, the idea that …

Welcoming The Stranger: The Spiritual Authority Of Quaker Women, Rhonda Pfaltzgraff-Carlson

Quaker Religious Thought

Many Quaker meetings in the United States struggle with attracting and retaining newcomers. While it is true that demographics matter (i.e., Friends are largely older, affluent, cis-gender, and white), a less recognized spiritual factor also affects the growth of our meetings—spiritual authority. While spiritual authority is distributed along the gender continuum, this paper focuses on the spiritual authority of women.1 This focus is particularly important given the preponderance of women in unprogrammed meetings. Friends who are women limit their spiritual development, as well as that of their meetings, when they and the Friends around them do not exercise their spiritual …

Contributors, Jeffrey Dudiak

Quaker Religious Thought

No abstract provided.

A Dangerous Theology, Emily Provance

Quaker Religious Thought

Ministry is inherently risky. The existence of a call to ministry implies potential failure: failure to respond, failure to discern, failure to fulfill. Ministry also carries with it potential societal and personal consequences, ranging from outright persecution to subtler judgment for counter-cultural words and actions to loss or rearrangement of personal relationships. Perhaps for this reason, within the Quaker context, we can’t address a theology of ministry while only addressing the minister. Quakerism is not a faith of the individual but of the community. In theological and theoretical circles, Friends say that the community, not the individual, has the responsibility …

One Quaker's Life In The Ministry, Lloyd L. Wilson

Quaker Religious Thought

I am an apprentice to the Quaker faith tradition. I am a recorded minister, speaking under the authority of a minute issued by Friendship Friends Monthly Meeting, and with the specific release of my anchor committee in that meeting. Wil Cooper said that we Quakers tell so many stories about ourselves because, without creeds or dogma, stories are how we remember who we are as a people of faith. I am not able to articulate an adequate Quaker theology of vocational ministry; I can tell you some stories from a lifetime of wrestling over an adequate response to God’s call …

Developing A Quaker Theology Of Place: Community Flourishing In An Era Of Climate Change, Cherice Bock

Quaker Religious Thought

Expressions of Quakerism in the past have not generally been particularly connected to the places in which they are located. Members of the Religious Society of Friends have emphasized the ability to connect with the sacred wherever one is, not only in a building set aside for worship or a holy site. The traditional Friends’ worship practice only requires meeting with others in silence to listen to the leading of the Spirit; this can be done anywhere and does not assume the geographical location is of particular importance. While the Friends witness that the presence of God is not limited …

A Quaker Theology Of The City: Placing Quaker Testimony, Ecotheology, And “Place” In Conversation, Christy Randazzo

Quaker Religious Thought

Quaker theological and ethical frameworks are underappreciated resources for exploring the space, and (notably) the meaning, of the city, particularly in the ways that Quaker testimony—the holistic expression of the Quaker community’s core theological beliefs and ethical convictions in both individual actions and in an embodied communal “way of life”1—both undergirds Quaker work in environmental justice, and can inform conversations occurring at the intersection of urban planning, sustainability, and movements for social justice. When examined through the lens of historic Quaker approaches to the built environment, certain themes emerge, which—when placed in dialogue with contemporary concerns—frame an outline for a …

A Narrative Account Of Finding A Place Among Quakers As A Maragoli, Ngesa S. Chagala

Quaker Religious Thought

My great grandmother Dorika Bweyenda Mwana wa Gwimbula lived a long and greatly impactful life not only to my family and community, but also to Quaker ministry among the Maragoli and elsewhere. The current Lyavugulu Friends Church sits on land she donated. She played a leading role in spreading the Quaker faith throughout western Kenya by accompanying the Friends pastors to teach women and men about Christ. She provided material and mobilized women and the villagers to provide labor for building the churches including Lyavugulu. She met all the Quaker missionaries who came to Kaimosi beginning 1902 and she was …