General Information
• WHAT DO QUAKERS SHARE WITH PROTESTANT DENOMATIONS?
Friends, like the majority of Christian denominations, believe in the reality of God, Christ and the Holy Spirit. They see God as the Creator and Giver or Life. Friends know that God loves them, that God longs for justice, peace and spiritual growth among all humanity. Friends believe they must actively play a role in showing God’s love to the world.
• WHY THE NAME “QUAKERS”?
The Quaker movement began in 17th century England. Frustrated by the spiritual shortcomings they perceived in the Church of England and other Protestant denominations, early Friends such as George Fox chose to go back to the roots of Jesus’ teachings around non-violence, simple living, God’s concern for the marginalized, and everyone’s capacity for immediate and equal access to God’s spirit.
Though they named themselves the Religious Society of Friends, opponents mocked them as “Quakers” for the way their bodies often shook when they were overcome with spiritual energy.
• HOW DO QUAKERS LIVE?
George Fox, whose visions helped shaped the Quaker beliefs in the early days, offered this advice on how to live:
“Be patterns, be examples in all countries, places, islands, nations wherever you come, that your carriage and life may preach among all sorts of people, and to them; then you will come to walk cheerfully over the world, answering that of God in everyone; whereby you may be a blessing, and make the witness of God in them to bless you.”
• WHAT DO QUAKERS MEAN BY THE “INNER LIGHT”?
From the beginning, Friends have believed there is “that of God in everyone”. This notion that everyone has “that of God” within them has become of the foundations of the Quaker belief in full equality among all people.
• WHY DO FRIENDS NOT HAVE THE SACRAMENTS?
It has sometimes been said that Friends do not believe in the sacraments. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is more accurate to say Friends have always believed that what is important is what one experiences inwardly. The inward reality of a person’s relationship with God is more important than any outward symbol of this relationship. In practice, Friends do not either baptize with water or celebrate the Lord’s Supper as other churches do. At the same time, Friends feel strongly that all of life is somehow “sacramental” if lived truly in God’s light.
• DO QUAKERS BELIEVE IN THE BIBLE?
The Bible is the basis and source of almost all of the beliefs and doctrines that Friends hold dear. Friends see these writings to be divinely inspired and essential to our spiritual development.
WHAT IS A QUAKER MEETING (VERSUS "CHURCH")? In early development of the Quaker Faith, when all Meetings worshiped in silent worship without clergy, they called their gatherings a “Meeting” instead of “Church” to emphasize their direct belief in direct, unmediated access to God and not needing formal Clergy. Today, most Quaker Meetings have a minister and a form of programmed worship, but the name “Meeting” as opposed to “Church” remains. Meeting House Early Quakers called the building where they gathered a “Meeting House” rather than “Church” to further signify their distinct approach to worship. Why is it so important to share Spirit’s messages aloud with other Friends? Well, the simplest reason is that being chosen as the vehicle for the message doesn’t necessarily mean that you were the only intended recipient of the message. Sometimes, the message might not be meant for you, might not even seem relevant to you at all, but it will be exactly what another Friend in the room needed to hear then. • WHO ARE SOME QUAKERS THAT I WOULD RECOGNIZE? Robert Barclay (1648–1690), Scottish theologian William Penn (1644–1718), English-born founder of Pennsylvania Herbert Hoover (1874-1964) 31st President of the US Walt Whitman (1819-1892) legendary American poet John Cadbury (1801–1889), English chocolatier George Cadbury (1839–1922) English chocolatier Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906), American civil rights leader for women’s suffrage movement James Dean (1931–1955), American actor Dame Judi Dench (1934- ) English actress – starred in James Bond movies Kevin Bacon (1958- present) American actor Bonnie Raitt (1949-present) American blues singer, songwriter, slide guitarist
WHAT IS A QUAKER MEETING (VERSUS "CHURCH")? In early development of the Quaker Faith, when all Meetings worshiped in silent worship without clergy, they called their gatherings a “Meeting” instead of “Church” to emphasize their direct belief in direct, unmediated access to God and not needing formal Clergy. Today, most Quaker Meetings have a minister and a form of programmed worship, but the name “Meeting” as opposed to “Church” remains. Meeting House Early Quakers called the building where they gathered a “Meeting House” rather than “Church” to further signify their distinct approach to worship. Why is it so important to share Spirit’s messages aloud with other Friends? Well, the simplest reason is that being chosen as the vehicle for the message doesn’t necessarily mean that you were the only intended recipient of the message. Sometimes, the message might not be meant for you, might not even seem relevant to you at all, but it will be exactly what another Friend in the room needed to hear then. • WHO ARE SOME QUAKERS THAT I WOULD RECOGNIZE? Robert Barclay (1648–1690), Scottish theologian William Penn (1644–1718), English-born founder of Pennsylvania Herbert Hoover (1874-1964) 31st President of the US Walt Whitman (1819-1892) legendary American poet John Cadbury (1801–1889), English chocolatier George Cadbury (1839–1922) English chocolatier Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906), American civil rights leader for women’s suffrage movement James Dean (1931–1955), American actor Dame Judi Dench (1934- ) English actress – starred in James Bond movies Kevin Bacon (1958- present) American actor Bonnie Raitt (1949-present) American blues singer, songwriter, slide guitarist