| Quakers: Home Who/What Are They? Theology Home |
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| Briefly: | |
| "Quakers", or members and
attenders of The Religious Society of Friends are unique in the spectrum
of Christian, or Christian heritage religions. No, they don't sell
oats! They believe that revelation did not end with the biblical
book of that name, but is ongoing. Not only that, but it is
available to every man, woman, and child. Worship is communal
silence, unless one feels the spirit has directed them to speak.
(Here I am describing the traditional unprogrammed meeting.)
There is no dogma, no creed, as such could close off revelation.
Quakers strongly believe in the inherent dignity of all peoples and have
always been active in social correction. They were the first
organized faith to denounce and then fight slavery and hold women as
equals of men within their community, and were active in the suffrage
movement. They are one of the three "peace churches",
believing that to kill another is to quench "that which is of God
within." While there is no admonition against accumulating
wealth, one should live simply and modestly, stewarding the wealth for a
better world.
It has been said that the impact of Quakers upon the world has far outweighed their numbers, about 250,000 worldwide. Generally, they do not evangelize, although they once did. Their witness to a Christian commitment is how they live and how they involve themselves in helping others and making a better world. |
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| Learn More: | |
| As with most religions, there is plenty of
information and dialogue on the internet. You can find voices from
conservative Quakers to liberal Quakers, from "official" sites
to personal offerings. Here are some that will be worth your
while!
A Good Overview! I downloaded this from a site once, but I do not know from whence it came! My apologies to the author. Many suggested links. The Official site of the Religious Society of Friends. Maybe a hundred or more links, too many to count! Find out where there are meetings and schools, the history, youth programs, ............. The Quaker Electronic Archive. If George Fox could have only known! The Quaker Universalist Fellowship. A liberal branch with an excellent usually weekly forum e-letter to suscribers.
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