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Cambridge Companions are a series of authoritative guides, written by leading experts, offering lively, accessible introductions to major writers, artists, philosophers, topics, and periods.
Cambridge Companions are a series of authoritative guides, written by leading experts, offering lively, accessible introductions to major writers, artists, philosophers, topics, and periods.
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In this chapter, the sector of Quakerism labelled as ‘convergent Friends’ is explored linguistically, historically, and in terms of how they manifests today within contemporary Western Quakerism. Convergent Friends, fueled by the use of social media, combine insights from the emerging church movement and traditional understandings of the Quaker faith in order to hold both conservative and emergent impulses in tension with dialogue around differences present within modern Quakerism.
In this chapter we will give a brief overview of Latin American Friends, beginning with a case study of the history of Cuban Friends. We will then explore the question many have asked, “How Quaker are these churches?”
This chapter begins with an account of a spiritual renewal among Friends that draws on a recovery of historic Quaker practices through the influence of Friends from the Conservative branch of Quakers and how this has enhanced the inward lives of other-than-Conservative Friends. This chapter then turns to the topic of contemporary Friends who have gone a step beyond drawing inspiration from the spirituality of other traditions, to the point of actively identifying with more than one religious community.
With particular concern for the complex interplay between unity and fractiousness in this region, this chapter profiles the three largest branches of North American Quakers: Friends General Conference, the most liberal branch; Friends United Meeting, which serves a mixed group of Quaker liberals and evangelicals; and the Evangelical Friends Church International, a clear voice for Evangelical Friends. Western Yearly Meeting, composed of meetings affiliated with Friends United Meeting located in Western Indiana and Illinois, is the subject of a case study for this chapter.
Long advocates for the oppressed, Friends have a tradition of seeking to right perceived wrongs and bring light to situations—interpersonal, familial, and societal—that demonstrate imbalances in power and the overlooking or denial of the sacred center, “that of God,” in everyone. Action on behalf of social justice arises from an inward leading, a pressure within, that calls Friends into ‘right relationship’ with the issue needing more ‘Light’, whether that is racism, oppression, abuse of power, food inequity, the need for restorative justice, exploitation of the planet, or other worthy concerns.
This chapter explores some ongoing efforts among Quaker women to sustain and nurture relationships across the varied and at times conflicting traditions of Friends. The primary example offered here is that of women in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) of the United States where the two yearly meetings are at the opposite ends of Friends’ theological spectrum. These efforts will be compared to the work of the United Society for Friends Women (USFW) which has been a leader in connecting across Yearly Meetings, especially in Kenya where the tensions and pressures separating Friends are substantially different than in the United States.
The first century-and-a-half of Quaker existence is presented through such metaphors as ‘the Lamb’s War’. This represented at first both a personal experience leading to overcoming evil within oneself and a corporate confrontation against evil in the larger world. By 1800, after a tumultuous series of revolutions and wars in the North Atlantic world, the Quaker Lamb’s War had changed to highly organized sectarianism distinct from mainstream society, and, among some notable Quakers, implied a humanitarianism impelled by ongoing commitment to the Inward Light. The Inward Light, revelation, spiritual equality, Quaker witness (also called ethics or ‘testimonies’), and group governance through discernment persisted through all three periods, and remain common to Friends today
The Cambridge Companion to Quakerism offers a fresh, up-to-date, and accessible introduction to Quakerism. Quakerism is founded on radical ideas and its history of constancy and change offers fascinating insights into the nature of non-conformity. In a series of eighteen essays written by an international team of scholars, and commissioned especially for this volume, the Companion covers the history of Quakerism from its origins to the present day. Employing a range of methodologies, it features sections on the history of Quaker faith and practice, expressions of Quaker faith, regional studies, and emerging spiritualities. It also examines all branches of Quakerism, including evangelical, liberal, and conservative, as well as non-theist Quakerism and convergent Quaker thought. This Companion will serve as an essential resource for all interested in Quaker thought and practice.