Usenet 1994 January/usenetsourcesnewsgroupsinfomagicjanuary1994.iso/answers/Quaker-faq

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From: Marc Mengel <[e-mail]>
Newsgroups: soc.religion.quaker,news.answers,soc.answers
Subject: soc.religion.quaker Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
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Date: 1 Dec 1993 07:00:07 GMT
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Summary: Assorted answers to questions frequently asked about
     the Religious Society of Friends (a.k.a. Quakers) in
     soc.religion.quaker
Xref: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu soc.religion.quaker:1185 news.answers:15243 soc.answers:665

Content-type: text/x-usenet-FAQ;
      version=1.0;
      title="Quaker-faq"
Archive-name: Quaker-faq
Last-update: Mon Nov 29 11:29:52 CST 1993
Version: 1.7

    In response to various recent requests in soc.religion.quaker
    I have compiled the following FAQ answers posting.  The
    history in particular is rather brief.  This version includes
    changes suggested by many Friends on the net.

    This posting is now being automatically sent monthly, and is
    in Thomas Fine's FAQ format.

    Corrections and additions graciously accepted.

    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
----

1) Names

1.1) Quakers

    The term "Quaker" referring to the Religious Society of
    Friends goes back to around 1650 when the movement started.
    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.

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.

2) History

2.1) Origins

    The Religious Society of Friends was founded by George Fox
    in England around 1650.  George in fact intended to start
    a movement to unify the splintered Christian churches, rather
    than to start a separate sect.

2.2) American Friends

    Friends were active in New England almost from the beginning
    of the Quaker movement.  The Quaker population increased
    in a big way when William Penn (who was a Friend) founded
    Pennsylvania in the late 1600's, and started the city of
    Philadelphia.

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."

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.

3) Meetings for Worship

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 considered good form to wait a few minutes between speakers.

    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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

4.2) Committees

    Since most 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.

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.

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.

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:

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 miracles or good magic
    tricks, 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 is, 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 read from
    the Tao Te Ching, the Koran, etc. at Meetings as well as
    from various translations of the Bible.  (and sometimes
    from Winnie The Pooh... :-))

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."

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.

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?

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 :-))

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, well actually Friends are very active
    in anti-death-penalty and prison reform/abolition groups in
    most areas.


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.

6) Terms, Acronyms etc.
    AFSC:
        American Friends Service Committee -- a national
        organization with lots of worthwhile projects.
    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.
    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?"

7) Speech mannerisms

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.

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..."

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.

    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 a Quaker meeting.

    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...

7.4) Speaking Truth to Power

    Refers to the general concept of the child asking the Emperor
    "why aren't you wearing any clothes?"

7.5) Holding in the Light

    Thinking of someone or something while worshiping, in effect
    praying for them silently.

8) Where can I find...

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 Meeting/Church of Localtown
        Friends Fellowship of Localtown
        Quaker Meeting of Localtown
        Localtown Quaker Meeting
    (with local town names) in your local white pages, or in
    the yellow pages under "Churches".

    If you're really stuck, try contacting:

        Friends Journal
        1501 Cherry Street,
        Philadelphia PA 19102-1497 USA
        [phone]

    They probably have a meeting in your area on their
    mailing list.  They can also get you free introductory
    issues of Friends Journal.  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.

8.2) Quaker publications

    Here are some bookstores that specialize in Quaker publications.

    Pendle Hill Bookstore
    Box J
    Wallingford PA 19086 USA
    [phone]
     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 ([phone] international)

8.2) Quaker mailing lists, etc:

    Quaker-L or Quaker-P, subscribe by mailing a message with
    "subscribe Quaker-L<my-mail-address>"
    to [e-mail]

    Read soc.religion.quaker on USENET news.

9) Bibliography (from [e-mail])

/* Written  3:44 pm  Nov  9, 1992 by [e-mail] 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.