Quaker Voices in the 21st Century

It seems to be a perennial question—what is it that Quakers have in common with each other?  Can Quakers, as a Society, be said to believe anything when creeds and dogmas (so it is said) are neither stated nor enforced?

In the early days of the Quaker movement, there were obvious universal beliefs among Quakers.  Quakers were Christian and believed that Jesus Christ was the light, the truth and the way.  They believed that everyone (men and women) had access to the Christ within, their inner teacher and guide, with no need of priests or other intermediaries.  From these beliefs, which were always stated with utmost certainty, Quakers refused to participate in wars and believed in the equality of all people, neither of which made them very popular with the powers that were.

In the following centuries, Quakers began to adhere to the peculiarities that made them stand out in the societies of the day; plain dress (usually grey), use of ‘thou’ when addressing one person, avoidance of luxuries, and so on.  These little peculiarities were recognised by some, even from the earliest day, as spiritually stifling.

Beginning in the second half of the 19th Century and on into the 20th Century, Quakers began to modernise their faith and practice.  The outward peculiarities were shed—a Quaker could no longer be recognised by their dress or speech.  Advances in scientific knowledge were embraced and the place of the scriptures questioned.  By the end of the 20th Century, in Australia at least, many Quakers had come to question whether the Religious Society of Friends remained part of Christianity at all.

But what have been the effects of the 20th Century liberalising of the Quaker way?  Have we lost anything valuable in letting go of any of the  old beliefs and practices?  Have we rightly let go of some old practices but failed to discern new, spiritually vibrant alternatives to replace them?  Have we let go of old ways of expressing eternal truths only to find we now don’t have a common language to speak about our deepest experiences?  Through the Quaker Voices in the 21st Century process, I hope that we will begin to consider some of these questions rather than accepting the status quo unquestioningly.

Clearly, the Quaker way is something precious to many of us.  Our spiritual practices nurture us and help us to see, if imperfectly at times, a deeper truth.  I hope also that the Quaker Voices process of discernment will help us to recognise and nurture the strengths of the Quaker way, and find ways of better sharing them with others who may be seeking.