Quaker Theology

Issue #14, Fall-Winter 2007-2008

  • Editor’s Introduction #14

    We don’t do “theme” issues here at Quaker Theology, but readers could be forgiven for thinking that this Issue #14 had a theme of Scriptural study and interpretation. The first piece, by our newly-appointed Associate Editor Stephen W. Angell (Welcome, Steve!), considers how differing approaches to reading and understanding the Bible play out in several…

  • Opening the Scriptures, Then and Now

    This article explores the historical and contemporary interpretations of the Bible within the Religious Society of Friends, highlighting tensions between mystical, inward readings and more literal, evangelical approaches. It traces key developments from George Fox’s seventeenth-century Spirit-led understandings through eighteenth- and nineteenth-century debates, including Joseph John Gurney’s evangelical influence, and reflects on current Quaker disputes…

  • A Quaker Perspective on the Qur’an and the Bible

    This article explores Quaker perspectives on the Bible and the Qur’an, highlighting their shared Abrahamic heritage and the importance of scriptural literacy for fostering interfaith dialogue and peace. It examines differing Quaker views on scripture and other religions, controversies about the composition and canonization of these texts, and the complex role of scripture in justifying…

  • The Importance of Context

    This personal essay explores the author’s journey as a gay Quaker, detailing struggles with identity, faith, and acceptance. It reflects on the transformative power of love, radical discipleship, and hope found through a personal relationship with Christ, set against the backdrop of Quakerism and life experiences.

  • We Are the Missing Link Reflections on Walter Wink’s “The Human Being”

    Douglas Gwyn The Human Being: Jesus and the Enigma of the Son of the Man, Walter Wink. Augsburg Fortress, 368 pages, $26.00. When I began my seminary education at Union in New York in 1971, I took a New Testament survey course with Walter Wink. I vividly recall that he began his first lecture by…

  • “Restless Souls: The Making of American Spirituality”* A Review

    This article is a detailed review of Leigh E. Schmidt’s book “Restless Souls: The Making of American Spirituality,” which explores the evolution and complexities of American spirituality, emphasizing its roots in Protestant individualism and its impact on Quaker thought in the 20th century. The review highlights key figures like Rufus Jones and Thomas Kelly, the…

  • Four Publications on Torture

    This article reviews four publications that examine the history, methods, and ongoing use of torture by the CIA from the Cold War to the War on Terror, highlighting the institutional and psychological mechanisms behind it. It also details local North Carolina activism against the “Torture Industrial Complex,” including Quaker efforts to educate and witness against…

  • “The Trouble with God: Building the Republic of Heaven”* A Review

    The review discusses David Boulton’s exploration of God as a necessary fictional story that societies and individuals cannot do without, even for non-theists. Boulton’s concept of a “Republic of Heaven” highlights God as a symbolic embodiment of human values, with historical roots in radical figures like Gerrard Winstanley. The reviewer contrasts Boulton’s view with the…

  • About The Contributors

    Stephen W. Angell, is Leatherock Professor of Quaker Studies at Earlham School of Religion. Chuck Fager, Editor of Quaker Theology, is Director of Quaker House in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Joe Franko, teaches mathematics at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California. He is also Presiding Clerk of Pacific Yearly Meeting, and a founding member of…