Issue # 2 – Spring 2000 – Quaker Theology

Reflecting Theologically from the Gathered Meeting: The Nature and Origin of Quaker Theology

This article explores the nature and origin of Quaker theology as an experiential, relational, and socially transformative practice rooted in inwardness and communal silence. It emphasizes that Quaker theology differs from systematic theology by focusing on life, spiritual experience, and social justice rather than rigid doctrines, highlighting the gathered meeting as a central context for…
Why Study Theology?

This article explores the relevance and importance of studying theology within the Quaker tradition, addressing early Friends’ skepticism toward theology and highlighting theology as disciplined reflection on religious experience. It underscores theology’s role in combating misunderstandings, fostering self-examination, enriching interfaith dialogue, and guiding Quaker responses to contemporary issues such as war. The article also previews…
About the Contributors

George Amoss, Jr. is a member of Homewood Meeting in Baltimore. He edits the Journal of the Quaker Universalist Fellowship, and established the Quaker Electronic Archive and Meeting place website, at: http://www.qis.net/~daruma/index.html Chuck Fager is a member of State College, Pennsylvania Meeting. He writes frequently on Quakerism, and teaches English at Penn State University. Alvin Joaquin Figueroa is an Assistant…
An Exchange: Quaker Theology Without God?

This article presents a dialogue between Edward James and George Amoss on the compatibility of Quaker theology with atheism. James raises critical questions about the coherence of a “Quaker atheist” faith, focusing on historical theistic arguments, the role of God in Jesus’ mission, and the implications for traditional Quaker beliefs. Amoss responds by clarifying that…
A Review: Among Friends, A Consultation with Friends about the Condition of Quakers in the U.S. Today. An Earlham School of Religion Report. 294 pp., paperback, 1999.

Reviewed by Chuck Fager. There are many true and important statements in this report. One of the truest and most important, however, is regrettably buried on page 244. Let’s begin there, because its content is foundational: “This profile provides information about the Friends who were selected to participate….They cannot be presumed to represent the Religious Society…
First Thoughts on Sixteenth Century Spanish Mysticism and the First Quakers: Communion with The Light in Early Modernism

The article explores the connections and divergences between sixteenth-century Spanish mysticism and seventeenth-century Quaker mysticism, focusing on figures like Teresa de Ávila and George Fox. It highlights shared spiritual themes such as communion with the divine and the emphasis on inner experience, while contrasting their poetic and referential expressions. The author argues for a broader,…
George Fox Among Christian Mystics

This article explores George Fox as a Christian mystic in the context of Catholic mystical tradition, comparing his experiences and theology with notable mystics and critiquing him from Catholic and Anglican perspectives. It highlights Fox’s emphasis on the Inner Light, his restlessness as an itinerant preacher, and his tenacity in pursuing a spiritual kingdom grounded…