Quaker Theology

Issue # 9, Fall 2003

Presents a wide-ranging exploration of Quaker history, doctrine, spiritual experience, and responses to contemporary conflict. Its articles examine George Fox’s use of catechisms for religious education, early Quaker interpretations of Nimrod and the Tower of Babel, and a Quaker understanding of the nature and purpose of the Church. Personal narratives and memoir reviews explore healing, place, family tradition, and struggles with faith surrounding September 11. The issue also debates universal salvation and atonement while critically confronting theological justifications for American military power and the “war on terror.” Together, these contributions show Friends drawing upon Scripture, history, lived experience, and the Peace Testimony to address enduring questions of authority, salvation, community, and violence.

  • Editors’ Introduction #9

    By Chuck Fager & Ann Riggs We are pleased to offer here a wide-ranging selection of the thought and work active among Friends. The issue begins with Stephen Angell’s scholarly examination of George Fox’s efforts at basic religious education, and then jumps to a very personal “oral history” account by Richard Lee of his family’s…

  • The Catechisms of George Fox

    Why they were written in the first place, what was contained in them, what use was made of them, And what we can learn from them today By Stephen W. Angell Catechisms are out of fashion in the twenty-first century, perhaps because of a perceived rigidity or undue conformity that seems to many to be…

  • The Church: Called, Gathered, and Faithful

    This article is a detailed response from Friends United Meeting to the World Council of Churches’ 1998 study on the nature and purpose of the Church, emphasizing Quaker theological perspectives. It discusses key differences Quakers have with traditional Christian practices such as water baptism, sacraments, and ordained ministry while affirming the central role of the…

  • Friendly Healing in Frampton and the Forest

    The article recounts the author’s family tradition of healing and spiritual practices rooted in the Forest of Dean, blending Quaker beliefs with indigenous wisdom and mystical experiences. It highlights the significance of places like Frampton and Jubilee House as spiritual and healing spaces and reflects on the interconnectedness of nature, spirituality, and Quaker worship. The…

  • “If Grace Be True: Why God Will Save Every Person*” and “A Treatise on Atonement*” Reviewed

    This post reviews the controversial universalist theology presented by Philip Gulley and James Mulholland, who argue that God will ultimately save every person, challenging traditional orthodox views of atonement and eternal punishment. It also discusses Hosea Ballou’s earlier similar universalist ideas, contrasts them with historic Christian doctrines of atonement, and reflects on the theological and…

  • “Just War Against Terror: The Burden of American Power In a Violent World” a Review

    This article is a critical review of Jean Bethke Elshtain’s book *Just War Against Terror*, examining its neo-conservative justification of American military power post-9/11. The reviewer challenges Elshtain’s arguments for U.S. imperialism, critiques her interpretation of just war theory, and highlights the failure to adequately account for civilian casualties in recent conflicts. The review also…

  • Nimrod and the Tower of Babel: Genesis 10-11 in Seventeenth-Century Quaker Writings

    This article explores how Seventeenth-century Quakers interpreted the biblical narrative of Nimrod and the Tower of Babel, emphasizing the theme of confusion and tyranny associated with Babel and Nimrod. It discusses how early Friends saw Babel as symbolic of spiritual and social confusion caused by human pride and disobedience, contrasting the original spiritual language of…

  • “A Stone Bridge North,” by Kate Maloy & “Driving By Moonlight” by Kristin Henderson* Reviews

    This article reviews two memoirs by Quaker women that offer deeply personal and contrasting insights into Quaker faith and life amid historical events. Kate Maloy’s “A Stone Bridge North” reflects a serene rediscovery of faith before 9/11, while Kristin Henderson’s “Driving By Moonlight” wrestles with faith and the peace testimony in the turbulent aftermath of…

  • About the Contributors, #9

    Stephen W. Angell is the Leatherock Professor of Quaker Studies at the Earlham School of Religion. Chuck Fager is Editor of Quaker Theology and Director of Quaker House in Fayetteville, North Carolina. His most recent books include Shaggy Locks & Birkenstocke: Exploring Liberal Quaker Theology, and A Quaker Declaration of War. David Johns is Assistant…