Quaker Theology

War, Politics and International Witness

Examines Quaker engagement with war, political power, and international affairs, including tensions between peace testimony and national loyalty. Explores Friends’ responses to conflict through conscientious objection, relief work, reconciliation, and public advocacy, tracing the challenges of sustaining a religious witness across national boundaries.

  • “Quiet Heroes: A Century of American Quakers’ Love and Help for the Japanese and Japanese-American”* A Review

    The article reviews “Quiet Heroes,” a book highlighting the century-long efforts of American Quakers who ministered to and advocated for Japanese and Japanese-Americans, particularly those interned during World War II. It details key figures like Herbert Nicholson and Esther Rhoads, Quaker missionaries and activists who provided support during internment, and explores the broader history of…

  • Ham Sok Hon: “Voice of the People and Pioneer of Religious Pluralism in Twentieth Century Korea;” Biography of a Korean Quaker.*

    This article reviews the biography of Ham Sok Hon, a Korean Quaker and religious pluralist who resisted various oppressive regimes throughout twentieth-century Korea. Ham’s life was marked by repeated imprisonment due to his spiritual quest for inner freedom and his advocacy for Korean identity and democracy, leaving a lasting influence on Korean dissidents and society.…

  • Pickett vs. Chambers: A Case Study of Elite Class Power

    This article examines the conflict between Clarence E. Pickett, leader of the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), and Whittaker Chambers, a Quaker who broke with communism and accused Alger Hiss of espionage. It reveals how elite Quaker power influenced public perception and internal Quaker relations, highlighting tensions between political and religious integrity within 20th-century American…

  • Whittaker Chambers, Alger Hiss, and Quaker Leadership: A Problem for Friends

    This article explores the complex and largely overlooked Quaker identity of Whittaker Chambers, a key figure in the Alger Hiss espionage case, and the challenges he faced within the Quaker community, particularly from Clarence Pickett. Chambers’s deep Quaker faith influenced his anti-Communist testimony, yet he was marginalized by Quaker leaders due to political and theological…

  • “The Evolutionary Potential of Quakerism” Revisited From Kenneth Boulding to John Bellers

    This article explores the concept of the “evolutionary potential of Quakerism,” tracing its origins from Kenneth Boulding’s 1964 lecture to the pioneering social and economic ideas of 17th-century Quaker John Bellers. It highlights Bellers’ innovative proposals for education, healthcare, social equity, and peace, situating his contributions within the broader Quaker ethos and their ongoing relevance…

  • Everyday/Extraordinary Resistance: Two True Stories from the Vietnam Years

    The post details two true stories of Quaker resistance during the Vietnam War era. Marion Anderson recounts her bold act of delivering anti-war literature directly to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, while Ken Maher describes his involvement in a clandestine network helping draft evaders escape to Canada, known as the Vietnam Era Underground Railroad.

  • Nixon’s First Cover-Up, The Religious Life of A Quaker President

    Nixon’s First Cover-Up, The Religious Life of A Quaker President. By H. Larry Ingle. University of Missouri, 271 pages. Reflections on a “Quaker” President Who Wasn’t Actually a Quaker By Lon Fendall [Note: This essay was originally presented to a panel at the 2015 American Academy of Religion meeting in Atlanta, Georgia.] I want to…