Quaker Theology

Peacemaking

  • Theology & Peace Witness by Chuck Fager

    This post is a detailed letter about the unique theological and practical challenges faced by the Director of Quaker House at Fayetteville-Fort Bragg, a peace witness mission operating within a military culture. It explores the enduring military-industrial complex as a pervasive spiritual and cultural influence, the isolation experienced by peace activists, and the need for…

  • From “The Church, the Draft Board, and Me” by George Amoss, Jr.

    This article recounts George Amoss Jr.’s journey from his early years as a Catholic seminarian faced with moral and institutional failures to his evolving pacifist stance during the Vietnam War draft. It culminates in his transition to Quakerism, where he finds a faith centered on direct spiritual experience, love, and social witness without reliance on…

  • “To Be Broken and Tender: A Quaker Theology for Today”* A Review

    This review of Margery Post Abbott’s book “To Be Broken and Tender: A Quaker Theology for Today” highlights its engaging and accessible style, blending traditional Quaker spirituality with contemporary and mystical elements. Abbott’s theology is described as progressive and inclusive, drawing on Christian and non-Christian spirituality while emphasizing humility, brokenness, and peacemaking.

  • Joseph Southall & The Ghosts of the Slain:

    The post highlights Joseph Southall, a British Quaker artist and pacifist who used his art to protest World War One and militarism. It focuses on his 1917 allegorical pamphlet “The Ghosts of the Slain,” which condemned politicians, munitions makers, and churches supporting war, emphasizing the Quaker commitment to peace and draft resistance.

  • 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.

  • Remembering Tom Fox Introduction to: Tom Fox Was My Friend. Yours, Too.

    The post recounts the life and tragic death of Tom Fox, a Quaker and Christian Peacemaker Team member kidnapped and killed in Iraq in 2006. It highlights Tom’s dedication to peace activism, his faith-driven decision to pursue nonviolent witness in conflict zones, and the efforts to raise awareness and advocate for his release. The article…

  • Passages by Tom Fox & James Loney

    This post shares reflections from James Loney and Tom Fox on captivity, pacifism, and peacebuilding in violent contexts like Iraq. It explores the paradox of relying on military forces for protection while maintaining Christian pacifist convictions and emphasizes standing firm in peace despite fear and aggression. The post also highlights the spiritual practice of seeking…

  • The Quaker Peace Testimony as Questing Beast

    The article explores the multifaceted nature of the Quaker Peace Testimony, likening it to the mythical Questing Beast—a complex and elusive entity that embodies various perspectives on pacifism, nonviolence, and peacemaking. It examines historical foundations, personal and corporate interpretations, definitions of violence, and the challenges Friends face in living out this testimony authentically today.

  • Study War Some More (If You Want to Work for Peace)

    This article explores the complexity and history of the Quaker Peace Testimony, emphasizing the need for a strategic, long-term approach to peace work. It critiques the influence of the U.S. military-industrial complex, highlights the spiritual dimensions of militarism, and advocates learning from military strategy to enhance Quaker peace activism. The author proposes a “Hundred-Year Lamb’s…

  • Review Essay: Resistance Theology in Niebuhr, Barth, Rauschenbush & Dorrien; Irony & Living a Theological Saga

    This review essay analyzes Gary Dorrien’s extensive works on American liberal theology, focusing on key theologians like Karl Barth, Walter Rauschenbush, and Reinhold Niebuhr, particularly their resistance to war and militarism. It highlights the tension between liberal theology and emerging neoconservatism, and calls for theological reflection that supports resistance to militarism and the “war spirit”…

  • Forgiveness over Khmer Rouge: a journey or an obligation? A Beginning of Dialogue

    This article presents an interview with Claire Ly, a survivor of the Khmer Rouge regime, who reflects on the complex and deeply personal nature of forgiveness in the context of mass atrocities. It explores the intersections of Buddhist and Christian perspectives on forgiveness, the spiritual struggle of victims, and the challenges of justice and reconciliation…

  • “Paper Trail: Writings from the Front Line of Peace Action, Quaker House/Fort Bragg, 2001-2012″* A Review

    This review of Chuck Fager’s book *Paper Trail* highlights its comprehensive and heartfelt account of peace activism during a highly militarized era. The book discusses peace efforts connected to military families, torture, and the Iraq war, emphasizing the human and moral costs of conflict while celebrating personal and community commitment to peace.

  • Postscript: Allen Jay on the Spirit of Separation

    The article highlights Allen Jay’s role as a peacemaker among divided Quaker groups in the nineteenth century. Jay emphasized the futility of separation over doctrinal differences and advocated for unity and mutual respect among Friends. His reflections provide insight into the negative impact of divisions on the Quaker community and the importance of love and…

  • My Theology of Peacemaking

    The article explores a theology of peacemaking grounded in forgiveness, reconciliation, and non-violence, drawing heavily from experiences with the Healing and Rebuilding Our Communities (HROC) program in the African Great Lakes region. It emphasizes the transformative power of forgiveness, even in the face of horrific violence like genocide, and advocates for rebuilding relationships based on…

  • “Hostage In Iraq” & “118 Days: Christian Peacemaker Teams Held Hostage in Iraq”* Reviewed

    This review critically examines two books about the kidnapping of Christian Peacemaker Teams members in Iraq, focusing on the theological, strategic, and practical issues around martyrdom and peace activism. It highlights the recklessness of some peaceworkers, contrasts preparedness between hostages, and addresses the profound challenges faced by one gay captive and the LGBT community’s need…

  • “Study War Some More (If You Want to Work for Peace),”* A Review

    This article reviews Chuck Fager’s book “Study War Some More (If You Want to Work for Peace),” highlighting its call for a rigorous, long-term peace strategy informed by biblical reflection, Quaker history, and lessons from military strategy. Fager critiques simplistic pacifism and urges Friends to engage thoughtfully with the military-industrial complex through sustained, visionary peace…

  • The Sermon on the Mount in the Life and Death of Tom Fox

    This article recounts the life and spiritual journey of Tom Fox, a Quaker and Christian Peacemaker Teams member who dedicated himself to nonviolent peacemaking inspired by the Sermon on the Mount. It highlights his transformation from a Marine Band clarinetist to a committed peaceworker in Iraq, his reflections on love, forgiveness, and justice, and the…

  • “Many Friends do not know ‘where they are’: Some Divisions in London Yearly Meeting During the First World War”

    The article explores the divisions among British Quakers in London Yearly Meeting during World War I over their peace testimony. It contrasts the experiences and perspectives of two prominent Quakers: Wilfrid Littleboy, an absolutist pacifist imprisoned for his stance, and Walter Trevelyan Thomson, a Quaker who supported the war effort and served in the military.…

  • Peace Theology and Foundations for Ecumenical Dialogue

    This article explores the complexities of peace theology within Christian traditions, focusing on the challenges and foundations necessary for ecumenical dialogue among historic peace churches and other Christian communities. It emphasizes the importance of recognizing diverse theological legacies, embodying faith in lived experience, and fostering a spirit of covenantal fellowship to advance shared understandings of…

  • Milton Mayer, Quaker Hedgehog

    This article profiles Milton Mayer, a twentieth-century Quaker and writer known for his critique of state authority and individual corruption. Mayer’s major work, *They Thought They Were Free*, examines the gradual acquiescence of ordinary Germans to Nazism, highlighting the importance of early resistance to institutional power. His lifelong commitment to moral individualism and opposition to…

  • Quakers and The Lamb’s War: A Hermeneutic for Confronting Evil, Non-Violent Resistance

    This article explores the Quaker peace testimony as an active, nonviolent resistance rooted in spiritual warfare, tracing its historical development from early Quaker times through the twentieth century. It emphasizes the theological and communal foundations of Quaker pacifism, recent hermeneutics that interpret Jesus’ teachings as advocating assertive nonviolence, and practical models like the Alternatives to…

  • Abolishing War? An Appeal to Christian Leaders and Theologians

    This article is an appeal by Christian theologians Stanley Hauerwas and Enda McDonagh calling for the abolition of war as a means of resolving political conflicts. Drawing on the teachings of Jesus Christ and early Christian pacifism, it critiques the just war tradition and urges Christians to lead a global effort towards peace through non-violent…

  • Editor’s Introduction, # 7

    This issue of Quaker Theology covers diverse themes including a call for interfaith collaboration to end war, the importance of rebuilding strong Quaker meeting communities through eucharistic practices, personal spiritual journeys from Quakerism to Orthodoxy, and ethnographic insights into indigenous ceremonies in Mexico. It emphasizes the intellectual and communal work needed to sustain Quaker peace…

  • A Great Deep: The Peace Testimony and Historical Realism

    This article critically examines the historical complexities and ambiguities surrounding the Quaker Peace Testimony, particularly through the lens of colonial Rhode Island during King Philip’s War and British Quakerism during the early 20th century. It highlights how Quaker pacifism has evolved amid internal conflicts, societal pressures, and differing interpretations, ultimately emphasizing the need for honest…

  • Stillness: Surrounding, Sustaining, Strengthening

    The post reflects on the theme of stillness through three vivid images: a peaceful summer afternoon at a loved one’s deathbed, the deceptive silence in Mozart’s opera The Magic Flute, and the profound stillness of Jesus on the cross. It explores the spiritual dimensions and complexities of stillness in these contexts, emphasizing God’s sustaining presence…

  • Quaker Peace Witness After 9/11 – A Resource List

    This article provides a curated resource list to support Friends in reflecting on and sustaining their Peace Testimony in the aftermath of 9/11. It includes recommended books, essays, historical background, theological perspectives, and contemporary peace studies, emphasizing spiritual care and the complexity of Quaker pacifism in challenging times.

  • “Refiner’s Fire: A Religious Engagement with Violence”* a Review

    This article reviews Cheryl Kirk-Duggan’s *Refiner’s Fire*, which explores an African American Womanist theological perspective on violence. It highlights the complex engagement of violence within cultural, biblical, and social frameworks, emphasizing how nonviolence is expressed differently across diverse experiences of race, gender, and class.

  • The Bible & Peacemaking — A Response

    This article explores the complex and often ambiguous Biblical teachings on peacemaking, emphasizing the diversity and contradictions within the scriptures. It argues that rather than a cohesive doctrine, the Bible presents a calling to peacemaking that is fraught with paradox and requires ongoing reflection and commitment. The author situates this calling within the Quaker tradition,…

  • What Can The Bible Teach Us About Peacemaking?

    This article explores what the Bible teaches about peacemaking, emphasizing the importance of reading the Bible as a coherent and authoritative text. It outlines a broader Biblical vision of peace (“shalom”) beyond mere pacifism, encompassing justice, truth, mercy, stewardship, and hope, urging active engagement in peacemaking across political, economic, and community spheres.

  • A Report on the North American Launch of the World Council of Churches’ Decade to Overcome Violence

    This article reports on the North American launch of the World Council of Churches’ Decade to Overcome Violence held in Nashville in 2001. It outlines the WCC’s ecumenical commitment to peace and reconciliation, emphasizing the multifaceted nature of violence and the diverse approaches the Decade advocates to address and transform it. The piece highlights Friends’…