Quaker Theology

Quaker Activism – Non-Military

  • 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…

  • Divine Protection through Extraordinary Dangers

    This post recounts the remarkable story of Jacob and Elizabeth Goff and their family’s experiences during the Irish Rebellion of 1798, highlighting their steadfast Quaker pacifism and reliance on divine protection. It details the severe trials they endured, including threats, loss, and violence, while maintaining their testimonies of peace and faith. The narrative also describes…

  • Wiliam Rotch of Nantucket A Quaker Hero

    This post recounts the life and legacy of William Rotch, a prominent Quaker businessman from Nantucket who played a significant role in the American whaling industry and Quaker culture. It highlights Rotch’s contributions during and after the Revolutionary War, including his leadership within New England Yearly Meeting and support of Quaker education.

  • A Biographical Sketch of Chuck Fager

    Chuck Fager was born in Kansas in 1942. The oldest of eleven children, he was raised in a Catholic, military family on Air Force bases, principally in California, Puerto Rico and Wyoming. After nearly enrolling in the U.S. Air Force Academy, he attended Colorado State University, where he won medals in Air Force ROTC. He…

  • Back From The Brink: North Carolina Yearly Meeting Says No To A Split

    The North Carolina Yearly Meeting (NCYM) recently decided against splitting over longstanding tensions between evangelical and liberal meetings, choosing instead to reorganize with subgroups under one umbrella. This decision ends a two-year purge effort and opens the possibility for future peaceful coexistence, although challenges such as declining youth participation and ongoing theological diversity remain. The…

  • The Death of Peg Morton: A View from Eugene Friends Meeting

    The post recounts the last public gathering of Peg Morton at Eugene Friends Meeting, where she announced her decision to willingly end her life by fasting, framing it as both a personal and political act rooted in her long history of activism and Quaker beliefs. It also chronicles her life journey, including her struggles with…

  • Thunder In Carolina, Part Two: North Carolina Yearly Meeting – FUM And “Unity” vs. Uniformity

    This article details the 2014-2015 theological and organizational conflict within North Carolina Yearly Meeting – Friends United Meeting (NCYM-FUM), centered on efforts to enforce doctrinal uniformity and the resulting push for separation by liberal and “dually affiliated” meetings. It recounts the failed attempts to expel these meetings, the formation of new associations by departing congregations,…

  • 00. Can the American Friends Service Committee Get Its Quaker Groove Back?

    This article analyzes the American Friends Service Committee’s (AFSC) current crisis involving organizational decline and disconnection from its Quaker roots, especially in terms of donor base and identity. The author argues that AFSC’s survival depends on re-establishing strong ties with the Religious Society of Friends through renewed historical awareness, re-engagement with Quaker communities, and strategic…

  • PRELUDE: Two Documents From Discussion held at FGC in Richmond, Indiana, July, 1979

    This article summarizes the concerns raised by over 150 Friends in 1979 during open meetings at the Friends General Conference regarding the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC). The concerns highlight issues with AFSC’s structure, communication, staff composition, commitment to Quaker principles, and program directions. The discussion is framed within a broader reconsideration of the meaning…

  • 01: “Truly Radical, Non-violent, Friendly Approaches”

    This article examines longstanding internal challenges faced by the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), focusing on criticisms from within liberal Quaker circles regarding its governance, professionalization, diminished explicit religious commitment, and political stances. The piece chronicles tensions from the AFSC’s founding in 1917 through the late 20th century, highlighting key moments of internal dissent and…

  • 02: From Supporter to Friendly Critic: How AFSC Changed Me

    The article reflects on H. Larry Ingle’s evolving perspective on the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), highlighting his initial support and later criticism of the organization’s shift away from strong Quaker influence. He details the challenges of AFSC’s governance, the move toward professional staff over volunteer Friends, and the dilution of Quaker identity within the…

  • 03: The Cold War’s Effect AFSC, 1947-49

    The article examines the impact of the Cold War on the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) between 1947 and 1949, highlighting its transition from a primarily relief-oriented Quaker institution to a politically engaged organization critiquing American foreign policy. It explores the internal debates over professionalization, political involvement, and the tension between maintaining Quaker identity and…

  • AFSC and Southern Appalachian Yearly Meeting & Association

    The article discusses the Southern Appalachian Yearly Meeting & Association’s (SAYMA) 2011 request to the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) for data on the number and percentage of active Quaker staff involved in the organization. It highlights the AFSC board’s dismissive response and the ongoing concerns about maintaining the Quaker character of AFSC through active…

  • 07: A Flicker of Hope: A Friendly Letter

    The article discusses a pivotal 1981 meeting aimed at bridging growing divisions within American Quakerism, particularly concerning the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC). It highlights internal critiques around the AFSC’s diminishing Quaker identity, governance issues, and lack of responsiveness, proposing significant reforms to restore Quaker representation and unity.

  • 08: Another False Dawn: AFSC, 1991-1992

    The article reviews the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) during its 1991-1992 period, focusing on its challenges related to leadership, finances, and strained relationships with Quaker constituencies, especially “Disaffected Friends.” It highlights tensions between AFSC’s institutional culture and traditional Quaker identity, emphasizing hopes for reform with new leadership but expressing skepticism about meaningful change.

  • 09: Introduction to Quaker Service at the Crossroads – 1988

    This article presents a detailed critique and multifaceted discussion regarding the evolution and current state of the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) as analyzed in Guenter Lewy’s 1988 book. It explores internal Quaker debates over the AFSC’s faithfulness to its Quaker roots, pacifist principles, and social mission alongside proposals for reform or disassociation.

  • 10: Gilbert White & AFSC: A Letter to the Editor, Friends Journal, 2006

    This letter to the editor addresses concerns raised by Gilbert White regarding the governance and direction of the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) in the late 1960s. The authors emphasize the importance of openly discussing these longstanding issues about AFSC’s board-staff balance and its connection to the Religious Society of Friends, calling for a renewed…

  • 11: Can the AFSC Get Its Quaker Groove Back?

    The article examines the American Friends Service Committee’s (AFSC) decline due to its disconnection from the Religious Society of Friends and loss of a distinct Quaker identity. It argues that AFSC’s future depends on reestablishing ties with its Quaker roots, engaging younger generations through historical activism campaigns, and repositioning itself within the Quaker community to…

  • An Increasingly Familiar Story: Northwest Yearly Meeting Expulsions & Sequelae

    This article examines the 2017 expulsions of LGBT-affirming meetings from Northwest Yearly Meeting (NWYM), the formation of a new body called Sierra-Cascades Yearly Meeting of Friends, and the ongoing challenges faced by these groups in creating inclusive and viable Quaker communities amidst institutional decline. It highlights tensions over governance, the legacy of pastoral structures, and…

  • Lucretia Mott & The Perils of Dissent – Excerpts from James & Lucretia Mott, Life & Letters.

    This post recounts the challenges faced by Lucretia Mott and her husband James within the Quaker community due to their abolitionist and reformist stances, highlighting their experiences of exclusion, intolerance, and opposition at Quaker meetings in Ohio and Indiana. It emphasizes Mott’s unwavering commitment to justice and moral principle despite social ostracism and personal suffering.

  • 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.

  • Milton Mayer, Quaker Hedgehog

    A Review and Profile, by H. Larry Ingle Reprinted from Quaker Theology #8, 2003 Oxford-educated political scientist Isaiah Berlin, in his minor classic “The Hedgehog and the Fox” (1953), divided people into two groups, those who understood one big thing like the hedgehog and those, like the fox, who knew many things. The subject of…

  • 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.

  • Jim Corbett, Sanctuary Prophet of Post-Desert Quakerism

    This article profiles Jim Corbett, a Quaker activist and founder of the 1980s Sanctuary movement, which aided Latin American refugees fleeing U.S.-supported wars. It highlights Corbett’s unique spiritual journey as a Quaker “unbeliever,” his discovery of the prophetic faith, and his vision of the Church as a diverse, ecumenical people dedicated to justice and peace.

  • 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…

  • Resisting Oppression: Friends and the Stuart Restoration, 1660-1689

    The article explores the response of Quakers to the Stuart Restoration (1660-1689), detailing their persecution, internal organization, and evolving political engagement. It highlights key figures like George Fox, Margaret Fell, and William Penn, and traces Quakers’ efforts toward religious toleration culminating in the 1689 Act of Toleration.

  • 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.

  • Tom Fox: In Memoriam: Introduction

    This article is an in-depth memorial tribute to Tom Fox, a Quaker and Christian Peacemaker Teams member who was kidnapped and murdered in Iraq in 2005. It recounts his path from military musician to peace activist, the efforts to secure his release, and the broader significance of his commitment to peace in violent contexts.

  • A Godly Play Story About Tom Fox

    Today I want to tell you about a Quaker man named Tom Fox who believed in walking cheerfully over the earth answering to that of God in everyone. Tom was a dad. He had 2 children, a girl and a boy. Tom loved his children and loved being a dad. He loved to cook and…

  • Feeling Light Within: Peg Morton Remembered For The Way She Lived and Died

    Peg Morton, a dedicated Quaker activist known for her political engagement and spiritual life, chose to end her life through fasting as a conscious and spiritual decision. Her life was marked by a commitment to peace, justice, and solidarity with oppressed peoples, and she remained hopeful about a growing global spirit of nonviolent change until…

  • North Carolina & Northwest Yearly Meeting Updates: Ambushed, Sandbagged, and Kicked Down The Road

    The post details deep divisions within North Carolina Yearly Meeting (NCYM) and Northwest Yearly Meeting (NWYM) regarding issues of LGBT inclusion, doctrinal authority, and disciplinary processes. It describes attempts to reimpose orthodox control, resulting in schisms, the departure of meetings, and struggles over the enforcement of Faith & Practice. The narrative also speculates on the…

  • Mary Dyer Musings – A Measure of Light , A Novel by Beth Powning, and Mary’s Joy, a Play by Jeanmarie Simpson

    Jeanmarie Simpson Following a 2005 performance of my play, A Single Woman, about the life of first US Congresswoman and lifelong pacifist, Jeannette Rankin, I was approached by a Quaker woman. She was moved by my work and felt compelled to tell me about Mary Dyer, whom she described as a Quaker martyr. She thought I…

  • “Holy Nation: The Transatlantic Quaker Ministry in an Age of Revolution”* Reviewed

    The review critiques Sarah Crabtree’s book *Holy Nation*, which explores the “Zion tradition” in early Quakerism, highlighting a sense of chosenness and a unique identity akin to biblical Israel that shaped their activism and communal life. While the book’s thesis offers valuable insights into Quaker history and social reform, the reviewer points out numerous factual…

  • Thunder In Carolina: North Carolina Yearly Meeting – FUM

    The article explores the internal conflict within North Carolina Yearly Meeting-FUM (NCYM-FUM), focusing on a potential schism driven by disputes over mission, morality, marriage, and money. It details the conservative evangelical push led by Poplar Ridge Meeting to enforce doctrinal unity and exclude liberal/quasi-universalist meetings, contrasted with the resistance from targeted meetings such as New…

  • Links to NCYM-FUM letters online

    This article provides direct links to various letters related to the NCYM-FUM, including protesting letters from different Quaker meetings and responses to those protests. It serves as an online resource for accessing these historical and contemporary communications.

  • “From Personality & Place”* An Excerpt

    The article explores the intertwined themes of personalism and place in Quaker history, particularly at Pendle Hill, emphasizing community, spirituality, and social justice. It highlights significant figures like Teresina Rowell and Wilmer and Mildred Young, who embodied Quaker ideals through intentional community living, racial justice, and nonviolence amid capitalist challenges. The piece also situates Pendle…

  • “A Convergent Model of Renewal: Remixing the Quaker Tradition in a Participatory Culture”*

    The post reviews C. Wess Daniels’ book proposing a “convergent” renewal of Quakerism through blending diverse branches in a participatory cultural context, especially among younger Friends. It critically assesses the book’s argument, the historical pattern of attempted renewals, and the example of Freedom Friends Church, while reflecting on challenges such as declining membership and doctrinal…

  • “From Peace to Freedom: Quaker Rhetoric and the Birth of American Antislavery, 1657-1761″*

    This article reviews Brycchan Carey’s work on the early Quaker opposition to slavery in America, highlighting the significance of George Fox’s 1657 epistle as a foundational anti-slavery statement. It explores the complexity of Quaker abolitionism, including prominent figures like Anthony Benezet and John Woolman, and considers the ongoing challenges in public recognition of Quaker contributions…

  • “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.

  • “Remaking Friends: How Progressive Friends Changed Quakerism & Helped Save America, 1822-1940″* A Review

    This review of Chuck Fager’s *Remaking Friends* examines the historical role of the Progressive Friends, a radical nineteenth-century Quaker group influential in shaping modern liberal Quakerism. The book highlights their activism in abolition, women’s rights, and liberal theology, while also noting tensions with mainstream Hicksite Quakers and connections to Unitarian and broader reform movements. Despite…

  • Blessed Unrest: The Radical Act of Gathering

    This article draws historical and legal parallels between early Quaker persecution for unlawful assemblies in 17th-century England and the modern Moral Monday protests in North Carolina. It details William Penn’s landmark trial defending the right to assemble and connects it to the experiences of contemporary Quaker activists, highlighting the ongoing struggle for civil liberties, community…

  • Separation Accomplished: New Beginnings for a New Association of Friends and a “Reconfigured” Indiana Yearly Meeting

    This detailed article examines the 2013 separation and “reconfiguration” of Indiana Yearly Meeting (IYM), which resulted in the establishment of the New Association of Friends and a smaller, reconfigured IYM. The division was largely driven by disagreements over Biblical authority, homosexuality, and yearly meeting authority, with both groups expressing relief and a hope for future…

  • “The Oxford Handbook of Quaker Studies”*

    The post is a detailed review of “The Oxford Handbook of Quaker Studies,” critiquing its high cost, Euro-American focus, and mixed scholarly content while highlighting valuable chapters and suggesting ways to improve accessibility through open access publishing. It addresses the complexities and contradictions within Quaker history, theology, and practice presented in the book, alongside underrepresented…

  • Northwest Yearly Meeting and “Shattering” Conflict: Chapter One

    This article details the escalating conflict within Northwest Yearly Meeting of Evangelical Friends over LGBTQ inclusion, focusing on the schism triggered by West Hills Friends Church’s public welcoming stance. It outlines the historical and theological background, the struggle for LGBTQ recognition at George Fox University, and the eventual ultimatum faced by West Hills Friends threatening…

  • The Battle for Battle Creek: Sectarian Competition in the Yankee West

    This article explores the history of liberal sectarianism in Battle Creek, Michigan, particularly focusing on the Hicksite Quakers and Progressive Friends in the 19th century. It highlights their influence on the city’s religious landscape, social reform movements, and the development of Seventh-Day Adventism and Battle Creek’s health and cereal industries. The article also discusses the…

  • “An Excerpt from Howard and Anna Brinton: Re-inventors of Quakerism In the Twentieth Century, An Interpretive Biography”*

    By Anthony Manousos Growing Up in “Brinton Country” To tell the story of the Brintons or of the Beans and the Coxes, Anna’s family, is to tell the story of Quakerism as it developed in America. Anna and Howard both took pride in the fact that they could trace their ancestry to the early days…

  • Christianity and War, and Other Essays Against the Warfare State.

    This post reviews Laurence M. Vance’s book *Christianity and War, and Other Essays Against the Warfare State*, which critiques the deep entanglement of American evangelical Christianity with militarism. Vance argues from an orthodox, fundamentalist perspective against the theological justifications for U.S. wars, exposing “American War Christianity” as a dangerous and idolatrous mindset that conflates national…

  • Two Current Conflicts in Midwestern Friends Meetings

    This article explores two significant ongoing conflicts within Midwestern Friends Meetings, focusing on West Richmond Friends Meeting in Indiana and Western Yearly Meeting. It details the theological, ecclesiological, and social tensions surrounding issues of LGBTQ inclusion, doctrinal purity, and the challenges of balancing congregational autonomy with yearly meeting authority, highlighting impacts on community unity and…

  • 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…

  • “A History of Southland College: The Society of Friends and Black Education in Arkansas,”* A Review

    This review discusses Thomas C. Kennedy’s detailed historical account of Southland College, a Quaker institution dedicated to African-American education in Arkansas from 1864 to 1925. It explores the challenges of racial violence, financial struggles, evangelical Quaker efforts, and the eventual decline of the school amid shifts in Quaker racial attitudes and leadership conflicts. Kennedy’s work…

  • Enacting Truth: The Dynamics of Quaker Practice

    Douglas Gwyn analyzes the dynamic structure of Quaker practice in seeking and enacting truth on four levels: individual practice, monthly meetings, yearly meetings, and informal networks of concern. He critiques the decline in answering yearly meeting queries, arguing that this short-circuits Quaker discernment and social witness, and illustrates his points with historical examples and the…

  • “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…

  • Update & Preview Philip Gulley, Western Yearly Meeting, And An Excerpt from His Forthcoming Book

    This post discusses the controversy surrounding Philip Gulley, a Quaker pastor whose universalist theology led to attempts to revoke his ministerial credentials within Western Yearly Meeting. Gulley critiques traditional Christian worship’s focus on Jesus’ divinity, arguing instead for seeing Jesus as a model for living whose teachings emphasize compassion and service rather than theological orthodoxy.

  • A Quaker in a Material World: A Materialist Perspective

    The article explores the compatibility of materialism, which views reality as solely physical and deterministic, with Quaker beliefs and practices. It argues that materialists can live meaningful, ethical lives aligned with Quaker values without traditional theistic beliefs, and advocates for greater inclusion and outreach to materialists within the Religious Society of Friends. The author emphasizes…

  • 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…