Quaker Theology

Northwest Yearly Meeting Schism

  • 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…

  • George Fox University and West Hills Friends:

    This article examines the controversy at George Fox University concerning the housing of a transgender student, Jayce M., and the university’s policies grounded in evangelical Christian beliefs on sexual purity. It highlights the conflict between the university’s adherence to traditional gender and sexual norms and the calls from some Quaker leaders and groups within Northwest…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • Part II: Northwest Yearly Meeting Elders “Release” (i.e., Expel) West Hills Friends Meeting

    This article details the 2015 expulsion (“release”) of West Hills Friends Meeting (WHF) from the Northwest Yearly Meeting (NWYM) due to WHF’s affirmation and marriage of same-sex couples, which was deemed noncompliant with NWYM’s Faith & Practice. It explores the history of the conflict, differing views within NWYM on human sexuality, the disciplinary process led…