Quaker Theology

08. Modern Events and Quakerism

  • Faith, Power, and Trump

    The article explores the responses of three major 20th-century religious thinkers—Reinhold Niebuhr, Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X—to racism and social justice in America, especially during the Civil Rights Movement and the Age of Trump. It contrasts their theological perspectives on faith, power, sacrifice, and activism, critiquing white evangelical support for Trumpism and urging…

  • Encounters from Beyond Quakerism, Belief in Extraterrestrials And the Boundaries of Liberal Religion

    This article explores the Friends Committee on Outworld Relations (FCOR), a small Quaker group from the 1990s dedicated to facilitating friendly communication with extraterrestrials, and the challenges it faced within the liberal Quaker community. Despite Quakerism’s openness to diverse theological views, FCOR’s belief in empirical alien visitation and the desire to engage with extraterrestrials was…

  • “The Dark Side” and “Never Surrender”* Reviewed

    This article reviews two contrasting books about Fort Bragg’s role in post-9/11 U.S. military and intelligence operations. Jane Mayer’s “The Dark Side” exposes the use and spread of torture techniques in U.S. interrogations, while retired General William Boykin’s “Never Surrender” promotes an apocalyptic religious worldview justifying the war on terror. The review highlights the starkly…

  • Four Publications on Torture

    This article reviews four publications that examine the history, methods, and ongoing use of torture by the CIA from the Cold War to the War on Terror, highlighting the institutional and psychological mechanisms behind it. It also details local North Carolina activism against the “Torture Industrial Complex,” including Quaker efforts to educate and witness against…

  • Questions for the Movement: Property Damage as a Tactic in Nonviolent Actions

    This article examines the contentious issue of property damage as a tactic within nonviolent movements for social change. It contrasts the Gandhian/Kingian philosophy of strict nonviolence with the Berrigan tradition that views property damage as a strategic tactic, emphasizing the need for careful context, intent, and scale considerations. The author advocates for a nuanced approach…

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

    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…

  • 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.