07. Modern Quaker Thinking
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What Deathbed Visions Teach Us About Living
The article explores end-of-life visions experienced by dying patients, highlighting research by Dr. Chris Kerr and colleagues that documents these visions as common, meaningful, and comforting phenomena. These visions often involve deceased loved ones and help patients and their families find peace and spiritual growth as they approach death.
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The Authenticity of Liberal Quakerism
This article explores the authenticity of liberal Quakerism by examining its views on the church, scripture, Jesus, and Quaker history over the last two centuries. The author argues that liberal Quakerism remains a legitimate and coherent expression of Quaker faith, emphasizing inclusivity, continuing revelation, and the manifestation of the true church beyond doctrinal boundaries. Historical…
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Editor’s Introduction by Chuck Fager
The post introduces a diverse range of Quaker theological topics, including the unique collaboration with Evangelical Friends, narrative theologies from the Vietnam War era, and the unexplored legacy of Quaker involvement with the Ku Klux Klan, particularly focusing on Daisy Douglas Barr. It also features reflections on Quaker peace witness efforts and the political thought…
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Consensus Statement from A Seminar in Quaker Theology
This article presents a consensus statement from a 2001 seminar in Quaker theology, emphasizing Friends’ ongoing search for understanding God through individual and corporate worship. It highlights the notion of divine presence in all people and nature, encourages living out faith through action, and stresses the value of community in nurturing spiritual growth. The statement…
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Friends’ Ecclesiology and The Quaker-Wide Web
The article explores the evolving nature of Quaker ecclesiology, focusing on the challenges faced by American unprogrammed Friends in structuring their Yearly Meetings and broader communities. It reflects on Biblical models of church organization—such as the chosen people, royal priesthood, and amphictyony—to suggest that contemporary Quakerism is moving toward a more federated, voluntary network resembling…
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Beyond the Age of Amnesia
This article examines the historical development and theological evolution of 20th-century liberal Quakerism, highlighting the overlooked influence of the Progressive Friends movement. It discusses how Progressive Friends challenged traditional Quaker ecclesiology and hierarchy, emphasizing individual conscience, democratic congregationalism, and social reform, while also noting their complex relationship with Spiritualism. The piece calls for renewed scholarly…
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Friends as a “Chosen People”
The article explores the concept of Quakers as a “chosen people,” tracing its biblical roots and its evolving meaning within Quaker theology and history. It examines the tensions between particularism and universalism in the idea of chosenness, and emphasizes the importance of heritage, story-telling, and wise witness in nurturing Quaker identity and mission.
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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…
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“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…
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Response: Forgiveness and Letting-Go: An Inter-Religious and Internal Dialogue Sallie B. King
This article explores forgiveness and letting-go through the lens of Buddhism, Christianity, and Judaism, especially in the context of mass trauma such as the Cambodian Holocaust. It highlights differing religious responses, including Buddhist “letting go,” Christian forgiveness, and the Jewish principle of “never forget,” while also discussing trauma healing practices informed by modern psychology and…
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“The Trouble with God: Building the Republic of Heaven”* A Review
The review discusses David Boulton’s exploration of God as a necessary fictional story that societies and individuals cannot do without, even for non-theists. Boulton’s concept of a “Republic of Heaven” highlights God as a symbolic embodiment of human values, with historical roots in radical figures like Gerrard Winstanley. The reviewer contrasts Boulton’s view with the…
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“Godless For God’s Sake: Nontheism In Contemporary Quakerism”* — A Review
This review praises “Godless For God’s Sake,” a book by Quaker non-theists, for its thoughtful and challenging theological reflections within Quakerism. It highlights the deep history of non-theist and humanist thought among Quakers and calls for acceptance and dialogue rather than rejection of such perspectives within the Society of Friends.
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“If Grace Be True: Why God Will Save Every Person*” and “A Treatise on Atonement*” Reviewed
This post reviews the controversial universalist theology presented by Philip Gulley and James Mulholland, who argue that God will ultimately save every person, challenging traditional orthodox views of atonement and eternal punishment. It also discusses Hosea Ballou’s earlier similar universalist ideas, contrasts them with historic Christian doctrines of atonement, and reflects on the theological and…