A Quaker Response to Christian Fundamentalism: A Curriculum for Friends Paperback – January 1, 2007
A Quaker Response to
Christian Fundamentalism
Sallie B. King
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION COMMITTEE
BALTIMORE YEARLY MEETING
RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS
Sallie B. King is a member of Valley Friends Meeting in Harrisonbu rg, Virginia and a former co-Clerk of that Meeting. She is a member of FGC's Christian and Interfaith Relations Committee and the au thor, for that committee, of the pamphlet, "Friends and Other Religions." She is professor of ph ilosoph y an d religion at J am es Madison University and the au thor of many books and articles on Bu ddhism, the cross-cu ltu ral philosophy of religion, and interfaith dialogu e.
Copyright © 2003 by Sallie B. King
Pu blished 2003 by Baltimore Yearly Meeting
Repu blished electronically 2005 by BYM with permission of the au thor http:/ / www.bym-rsf.org/ email: bym@bym-rsf.org
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Introduction
This cu rricu lu m was born of necessity. Valley Friends Meeting, in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, is located in an area of strong Christian conservatism. Recently ou r Meeting discovered that, despite their Qu aker u pbringing and First Day School edu cation, a nu mber of ou r children were u n prepa red to m eet th e ch a llen ges of Ch ristia n fu ndamentalism. When friends, schoolmates or neighbors challenge them, as they frequ ently do, insisting u pon certain theological views, ou r children often do not know what to say or think. If the exchange tu rns into a verbal attack, as it sometimes does, and ou r children are told that they are going to hell becau se they don’t hold the “tru e” religiou s beliefs, they may be shocked, sometimes qu ite frightened.
We live in a world in wh ich religion can be qu ite aggressive, even with children. I have always thou ght that one of the fu nctions of religiou s edu cation for children is to protect their minds and spirits while their own religiou s exp erien ce a n d in s igh t is d evelop in g. In s tru ction in Friends’ beliefs, history and practices, instru ction even in the Bible, while necessary, has not been enou gh for ou r children. They needed to directly talk and think abou t the ch a llen ges th ey were frequ en tly receivin g from th eir Ch ristian fu n dam en talist peers. Upon in vestigation , we cou ld find no cu rricu lu m su itable for you th that directly addressed this problem from a Friends’ perspective. So I decided to develop one.
The objective of this cu rricu lu m is to help ou r Qu aker you th u n derstan d Ch ristian fu n dam en talism an d ou r differences from it, so that they will not be intimidated, overpowered or confu sed in their interactions with their Christian fu ndamentalist peers. The goal is not to enable ou r you th to argu e better with fu n dam en talists, bu t to u n derstan d th eir own religiou s tradition better in th e context of a prevalent challenge that they face in the world today. While they are likely to find many points of difference from their fu ndamentalist peers, they may also find some poin ts at wh ich th ey m ay be able to bu ild bridges of u nderstanding. I was also very pleased to discover that examining these issu es is a very good way to u nderstand more deeply what Qu aker belief and practice are all abou t.
This cu rricu lu m was designed with high school aged you th in mind. I also hoped it wou ld work for su fficiently matu re middle school you th, bu t I did aim at the level of high school age knowledge and thinking. In the end, it was u sed in a First Day school class consisting of high school, m id d le s ch ool a n d on e excep tion a lly d eep -th in k in g elementary school aged you th.
It did work for u s with that age span, thou gh I do not recommend it for any bu t exceptional children you nger than middle school age. It is a “wordy” cu rricu lu m; most of the time we ju st talked together. We made some clay available to keep th e h an ds of th e you n ger ch ildren bu sy. Som e adu lts sat in on the class from time to time and remarked that they wou ld like to u se the cu rricu lu m in an adu lt setting. Given that many liberal Friends are “refu gees” from m ore con servative Ch ristian den om in ation s, an d m an y more of u s are personally challenged by the strong presence of fu ndamentalism in ou r larger society, it may be that this cu rricu lu m wou ld be u sefu l among adu lt liberal Friends. We have not tried this, bu t I think it wou ld work. This cu rricu lu m presu pposes both verba l a n d experien tia l knowledge of basic Qu aker ideas and practices.
Th is cu rricu lu m is a respon se to Ch ristian fu n damentalism. By fu ndamentalism I do not mean the many other kinds of Christian conservatism or evangelism, and I certainly do not mean mainstream Christianity. I mean t h e k in d of fu n d a m en t a lis m p op u la r ized b y s u ch televangelists as J erry Falwell. I have in mind the set of views th at in clu des: Biblical in erran cy an d literalism , salvation throu gh the su bstitu tionary atonement of J esu s, strong emphasis on hu man sinfu lness, and strict Christian exclu sivism. It is the kind of fu ndamentalism that many of ou r children will encou nter on college campu ses in the form of the Campu s Cru sade for Christ and Intervarsity Christian Fellowship.
Th ere a re, of cou rse, m a n y Qu a ker respon ses to Ch ristian fu n dam en talism . Th is cu rricu lu m cou ld n ot possibly represent all Friends’ thinking and does not intend to. It is a response from the perspective of one Friend from Baltimore Yearly Meeting, in the u nprogrammed tradition of liberal Frien ds. It is in form ed prim arily by m y own experience as a Friend, as well as by inpu t from other liberal Friends, my reading of Friends’ materials both historical and contemporary, and my academic training as a scholar of religion. On the fu ndamentalist side, it is informed by fu ndamentalist stu dents from the u niversity where I teach a n d b y m y exp os u r e t o fu n d a m en t a lis t r a d io a n d p u b lica tion s . It h a s very m u ch b een s h a p ed b y m y experience of working with it in ou r First Day School with ou r Valley Friends you th.
I believe th at on e sou rce of ou r Qu aker ch ildren ’s feelin g of bein g at a disadvan tage in discu ssion s with fu ndamentalist peers is ou r liberal Qu aker avoidance of doctrine and, in many cases, Bible stu dy. We generally feel religiou s tru ths cannot be pu t into words very su ccessfu lly. While I highly esteem this attitu de and the reasons for it in Qu aker spiritu ality, it can make some of ou r you th (and adu lts!) rather tongu e-tied when faced with fu ndamentalist peers who know exactly what they think and can pu t it in to a few, clear words, delivered with a great deal of passion. However, having worked throu gh the ideas in this cu rricu lu m, I have come to the conclu sion that we Friends actu ally are in a particu larly strong position to u nderstand what we think abou t fu ndamentalism and how we differ from it becau se of ou r emphasis on the Light Within. Once we bring this idea to bear on the matter, what seems at first to be a complicated su bject becomes very simple and straightforward.
Ma n y th a n ks to th e you th in th e Va lley Frien ds Meeting First Day School, J anu ary to J u ne, 2001, for their m a n y r ea l a n d s u b s t a n t ive con t r ib u t ion s t o t h is cu rricu lu m . Som e of th eir words are presen ted below. Thanks to Steve Keffer for the experiential Bible reading. Thanks to Chu ck Fager and the Baltimore Yearly Meeting Religiou s Edu cation Committee for important contribu tions made du ring the editing process.
Note:
• The following represents what I said and did. Pleaseadju st it to reflect you r own ideas and experience and the interests and experience of the class.
• Everyone participating in this cu rricu lu m shou ldhave his or her own Bible in class. It will be easier to follow if everyone u ses the same translation, bu t, on the other hand, some interesting insights can come from noticing differences between translations.
• We took tu rn s h avin g th e you th read th e Biblepassages alou d, bu t then asked for volu nteers to explain the passage, rather than having the you th who read also explain it (som etim es it is difficu lt to th in k abou t th e meaning of a passage while reading it alou d).
• The day by day sequ ence shou ld be taken as a rou gh
gu ide. You may find that you cover things more qu ickly or slowly, depending u pon you r grou p.
• It is helpful to have a blackboard or other large surfaceon which to write the main points that are made as they emerge in the discu ssion. We posted several large sheets of paper divided down the middle from top to bottom, with
“Q u a k er is m ” a s t h e t it le of t h e left colu m n a n d
“fu ndamentalism” as the title of the right colu mn. As points were made, we wou ld write them u p in the colu mn in which they belonged. This gave u s a visu al side by side comparison for each point. Using paper had the advantage of allowing u s to re-post the sheets for review pu rposes.
• I wou ld greatly appreciate hearing from Friends whoread or u se this cu rricu lu m abou t you r experience in u sing it or you r ideas for improving it. Ideas for more experiential elements in the cu rricu lu m wou ld be particu larly welcome. Any su ch comments cou ld be addressed to the Religiou s
Edu cation Committee of Baltimore Yearly Meeting, c/ o BYM 17100 Qu aker Lan e, San dy Sprin g MD 20860 (Em ail: bymrsf@igc.org).
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
For more information on some of the topics covered h erein , see:
Marcu s J . Borg, Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time (New York: HarperSanFrancisco, 1994).
Samu el D. Caldwell, “The Inward Light: How Qu akerism
Un ites Un ivers a lis m a n d Ch ris tia n ity” (Religiou s Edu cation Com m ittee, Ph iladelph ia Yearly Meetin g, Religiou s Society of Friends, J anu ary 1997).
Campu s Cru sade For Christ, website: http:/ / www.ccci.org/ faith .h tm l.
J erry Falwell, Editor, The Fundamentalist Phenomenon: The Resurgence of Conservative Christianity (Garden City, New York: Dou bleday-Galilee, 1981).
J erry Falwell, Execu tive Editor, Liberty Bible Commentary (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, 1983).
Bru ce M. Metzger an d Mich ael D. Coogan , The Oxford Companion to the Bible (New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993).
Religiou s Movements Homepage Project of the University of Vir gin ia : fu n d a m en t a lis m h t t p :/ / r eligiou s movements.lib.virginia.edu / nrms/ fu nd.html .
Margaret Ten n yson , Friends and Other Faiths (Lon don :
Qu aker Home Service, 1992).
DAY ONE: What is Christian Fundamentalism?
PART ONE
In trodu ce th e su bject of th e cu rricu lu m : a Qu aker response to Christian fu ndamentalism. It is good to begin experien tially. Th e in stru ctor cou ld explain wh at s/ h e means by Christian fu ndamentalism by relating a story or two of h is / h er exp erien ce in d ea lin g with Ch ris tia n fu ndamentalists, either while growing u p, or as an adu lt.
EXPERIENTIAL EXERCISE. In vite th e you th to tell stories of their own encou nters with fu ndamentalism. Ask how they handled the situ ation and how they felt abou t it. Ou r you th were eager to share these stories and every one of them had things to tell. Give everyone a chance to tell a story and allow them time to talk with each other.
Depending on how mu ch time you have, you cou ld do role playing and act ou t some of these stories. (If the story telling was vivid enou gh, this wou ld not add anything.) Emphasize that what we are not doing in this class is trying to learn better ways to argu e with fu ndamentalists. We are t r yin g t o get clea r on wh a t we t h in k a b ou t wh a t fu ndamentalists say to u s.
TEACHER BACKGROUND: If anyone asks, “What is fu n dam en talism ?” or “Wh ere did fu n dam en talism com e from?” the following information may be helpfu l:
What we call “fu ndamentalism” is a movement that began with a series of pamphlets pu blished between 1910 and 1915 by conservative Chu rch leaders who wanted to defend Christianity against the threat that they perceived in critical Biblical scholarship and Darwinism in particu lar, and the encroachment of science and reason u pon religion in general. They drew u p a list of “fu ndamentals,” belief in which they considered to be essential to the Christian faith. Those fu ndamentals inclu ded belief in: the literal tru th
(and sometimes inerrancy) of the Bible, the deity of Christ, the virgin birth of Christ, the bodily resu rrection of Christ, th e im m an en t secon d com in g of Ch rist, an d th e su bs titu tion a ry a ton em en t of Ch ris t’s d ea th . Note th a t fu ndamentalism can be differentiated from evangelicalism. Th e la tter em ph a s izes bein g “born a ga in ” in Ch ris t. Fu n d a m en t a lis m is t h eologica l; eva n gelica lis m is experiential. The two grou ps can overlap bu t don’t always.
PART TWO
THE KEY POINT d ifferen tia tin g Qu a k eris m a n d Ch ristia n fu n da m en ta lism is ou r respective views on hu man natu re, on what a hu man being most fu ndamentally is. Quakers emphasize the divine Light w ithin. Fundamentalists emphasize human sinfulness. Ou r views on hu man natu re are virtu ally opposite. This is the key point becau se this is the starting point of thinking for both grou ps. From ou r beliefs on h u m a n n a tu re, everyth in g els e in th e two religiou s views follows. Introdu ce and explain this point and write it on you r Qu akerism/ fu ndamentalism chart.
BIBLE STUDY. We can illu strate this point by looking in the Bible. Have the class open their Bibles to Genesis. Explain that there are two accou nts of creation in Genesis; Genesis 1:1-2:4a and Genesis 2:4b-3:24.
Point ou t that fu ndamentalist scholars and chu rches do not accept that there are two creation accou nts; they read the two passages as blending together. Bu t this is not th e view of m ain stream an d liberal sch olars wh o h ave stu died the Bible critically. Ask them to look for differences between the two accou nts as they are read. (You may want to break u p the reading into smaller pieces.) Particu larly stress the accou nts of the creation of hu mans: 1:26-27 and 2:7, 2:18-25 and the story of the Fall, Genesis 3.
As you go along, ask the class to point ou t differences between the two accou nts. Be su re to solicit differences between the accou nts of the creation of hu mans. When done, ou r chart looked like this:
Quakerism
Light Within
Sequence: God makes the plants, then the animals, then humans.
Humans are made "in the image of
God."
Male and female are created equal Fundamentalism
Sinful Human Nature
Sequence: God makes Adam first, then the female, by two very different creative acts of God.
Adam is made of dust into which God breathes the breath of life. Eve is made from Adam's rib.
The male rules over the female
(3:16).
The Fall.
Discussion:
Do these two accou nts look like two stories or one? (We fou nd them to be two very different accou nts that cou ld not be fu lly reconciled with each other.)
What are the two views of hu man natu re that we see in these accou nts? What is the meaning of hu mans being created “in the image of God”? (Does this imply that hu mans are like God in some important way? Certainly it implies that hu mans are basically good.)
What is implied abou t hu man natu re by the Fall? Point ou t that “original sin,” as su ch, is not mentioned. We will discu ss in the next class that this is a later interpretation made by some influ ential Chu rch fathers, bu t it is not in the story itself.
How do you believe life came into being? Solicit students’ views and bring ou t any neglected points. (liberal Qu akers’ views on creation tend to be a combination of religiou s and scientific views. Most Friends feel that God is at the root of the u niverse, that God is the sou rce of life, su stains life and is immanent in u s. On the other hand, few Qu akers take either Biblical creation accou nt as describing in any literal sense how creation u nfolded, generally preferring scientific accou nts on this su bject. Metaphorically, thou gh, Friends tend to feel more in harmony with the first creation accou nt and the idea of hu mans being made “in the image of God,” an idea that seems harmoniou s with the idea of the inner Light. Qu akers directly reject any notion of female su bordination to males, as in the second accou nt.)
How do you think fundamentalists understand creation an d h ow do th ey recon cile th e two Biblical accou n ts? (Fu ndamentalists do not believe that there are two creation accou nts in the Bible. They tend to emphasize the 7 days of creation in the first accou nt and the creation of hu mans an d th e Fall of h u m an kin d from th e secon d accou n t. Fu ndamentalists do not tend to emphasize that hu mankind is made “in the image of God.”)
To su m u p, while there are two creation accou nts, Qu a k ers wou ld feel m ore in h a rm on y with on e a n d fu ndamentalists with the other. The point to emphasize is that both grou ps emphasize those points in the Bible that seem to agree with their u nderstanding, and interpret those points in the light of their u nderstanding. Both grou ps deem ph asize or ign ore th e parts th ey disagree with . Th e difference is that Qu akers will admit that they are doing this, while fu ndamentalists generally will not.
DAY TWO: The Light Within and Human Sinfulness - I
Dr a w a fr es h ch a r t wit h t h e “Qu a k er is m ” a n d “fu ndamentalism” colu mns. Review the idea that the root of th e differen ce between th e two views is th eir greatly differin g views of h u m an n atu re: th e Ligh t With in for Qu akers and hu man sinfu lness for fu ndamentalism. Write these terms on the chart.
EXPERIENTIAL EXERCISE. Invite the class to call to mind a particu lar baby in the Meeting, or one that they know from elsewhere. Discu ss: Can you imagine that child as sinfu l? What wou ld it do to that child to raise him or her with the message that she or he is sinfu l? What wou ld be the resu lt of raising the child with the message that she or he has the Inner Light? Can you recall an occasion in you r childhood when you thou ght of you rself as having the Inner Light, or God, within? What did that mean to you ?
BIBLE STUDY. Open the Bibles again to the accou nt of the Fall in Genesis 3. Review the chapter, rereading any passages you like, inclu ding 3:22-24. Look again and notice that the idea of “original sin” is not in the story.
[Theological backgrou nd. This is one of two abstract, theological points in the cu rricu lu m. It is also one of two points at which the instru ctor will need to “lectu re,” bringing information to the class that the you th generally do not h a ve a cces s t o. Th is m a t er ia l is n eces s a r y t o t h e cu rricu lu m, bu t you can give a shorter or longer version depending u pon the you th in you r class.]
What is “original sin”? “Original sin” is the idea that the sinfu lness of Adam and Eve, their pridefu l disobedience of God, has been transmitted to u s as their descendants. That is, before we actu ally do anything in life, we are born in a condition of sinfu lness, a condition of estrangement or separation from God du e to pride and disobedience. This is the hu man condition.
According to St. Au gu stine (d. 430), the Chu rch father who originated this doctrine, prior to the Fall, hu man beings were able not to sin; after the Fall, we are u nable not to sin. No matter what we do, we sin. However, this view was not accepted by all Chu rch fathers or by the entire Chu rch. A contemporary of St. Au gu stine, Pelagiu s (d. ca. 418) rejected the notion of original sin transmitted to u s from Adam and Eve and argu ed that hu mans are able not to sin. The issu e h as been m u ch debated over th e cen tu ries. Th e great theologian, St. Thomas Aqu inas (ca. 1225-74) – the most important theologian for the Catholic Chu rch – held that hu mans are able not to sin.
The Protestant Reformation retu rned to the pessimistic view of St. Au gu stine that all of ou r actions are sinfu l. Martin Lu ther (1483-1546) argu ed for the total depravity, th e sin fu ln ess, of h u m an bein gs, as did J oh n Calvin . Ch ris tia n fu n d a m en ta lis m , wh ich ten d s to b e m ore Protestant than Catholic, derives its view of hu man natu re from Au gu stine, Lu ther and Calvin.
THE KEY POINT is th at Ch ristian fu n dam en talism holds to a pessimistic view of hu man natu re that it is not possible for hu man beings not to sin; we sin all the time, in everything we do. The “good news” is that people can be saved throu gh Christ, which we’ll talk abou t in another lesson. Liberal Qu akers hold to a more optimistic view of hu man natu re, that we are not born sinfu l. It is possible for hu mans not to sin. Of cou rse sometimes we sin or do wrong, bu t sometimes ou r actions are free of sin. Both of these views have a long history in Christian thou ght and have many adherents today. Both grou ps ju stify their views on the basis of their reading of the Bible.
DISCUSSION: Does th e Qu aker belief in th e Ligh t Within mean that people never sin, that we never do wrong?
What do you think abou t these differing views of hu man n a tu re? (In m y experien ce th is u s u a lly gets a lively discu ssion going.)
Brin g ou t th es e p oin ts in th e d is cu s s ion : It is im portant to be clear that Qu akers are not saying that people never sin, that we never do wrong. That wou ld be a ridicu lou s view! For Qu akers, people can and do sin, bu t it is also very possible for u s not to sin, to live and act pu rely and well. For fu ndamentalism, it is inevitable that we sin in everything we do. That is, for fu ndamentalists, we cannot avoid th e fact th at all ou r action s are sh aped by ou r selfishness and desires. Before the Fall, they say, we lived in a condition of u nity and harmony with God. The Fall was the beginning of ou r separation from God and God’s will. Now we are separate from God, and so act on the basis of ou r own will, not God’s will. Fu ndamentalists believe that when you accept that J esu s died and was resu rrected for you personally, then you have overcome the separation from God, and it becomes possible to overcome sin. For liberal Quakers, we are not separate from God. We have God within, or the Light Within. That is something that we can be more or less in tou ch with, more or less living in, as we go abou t ou r lives. That is why, for Qu akers, it is very possible for u s to act withou t sin, in a godly fashion: becau se we are not s ep a ra te from God , God is in u s a n d with u s . For fu ndamentalism, hu mans are separate, alienated from God, so all ou r actions mu st come from self, not from God, and are th erefore sin fu l. Th is m igh t be su m m arized on th e charts something like this:
Quakerism
Light Within
Creation story #1: made in the image of God
God is inside me.
Optimistic view of human nature.
We can do something good and pure, free of sin (though we also do bad things).
Fundamentalism
Sinful Human Nature Creation story #2: the Fall.
Adam is inside me.
Pessimistic view of human nature.
All our actions are sinful, no matter what.
BIBLE STUDY. Fundamentalists do not have a monopoly on the Bible or its interpretation! Qu akers get a great deal of inspiration and gu idance from it, too, bu t we u nderstand it in ou r own way (which is what all chu rches do!) What sou rces in the Bible su pport the Qu aker idea of the Light Within? In the Bible, what Qu akers call the Light Within is often called th e Holy Spirit or Spirit. Th ere are m an y passages in the Bible that talk abou t the Holy Spirit. Here are some passages to read and discu ss: (There are many appropriate passages on this su bject; please do as mu ch or as little as time and class interest indicate.)
Mark 1:1-8 (esp. 1:8). What do Friends mean by being “baptized by the Holy Spirit”? How does this relate to what we do in Friends Meeting for Worship? (To be baptized by the Holy Spirit, for Friends, is to have an experience of the Light Within. This may happen in or ou t of Meeting for Worsh ip, bu t we pa rticu la rly open ou rselves to su ch experience in worship.)
Mark 1:9-11. What kind of thing is the Spirit in this passage? Is there anything like this in Qu aker religiou s life? (Here the langu age is of the Spirit coming from withou t. The Qu aker idea of an opening to the Light might seem similar, thou gh the langu age there is of something that comes from within.)
Mark 1:12-13. What is the Spirit doing here? Is there anything like this in Qu akerism? (We might feel an inner pu sh of the Spirit, at times, to step ou t of ou r ordinary lives in order to wrestle with spiritu al issu es that weigh heavily u pon u s.)
Mark 13:11. This seems rather different. What kind of thing is the Holy Spirit here? Is there anything like this among Friends? (The Holy Spirit is now within. It is a sou rce of verbal witness. This is m u ch like Qu aker practice of verbal ministry in Meeting for Worship, as well as Qu aker witness and testimonies in ou r society from George Fox to Lucretia Mott to J ohn Woolman to Friends today. Instructors may want to bring examples of any of these Friends in their manner of speaking to their societies.)
J eremiah 2:1-4, 2:9, Isaiah 29:22-30:1, Amos 1:2-3, 3:12. These are Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) prophets. Where do their words come from? Whose words are they speaking? (They believed they were speaking the words of the Lord God. This is what the Hebrew prophets were: those who speak the words of God as God gives those words to say.) How is this similar to Qu aker u nderstanding of speaking as moved by the Spirit?
Take ou t th e h ym n al, Wors hip in Song: A Friends Hymnal, and read the lyrics to some familiar songs we sing in ou r Meetings. “This Little Light of Mine” (#266): Why do the words say, “I’m gonna let it shine,” rather than, “I’m gonna make it shine”? (This langu age presu pposes that the Light Within is there, shining away u nder its own volition, in a sense, and that what we need to do is remove any impediments to its shining, su ch as ou r own selfishness, fear, etc.). “Ubi Caritas” (#222): What do the lyrics imply abou t God? (When we “live in charity and steadfast love” that is the same as God “living in you .”) You may have other favorite songs you ’d like to discu ss in this way.
DAY THREE: The Light Within and Human Sinfulness - II
Review with the class what was learned abou t the Holy Spirit/ Spirit from the Biblical passages read last time.
BIBLE STUDY. Let’s con tin u e lookin g a t Biblica l passages that speak of the Holy Spirit.
Lu ke 11:9-13. From a Qu aker point of view: What kinds of things are we asking and searching for? What does it mean to be given or to find these things? What is the role of th e Holy Spirit in th is? (In n er gu idan ce from th e Ligh t Within is a great gift from God.) Why do you need to search if you have already got the Light Within? (To get in tou ch with it; to activate it.) A passage like this speaks so clearly to Friends of inner gu idance from the Light Within. Now let’s consider: what might a fu ndamentalist read in this passage? (Seeking and finding might mean that we need to ask J esu s to come into ou r lives.) Experientially, how m igh t experien cin g th e Ligh t With in an d experien cin g J esu s coming into you r life be similar or different?
Acts 2:1-21, 32-33, 37-39. From a Quaker point of view: What is happening here? What is the role of the Holy Spirit in this? What kind of thing is the Holy Spirit shown to be here? What do you see in these passages that seems to ju stify som e Qu aker beliefs an d practices? (As in Mark 13:11, the Holy Spirit descends u pon people and cau ses them to speak. This might ju stify ou r notion of being moved to speak in Meeting by the Spirit, thou gh we don’t believe this happens in foreign tongu es – or seems so ou t of control! We do believe that this Spirit is given to all. Receiving the Spirit experientially (again, not u su ally this dramatically) is what Qu akers call “baptism” (2:38). Does this passage rem in d an yon e of an y oth er Ch ristian sects, perh aps fu ndamentalist? (Pentecostalism is based on this event.) Does this mean that Qu akers have some kind of kinship with Pentecostalism? (Maybe; discu ss.)
Galatians 5:16-26. What opposition or conflict is being discu ssed here? (Flesh and Spirit.) Take another look – what is really meant by the term “flesh” here? (The Biblical u se of the word “flesh” here doesn’t seem to correspond to ou r modern word “flesh”; this Biblical passage is not an antibody statement. “Flesh” seems to refer to self-centeredness, selfishness, and the immoral behavior that follows from it. This is especially clear when the list of behaviors associated with the flesh is contrasted with the list associated with th e Sp irit.) Wh a t b eh a viors a re a s s ocia ted with th e presence of the Spirit? How do these relate to virtu es that Qu akers emphasize?
J ohn 14:15-17, 25-26. How does this ju stify Qu aker beliefs? (It states that, the Advocate, the Holy Spirit is being left with u s after J esu s is no longer present in the world. Note that “you know him, becau se he abides in you .”) What does this Advocate do? (Teaches u s.)
(Many other passages might be considered, inclu ding:
J ohn 1:1-9, 16:12-15; I Cor 2:10-16, 3:16, 12:4-11; II Cor 3:17-18; Gal 4:6-7.)
What is the take-home message you get from reading passages on the Spirit in the Bible? (Write on the board or paper as stu dents or you voice ideas. Ou rs ideas were:) · The Bible can be interpreted in many ways.
· The Spirit exists; it guides us, is in us. · No one owns the Bible, neither fu ndamentalists nor Qu akers. No one has exclu sive rights over it, exclu sive claim on it. · Quakers can find as much justification for ou r beliefs in the Bible as any other grou p.
DAY FOUR: Religious Education
DISCUSSION: What do you think are the implications for religiou s edu cation of Qu aker belief in the Light Within and fu ndamentalist belief in hu man sinfu lness? In other words, if you believe in th e Ligh t With in , or in h u m an sinfu lness, how will you want to edu cate you r children religiou sly? (Invite su ggestions from you r class. Here are some initial ideas that ou r class came u p with; you cou ld u se them to shape leading qu estions to you r class if they
lack ideas):
Quaker Religious Education
We are invited to explore everything: Bible, nature, science, your own thoughts and feelings.
Trust the Light Within to guide you.
You need to discover the Light Within before you can use it.
This points towards Meeting for Worship as a process by which the Light Within educates us.
Fundamentalist Religious Education
You need to be taught especially about Jesus, and the Bible as interpreted from a fundamentalist viewpoint.
Because of human sinfulness, you can't really trust thoughts that come to you - unless they lead to Jesus.
You need to have guidance from your church, the Bible as interpreted by your church, the church minister.
In worship, you are given the words with which to pray and sing; you listen to what is read to you from the Bible and to the words of the minister
Wh at abou t au th ority? Are we sayin g th at fu n damentalists have several sou rces of external au thority (Bible, minister, etc.) and we Qu akers have none? What is religiou s au thority among Friends? Is there one? Does anything go? (Again, invite responses from you r class. Here are some ideas from ou r class:)
Au thority is the Spirit within u s and among u s. It’s in me bu t also in others.
Can we always tru st everything that we think comes to u s from the Spirit? (No, we cou ld always be wrong in what we think we hear. There is the selfish “flesh” side of u s that we cou ld think is Spirit bu t might really be ou r own personal wishes.)
How do you discern what is tru ly of Spirit? (There is a balance between listening to the Inner Gu ide and listening to ou r Frien ds com m u n ity. Th is is on e fu n ction of th e corporate dimension of worship in Meeting for Worship. This is also why we have Clearness Committees.) How does a
Clearness Committee work? (Discu ss)
What is ou r u nderstanding of what goes on in Meeting for Worship? (Meeting for Worship teaches.) What is the role of verbal ministry in Meeting for Worship? (We learn also from listening to others speak as they are moved by the Light Within.) What abou t the variety of views that sometimes come ou t du ring Meeting for Worship? (Maybe they are all aspects of Tru th. We all have limited “measu res” of Tru th, maybe we need fu rther Light.)
Other than ou r belief in the Light Within, Friends avoid doctrinal formu lations of ou r beliefs. We welcome a variety of ways of speaking Tru th. Fu ndamentalists are ju st the opposite; th ey h ave creeds, clear doctrin es, frequ en tly qu oted scriptu re passages. They seem to have a u nity that we lack. Do you think Friends’ avoidance of doctrine and ou r openness to the different ideas and leadings that come ou t in Meeting for Worship and elsewhere are a weakness or a strength? (Ou r you th felt ou r way is messier and also harder – there are always a lot of ju dgment calls to make.) Tolerating a diversity of views may make u s look weaker, bu t it is a kind of strength. What strengths can you think of? (Strengths to consider: it is a strength to learn from each other and not ju st one person; we are open to new leadings for a constantly changing world; recognizing that you don’t possess all the tru th can produ ce an appropriate modesty-the tru th abou t God, etc. has to be greater than any of ou r ideas abou t it; openness to many ideas helps u s to inclu de others and avoid alienating people.)
I th in k on e of th e m os t won derfu l th in gs a bou t Qu akerism is that we believe that the Spirit can speak th rou gh an yon e-n ew to Meetin g or establish ed Frien d, you ng or old, etc. Adu lts think it is terrific when a child or you th speaks in Meeting. Have any of you ever spoken in Meeting? (If so, the teacher can invite him/ her to talk abou t it if willin g.) Th e rest of you , h ave you ever con sidered speaking in Meeting? What do you think abou t the idea of spea kin g in Meetin g? (Th is occa sion ed a very h on est discu ssion of h esitation s an d relu ctan ces. Th e teach er cou ld reaffirm that the Spirit can and does speak throu gh an yon e, regardless of age, an d th at adu lts som etim es stru ggle over speaking, too.)
How abou t Qu eries as part of religiou s edu cation ? (Teach ers sh ou ld prepare h an dou ts with on e or m ore qu eries from their own Faith and Practice for stu dents to look at and discu ss. We read and discu ssed Qu ery #1 from Baltimore Yearly Meeting Faith and Practice: “Are meetings for worship held in expectant waiting for Divine gu idance? Are Friends encou raged to share spiritu al insights? Are special gifts of ministry recognized and encou raged?.....”) Discu ss: What kind of a thing is a Qu ery? Is this ju st a neu tral qu estion? (It both gu ides and qu estions; it is not a neu tral qu estion. It encou rages u s to seek, bu t in a certain way. Clearly, it is not the case that anything goes among Friends, that all views are okay among Friends. We are open, bu t there are limits.)
What else gu ides, or sets limits within which Friends can be creative? (Testim on ies. Th e exam ples of fam ou s Friends like George Fox, Lu cretia Mott, etc. and the actions of well-known Qu aker organizations like AFSC, etc.)
How wou ld you su mmarize how religiou s edu cation works among Friends? (There is a balance of inner and ou ter gu idance. Bu t we can never give u p listening to ou r Inner Gu ide. Give that u p and we have lost what is most essen tial.)
DAY FIVE: Bible
1.BIBLE STUDY
Read 2 Timothy 3:14-16. Ask the class to read 3:16 especially carefu lly. Discu ss. What does this say? Point ou t that Fu ndamentalists often cite this passage as proof that all of the Bible mu st be inerrant or literally tru e becau se it is “inspired” or breathed ou t by God. Does it say this? (It says that all scriptu re is u sefu l, not inerrant.)
2. Discu ssion: How do Fu ndamentalists view the Bible?
Read th is qu otation from th e Cam pu s Cru sade for Christ’s Statement of Faith: “The sole basis of ou r beliefs is the Bible, God’s infallible written Word, the 66 books of th e Old a n d New Testa m en ts. We believe th a t it wa s u niqu ely, verbally and fu lly inspired by the Holy Spirit and that it was written withou t error (inerrant) in the original manu scripts. It is the su preme and final au thority in all matters on which it speaks.” Ask the class to state in their own words what this qu otation means and write key points on you r chart. Note and discu ss the au thority of the Bible as well as its inerrancy.
How do Friends view the Bible?
(Let the class generate responses and list them on you r ch art. Th e teach er m ay wan t to brin g ou t som e of th e following points in the discu ssion.)
For Qu akers, the Bible is a declaration of the fou ntain, the Spirit, and not the fou ntain itself. Therefore it is not the principal grou nd of tru th; direct experience of the Spirit is th e prin cipal grou n d. Th e Bible m ay give secon dary gu idance, bu t even to read it properly we need to read in the Light of the Spirit. George Fox said, “And I saw that n on e cou ld read J oh n ’s words arigh t an d with a tru e u nderstanding of them, bu t in and with the same divine
Spirit by which J ohn spoke them.”
The Bible is the record of others’ encou nter with the divine, of the Spirit as it spoke throu gh others. We need to be able to respond to George Fox’s challenge: “You will say, Christ saith this, and the apostles say this; bu t what canst thou say?”
As th e d is cu s s ion p roceed s , a s k a b ou t fu rth er elements of both Friends’ and Fu ndamentalists’ views of the Bible, recording key points on you r chart. Ou r chart looked like this at the end of the discu ssion:)
Quakerism
Aware that we have a variety of views and interpretations.
Quakers follow a lot of it, but not every word of it has to be done; it is a guide but not a law.
Accept the findings of critical Biblical scholarship on human role in authorship, editing.
Some Friends know the Bible well, others very little. Some regularly read and meditate on it.
The Bible represents past experiences and insights. We are challenged with: "What canst thou say?"
Fundamentalism
Believe they are reading it literally.
It is the Law.
It is the Word of God. Reject critical Biblical scholarship.
Emphasize reading the Bible, knowing what it says, memorizing passages.
The Bible is Revelation. No ongoing revelation.
3. EXPERIENTIAL EXERCISE. If Friends are to read and stu dy the Bible, it mu st be alive for u s. One way to bring the Bible to life is to do an experiential reading like the following. We did an experiential reading of J ohn 8:1-11, the story of J esu s and the adu lteress (any lively narrative passage wou ld work).
Before beginning reading, the teacher explains: This is an experiential reading. I want you to imagine you rself being in the scene that you will hear abou t; you are part of the au dience listening to J esu s talk and watching what he does. Imagine you rself being there. What does it look like, feel like, smell like? What are you feeling as these things happen?
Then have everyone open their Bibles to the passage. The first time throu gh, the teacher reads the passage alou d and the stu dents all follow it in their Bibles.
Then invite the stu dents to close their Bibles, close their eyes, and listen. The teacher retells the story in his/ her own words, speaking slowly, with pau ses between each s ta tem en t, to give th e s tu d en t a ch a n ce to s ilen tly experience what is being described. The teacher says (words like):
Im agine we’re in J eru salem . It’s a hot place in the Middle East.... The people arou nd you are wearing robes and cloth headdresses........ You’ve heard about J esus. You’re cu riou s and have come to see what he’s like...... You stand in the crowd and look arou nd. They didn’t have showers...... You see J esu s; he’s over there. Look at J esu s; look at what he looks like and sou nds like....... There’s some kind of commotion in the back of the crowd...... Men are pu shing throu gh the crowd...... They’re dragging a woman!....... They confront J esu s....... (Go on throu gh the whole scene, taking you r t im e, em b ellis h in g it wit h a s m a n y s en s or y components as possible, leaving pau ses for the stu dents to experience the scene.)
When you ’re done, invite the stu dents to open their eyes. Then begin the discu ssion. Here are some qu estions you cou ld ask:
· What was it like?
· What did Jesus look like?
· How did you feel about the “important” men? · What was the crowd like when they challenged J esu s?
· What’s going on when Jesus is drawing in the dirt the first time? Why is he doing that? · What’s the crowd doing while he’s drawing? · When Jesus said, ‘the one without sin can be the first to stone her,’ and started drawing on the grou nd again, what was the reaction in the crowd?
· Why did Jesus draw on the ground the second tim e?
· How is the woman in this story feeling?
· How did you feel about the woman at the end? · What happens to her after this? Where does this woman go? What does she do?
DAY SIX: Jesus and Salvation
PART ONE: J esu s
There are many different ideas of who and what J esu s was and is. Let’s discu ss some of these. How do you think fu ndamentalists see J esu s? How do Friends see J esu s? (We came u p with the following ideas; the teacher may want to prompt some of these if they do not come from the stu dents. Of cou rse there are many other possibilities:)
Quakerism Fundamentalism
The ultimate spiritual teacher. Our salvation. By dying on the cross, and then rising from the dead, he atoned for our sins.
Emphasis on following him and becoming like him. Emphasis on Jesus' superiority to us, Jesus as God.
A radical reformer of Judaism; a Rabbi. Little mention of his Jewishness.
A man filled to overflowing with the Spirit of God. In this sense, the ideal which we reach towards in our own lives. One who loves us deeply. A friend with whom we can and should have a personal relationship.
(Many Friends accept this too.)
Discu ssion:
What does it mean to say that J esu s was a man filled with the Spirit of God? (Recall Biblical passages seen before that show J esu s filled with the Spirit, e.g., Mark 1:9-13, and new passages su ch as Mt 12:22-28. Friends aspire to be filled with the Spirit of God, too. J esu s gives u s an idea of what that is like when it is done to an ideal degree. We aspire to get as close to that ideal degree as possible.)
How wou ld you su mmarize the differences in the views of Friends and fu ndamentalists on J esu s? (Many Friends tend to see God as greater than J esu s, J esu s more as a man who was filled with the Spirit of God. J esu s is one whom we should follow and try to be like as much as possible. Fu ndamentalists see J esu s and God as the same being and tend to de-emphasize the hu manity of J esu s. As a book edited by J erry Falwell pu t it, “The deity of Christ is really the most essential fundamental of all.” [Fundamentalist Phenom enon, p. 8] Th ey see J esu s m ore as on e to be worshipped than Friends do.) What do we think abou t the idea of J esu s risin g from th e dead? Is believin g in it necessary to be a Christian or to be “saved”?
Do Frien ds an d fu n dam en talists h ave an yth in g in common in their views of J esu s, or are there any ideas that are close enou gh that a bridge of u nderstanding might be bu ilt between u s? (Cou ld there be any similarities in Qu aker experience of the Light Within – also known as Christ Within – and fu ndamentalist experience of the loving pres en ce of J es u s ? Som e Frien ds u n ders ta n d – a n d experience – Christ in both ways.)
PART TWO: Salvation
1. Salvation is the fu ndamentalists’ strong su it. It is th e key to th eir religion . As k th e s tu den ts h ow th ey u nderstand fu ndamentalist doctrine on salvation. Fill in any important points that they omit. This is the second place in the cu rricu lu m where you are likely to need to lectu re theology. It may help you to draw on the following explanation:
Fu ndamentalists embrace the idea of substitutionary atonement. This idea goes back to the Fall and original sin. Since all hu mans have original sin, we have the gu ilt of disobedience against God, our maker. God is seen as a judge. God is a ju dge who gives ou t perfect ju stice. Since we are all sin n ers, an d everyth in g we do is tain ted with ou r sinfu lness, it is ju st for God to condemn u s; we deserve to pay a penalty for ou r sins; we deserve the eternal damnation in a fiery h ell th a t we h a ve ea rn ed. However, a s a n u nearned, u ndeserved gift, God has given u s his only Son, J esu s. J esu s is sinless, perfect. J esu s does not deserve death. Nevertheless, J esu s dies an u ndeserved death on the cross. J esu s’ u ndeserved death is given as a su bstitu te for ou r death, the death we deserve for ou r sinfu lness. This free gift of J esu s’ death for u s is a kind of sacrifice. It is an atonement: amends given to God by J esu s for ou r sins, the s in s of h u m a n kin d. J es u s dies a s a crificia l dea th , a substitutionary death for u s so that we don’t have to die and bu rn in hell forever. This atones, or makes u p to God, for ou r sins. This pays the penalty for u s. J esu s is raised from the dead and sits at God’s right hand in heaven. Thu s, God’s ju stice is preserved. We can escape hell if we accept this.
Ask the class: How is this idea similar to ordinary ideas of crime and pu nishment?
(This idea pictu res God as a ju dge and pictu res hu man life as similar to a criminal case in a cou rt of law. In real life, when a person has committed a crime, they have to pay the price, some kind of penalty. It is the ju dge’s job to make su re that they do. Perhaps the ju dgment is that the criminal has to pay a big fine to pay for his crime. If the criminal doesn’t have the money, sometimes a friend or relative who does have the money will pay for it. This is s im ila r to th e idea of s u bs titu tion a ry a ton em en t. All hu mans have committed the crime of sinning against God (throu gh original sin). We are sinfu l and therefore there is no way for us to pay God back, to make amends for our crime. However, J esus voluntarily, out of love, has paid our penalty, which is death, for u s, with his blood.)
Take a qu ick look at some Biblical passages that are cited in su pport of this view, e.g., Romans 3:25, Romans 5:9, 1 Cor 15:3, 1 J ohn 1:7. The Letter to the Hebrews states that while formerly, the J ews gave offerings to God throu gh their High Priest once a year to atone for their sins and make themselves right with God, J esu s offered himself as a sacrifice that serves once and for all to atone with God for the sins of humankind (Hebrews 7:20-28 and 10:1-10). Point ou t that, u nlike the idea of original sin which cannot be fou nd in the Bible, the idea of su bstitu tionary atonement can be fou nd in the Bible. However, it is not fou nd in the words of J esu s himself; these passages are interpretations of the meaning of J esu s’ life made by some of his important followers, su ch as Pau l.
2. Ask the class: How do Qu akers talk abou t salvation?(The stu dents may draw a blank, or they may say “they don’t!”) Actu ally, Qu akers seldom talk abou t salvation. Ask the class: Why is that, do you think? (The following points came ou t in ou r discu ssion. You may want to bring some of these ou t if they don’t emerge spontaneou sly:)
Qu akers feel there is nothing to be saved from in the fu ndamentalist sense. That is, Qu akers do not accept that we a r e in h er en t ly a n d in evit a b ly s in n er s , t h a t s in separates u s from God. We are not separated from God becau se we have the Light Within, so there is no need of something or someone external to u s to intervene on ou r behalf to pu t u s right with God.
Qu aker experien ce of th e Ligh t With in is salvation here-and-now. When we experience the Light Within and allow it to gu ide u s we are “saved,” that is, we live in right relationship with God and in the fu llness of ou r own hu man potential as beings made “in the image of God.”
Quakers don’t talk very much about what happens after death. Why not? For one thing, we don’t know what happens then. And for many, the experience of the Light Within is an experience of the presence of God. It is an experience that makes many feel confident that God is with u s, that we are not separate from God. Many feel a confidence in this God, in whom “we live and move and have ou r being” (Acts 17:28). Feeling this presence and confidence, many feel that whatever happens at death, it will be alright, God will continu e to be with u s.
3. BIBLE STUDY:
For good insight into two contrasting views of God pertinent to this issu e, read and discu ss Mt. 18:23-35, Mt. 20:1-16, and Lu ke 10:25-37. All three are parables tau ght by J esu s.
Mt. 18:23-35 may be seen as expressing a view of God with which fu ndamentalism is more sympathetic. In it, the king may be interpreted as God and the slave as humankind. In fu ndamentalist interpretation, this parable shows God as a ju dge and hu mans as sinners who cannot pay their debt. God gives u s the ju stice that we deserve for ou r sins. Mt. 20:1-16 is entirely different in tone and portrays
God in a way more in keeping with Friends’ experience. When the landowner in the parable is interpreted as God, God is shown in a very non-ju dgelike light. In fact, this parable ch allen ges legalistic approach es to spiritu ality. Here, the landowner (or God) gives and gives and gives withou t reckoning or ju dging, rejecting any notion of some people deserving one treatment and other people deserving another. The landowner/ God ju st gives, gratu itou sly. This reinforces an idea of a loving God, who gives to u s ju st becau se that is the natu re of God, ou t of spontaneou sly overflowing love.
Lu ke 10:25-37, the Parable of the Good Samaritan, reinforces this more generou s view.
In th is story, th e m an wh o sh ows h ow to “in h erit eternal life” is the one who has a good heart and does what is right – despite the fact that as a Samaritan, his religiou s – and doctrinal ideas are considered to be all wrong.
DAY SEVEN: Relations with Other Religions
As is well kn own , fu n da m en ta list Ch ristia n ity is strictly exclu sivistic. That is, they believe that their views exclu sively (alone) are tru e, all other religions, inclu ding oth er kin ds of Ch ris tia n ity, a re fa ls e, a n d th a t th ey exclu sively have access to salvation. Friends’ Christianity, however, has a strong u niversalist stream. That is, Friends believe that others besides them – in fact, all hu man beings – possess the Light Within and therefore others’ religiou s teachings also likely contain elements of religiou s tru th.
BIBLE STUDY:
Her e is t h e p a s s a ge m os t fr equ en t ly cit ed b y fu ndamentalists to ju stify their view that only Christianity gives access to salvation: J ohn 14:6. On the su rface this m a y seem to va lida te Ch ristia n exclu sivism . Ask th e stu dents if they can think of any other way to u nderstand it. Here is h ow Frien d Sa m u el Ca ldwell resolves th is problem : “It is really qu ite sim ple: Friends have always identified the Inner Light with the living Christ. Christ, in Qu aker theology, is the Light.” That means that J ohn 14:6 can be u nderstood as saying: “the Light is the way, and the tru th , an d th e life. No on e com es to th e Fath er except throu gh the Light.” The Light is present in all persons, not only Christians.
Biblical passages that seem to point in a u niversalist direction: Mt. 7:21 (It is not the one who professes belief in J esu s as savior who “gets to heaven,” bu t the one who behaves morally.) Mt. 10:40-42 (Similar.) Matthew 25: 3146 (God’s J u dgment will be based on ou r deeds, regardless of ou r doctrinal ideas.) J ohn 1:9 (If everyone has the Light Within, which gives them the tru th, how can only some be on good terms with God?)
Friend Margaret Tennyson has pu blished a fine set of “Statements by Friends Regarding Other Faiths” in her book, Friends and Other Faiths (pp. 43-47). These make excellent foci for discu ssion. I transcribe those ou r class fou nd most interesting below. The teacher shou ld copy and distribu te to th e class for discu ssion eith er th is set or th e m ore complete set given in Friends and Other Faiths. I have added one additional well-known qu otation from J ohn Woolman.
Be still and cool/ In you r own mind/ and Spirit from/
You r own thou ghts/ And then you will feel the principle of
God. (George Fox, 1658)
Th e Ch u rch (is ) n o oth er th in g bu t th e s ociety, gathering or company of su ch that God hath called, to walk in his light and life – of whatsoever nation, kindred, tongu e or people they be, thou gh ou twardly strangers, and remote from those who profess Christ and Christianity in words and have the benefit of the scriptu res, as become obedient to the holy light and the testimony of God in their hearts – there may be members therefore of the Catholic Chu rch both among heathen, Tu rks and J ews. (Robert Barclay)
The hu mble, meek, mercifu l, ju st, piou s, and devou t sou ls are everywhere of one religion; and when death has taken off the mask they will know one another, thou gh the divers liveries they wear makes them strangers. This world is a form ; ou r bodies are form s; an d n o visible acts of devotion can be withou t forms. Bu t yet the less form in religion the better, since God is a spirit; for the more mental ou r worship, the more adequ ate to the natu re of God; the more silent, the more su itable to the langu age of the Spirit.
(William Penn, 1693)
There is a principle which is pu re, placed in the hu man mind, which in different places and ages hath had different names. It is, however, pu re and proceeds from God. It is deep an d in ward, con fin ed to n o form s of religion n or exclu ded from an y, wh ere th e h eart stan ds in perfect sincerity. In whomsoever this takes root and grows, of what nation so ever, they become brethren, in the best sense of the expression. (J ohn Woolman, 1761)
Love was the first motion, and thence a concern arose to spend some time with the Indians, that I might feel and u nderstand their life and the spirit they live in, if haply I might receive some instru ction from them, or they be in any degree helped forward by my following the leadings of tru th among them. (J ohn Woolman, 1763)
They (Qu akers) rejoice to find that of God in people of every caste and creed; they wholeheartedly agree with a great Christian thinker of the second centu ry, Origen, that “no noble deed among men has ever been done withou t the Divine word visiting the sou l.” The same Indwelling Spirit who has opened their eyes to behold the beau ty of Christ, enables them also to behold spiritu al beau ty wherever it is fou nd, whether in the great scriptu res of the religions of the East, in the wisdom of their saints, or in the honest minds and hu mble, loving hearts of those who claim no religiou s allegiance at all. (Marjorie Sykes)
God enlightens every sou l that comes into the world, com m u n es by h is Holy Spirit with all m en everywh ere, illu mines the conscience with a clear sense of the right and the wrong cou rse in moral issu es, and reveals His Will in definite and concrete matters to those who are sensitive recipients of it. (Ru fu s J ones)
Every religiou s system has its ‘Qu akers’ – those who tu rn from the ou tward and the legal and the institu tional and focu s their attention on the Divine that is within. There is mu ch fellowship between Friends and the mystics of other religiou s system s. Let a Moham m edan or Hindu m ystic teacher come to this cou ntry, and we realise at once how mu ch we have in common with him. We believe that we have something to give him, bu t we realise also he has something to give u s. (Gerald Hibbert, 1924)
We are con sciou s of Ch ristian ity as on e am on g a n u m b er of religion s com p etin g for th e a llegia n ce of intelligent and spiritu ally-minded men, and the relationship between them exercises men’s minds and hearts. The world is mu ch smaller, mu ch more interdependent than it u sed to be.... An increasing nu mber of people have had personal contacts with hu mble men and holy of heart in all walks of life of whom they dare not deny that they have been tau ght by God. (Margaret B. Hobbling, 1958)
I owe all to God in J esu s Christ and say so to all sorts of people, bu t if someone says he finds the same in Ram or Bu ddha, what right have I to say he does not?... ‘Where love is, God is’; where the fru its of the spirit are displayed, there the spirit mu st be – the Eternal Christ, the loving caringness of God expressed in time and in hu man form, bu t not to be equ ated only with the Carpenter of Nazareth. (Mary Barr, Quaker from about 1934, co-worker with Gandhi from 1932)
We live in a world in wh ich th ere is great strain between races, cu ltu res and religions, and the qu estion of in terfaith dialogu e is, I wou ld say, th e m ost im portan t religiou s qu estion facing any person of faith.... How can Frien ds play a part in th is? My own feelin g is th at th e con ception of th e ligh t of Ch rist With in , wh ich is also u niversal and in every single being, provides a theological resou rce and a theological way into constru cting a kind of Christianity which is both tru e to its own inspiration and at th e sam e tim e fu lly able to recogn ise tru th an d th e workings of God in those of other faiths. (J ohn Pu nshon,
1991)
