Quakers and Quakerism

At each of their meetings the Council of Faiths have a section called "Focus on Faith" when they have a presentation from a faith community. This is to create greater understanding, which leads to greater tolerance.

At the September 2016 meeting Ines Russell gave a presentation about the Quaker Faith.

Quakers and Quakerism

Many types of Quaker – and more Quakers elsewhere than in the UK

At a 2012 membership count - just over 377,000 Quakers worldwide, of whom about 17,000 in GB – many in the USA, many more in East Africa (esp Kenya), South America, Australia, N.Zealand and Europe/Middle East – of whom Quakers in Britain the largest group.  Different traditions making a mixture of – evangelical, conservative and liberal types of Quakerism.

Founded by George Fox, born in Fenny Drayton, Leicestershire 1624 – left home at 19 much exercised about personal religion.  He felt the Oxford and Cambridge educated ministers of religion did “not speak to my condition” – and neither did the dissenters satisfy him.  This, about 100 years after Henry VIII’s mainly political reforms (1534) and after the Bible became available in English (1590).  Quite a ferment – and there were groups like the Seekers and the Leaveners trying to worship according to their consciences. Eventually (in 1647, at 23)  George Fox had a crisis and reached a point at which he felt God himself had reached him and that the Light of Christ could guide – not only him, but every human being, directly.

He would go into churches (steeple houses he called them disparagingly) and tell people about the true church and that the long awaited Second Coming of Christ was taking place - inwardly.  He also preached in the open air.  Because he was convinced that God could teach truth to every individual and that all could live saintly lives, he stressed that all could have this experience for themselves.  It is this emphasis on EXPERIENCE which is fundamental to Quakers to this day.

After Luther a great deal of importance was given to the scriptures by the reformed churches, making the Bible (in Protestantism) or the Church (in Catholicism) the final arbiter of Christian teaching.  Here is Fox, claiming the Light or Spirit could guide people directly!  It led to a belief in the equality of all and this in turn led to accusations of blasphemy.  He infuriated the magistrates when Quakers, who were refusing to pay their tithes to the national church, also refused to bow or take their hats off in deference to the court and used the familiar form of address “thee”.

Margaret Fell (and Judge Fell) their champion and Swarthmore Hall more or less their headquarters.  Margaret Fell most influential in the survival and eventual organisation of Quakers as a movement.

WORSHIP

The early Quakers held long meetings with large amounts of preaching interspersed with silence.  Anyone could speak (or `minister’) if moved to do so and what they said (and say, because it is so to this day) must be borne out of personal experience.  From the beginning, women were able to do so and even went on missionary journeys.

WORSHIP TODAY – plain room, concentric circles of chairs, one hour, an Elder signals the end by shaking hands with someone next to them.  

ORGANISATION – No hierarchy – but a Clerk, Assistant Clerk, Elders and Overseers. Nominations Committee.   Q business method.  Area (or Monthly) Meetings, Yearly Meetings.

BRIEF HISTORY OF QUAKERS IN MILTON KEYNES

-under the auspices of a General Meeting (larger than the Area Meeting), six Quakers (2 from the Bedford Meeting, 2 from Northampton, 2 from Harpenden – all of whom lived or worked in MK) volunteered to start regular meetings.

The first was held in the house of Jennifer and Howard Roper (Jennifer still in our meeting – only in her late 60s) and there were 5 adults and 2 children present.

They rented Loughton Village Hall, moved to Fishermead Community centre and via various school and college staff rooms, became a sizeable group of around 40 who worked hard fundraising and eventually moved to our own building in Downhead Park.  Now 64 members on the roll, and 46 “attenders”, with average attendance of around 50 on a Sunday (small meeting also held mid-week).

TESTIMONIES

-        To peace

-        Equality

-        Simplicity (and, increasingly, sustainability)

-        truth

In other words, our lives must show our belief that there is that of God in everyone.