Does God Need Friends? What For?

This site is a place where Friends (and others) may disagree agreeably.

It does not speak for any Meeting within The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers.) Therefore it can go beyond what we've agreed on between ourselves; we hope people can talk freely here about the world, our place in it, what good we might be for ourselves and others.

What you see here will include some material from our Faith and Practice, some by regulars at our two local Meetings. Comments may be from any sincere well-meaning person.

Friday, June 18, 2010

Jesus and Friends

Our Faith and Practice acknowledges that the Quaker movement is historically rooted in Christianity. It then goes on to explain that Pacific Yearly Meeting includes many people "who were not raised in the Religious Society of Friends" or "for whom Christianity is not part of their faith experience.

"There is thus a great variety of religious belief and expression. Many Pacific Yearly Meeting Friends articulate their Quaker faith in Jewish, Universalist, Buddhist or other terms. Similarly, Friends hold diverse definitions of Christianity, interpreting and reacting to traditional Christian terminology differently. Some do not accept the defining beliefs required by the church of their youth or of current mainstream Christianity. This has been a point of lively discussion in Pacific Yearly Meeting for the past fifty years."

The crucial early moment in Quakerism (in the 1650's) was when George Fox, having given up seeking religious truth from his contemporary priests and preachers, heard a voice telling him, "There is one, even Christ Jesus, that can speak to your condition." He concluded that Christ was "come to teach his people himself," from within each person, so that the goal of Fox's preaching became directing people to heed "their teacher within." Hence the movement that later took shape around Fox's leadership was explicitly Christian, but Christian in a way that many outsiders felt to be heretical or even blasphemous.

Other Christian sects insisted that what Friends called "The Light" was not Christ, that what Friends turned to for religious guidance was "merely a natural light" like their own reason or conscience, not at all the man once called "Jesus." Early Friends, including Fox, insisted that they were meeting with Christ Himself, while other churches were simply idolizing their own religious notions.

It can be difficult to understand the disagreement; it's now commonplace for modern preachers to tell their audiences to "look for Jesus in your heart." But opponents could easily misinterpret  a significant universalist element of Quaker Christianity. The "mystical" depiction of Jesus in the Book of John appealed to early Friends greatly, and Fox was utterly literal in his belief that "Christ enlightens every [one] who comes into the World." This had to mean "everyone"; this had to include people born long before Jesus as well as vast multitudes since then who'd never heard of him. It isn't immediately obvious that "Christ" is the same as a certain 2000-year-old Messianic contender, but wasn't that the ancient Christian understanding?

A wide range of different terms for "Christ" (or "God at work in us", as the Episcopalian William Stringfellow once defined the term) was common among Friends from the beginning. Generally this was handled in a respectful, nonjudgmental spirit, as in the basic rule of discourse at Pendle Hill (a Quaker study & publishing center): "Speak in the religious language that comes most naturally to you; seek to understand other people's statements according to the meaning they intend.") When many Friends sought to impose statements of what was (or wasn't) correct Quaker doctrine about Jesus, in the early 19th Century, American Friends split apart into several groups, no longer mutually hostile but upholding their differences to this day.

There is a persistent feeling (and not just among explicit "Christians") that modern Friends could benefit from a deeper study of Jesus, his role in human history, and the various messages attributed to him. Some of us may have been too easily content with superficial interpretations... but see this.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

American Friends Service Committee

The American Friends Service Committee (commonly called AFSC) is not directly part of any Quaker religious body, but was founded by Quakers and continues to do humanitarian work in accord with essential Quaker principles.

It began in World War I as an effort to help young conscientious objectors find ways to serve without joining the military or taking lives.  They drove ambulances, ministered to the wounded, and stayed on in Europe after the armistice to rebuild war-ravaged communities
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Following that modest beginning, AFSC has responded in numerous ways to human suffering such as:
  • Feeding thousands of children in Germany and Austria after World War I,
  • Helping distressed Appalachian mining communities find alternative means to make a living in the 1930s,
  • Negotiating with the Gestapo in Germany to aid Jewish refugees,
  • After World War II, sending aid teams to India, China, and Japan,
  • Giving aid to civilians on both sides of the Vietnam War and providing draft counseling to thousands of young men,
  • Sponsoring conferences for young diplomats in emerging African democracies,
  • Establishing economic development programs in Asia, Africa, and Latin America from the 1970s to the present,
  • Providing extensive support to the modern U.S. civil rights movement and public school desegregation,
  • Working with numerous communities such as Native Americans, immigrants, migrant workers, prisoners, and low-income families on education and justice issues,
  • Building peaceful communities all over the world.
In 1947, along with British Quakers, the American Friends Service Committee received the Nobel Peace Prize which recognized our work “…from the nameless to the nameless….”

This information is from their website at http://afsc.org/

Their work in San Diego is focused on the San Diego U.S.-Mexico Border Program
 which since its founding in 1977 (then led by Roberto Martinez) has diligently been documenting and working here to mitigate the impact of unjust public policies on migrants and border communities.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Personal Relationships (Advices & Queries for June)

In daily relationships with others, both inside and outside the home, our lives as Friends speak immediately and lastingly. In these relationships, our faith may be severely tested. We are called to respond to that of God in everyone; we are all children of God.

Friends celebrate any union that is dedicated to mutual love and respect, regardless of the unique make-up of the family. We strive to create homes where the Spirit of the Divine resides at the center and where the individual genius of each member is respected and nurtured.

Human sexuality is a divine gift, forming part of the complex union of body, mind and spirit that is our humanity. In a loving adult relationship in a context of mutual responsibility, sexuality brings delight, fulfillment and celebration.

The presence of children carries a special blessing as well as responsibility. Children bring unique spiritual gifts-- wonder, resiliency, playfulness and more. Recognize and honor the Divine Light within children and treat them with the dignity and respect that is due all people. Listen to and learn from children; share with them those values and practices that are central to our own lives. Special care must be given to resolving problems between adults and children in a manner that gives equal weight to the feelings and needs of both adults and children. Tender parenting is one of the critically important peace vocations in our society. Make every effort to offer all parents the personal and institutional support that this challenging work requires.

Take a strong stand against any form of abuse, whether that abuse is minor or severe, and whether it is emotional, physical or sexual in nature. The terrible impact of abuse on the most vulnerable members of our families creates lifelong suffering for its victims and is a major source of violence in our society. Perpetrators are themselves usually victims of similar violence and should be approached with compassion as well as firmness.

Do I make my home a place of friendliness, joy, and peace, where residents and visitors feel God's presence?

Are my sexual practices consistent with my spiritual beliefs and free of manipulation and exploitation?

What barriers prevent me from responding openly and lovingly to each person?

Do we open our thoughts, beliefs, and deep understandings to our children and others who share our lives and our hospitality?

Do we provide our children and young adults with a framework for active, ongoing participation in the Meeting?

Stewardship and Vocation (Advices & Queries for May)

John Woolman said, "As Christians all we possess are the gifts of God... To turn all the treasures we possess into the channel of Universal Love becomes the business of our lives." The principle of stewardship applies to all we have and are. As individuals, we are called to use our time, our various abilities, our strength, our money, and our material possessions with care, managing them wisely and sharing them generously.

From the indwelling seed of God, we discover our particular gifts and discern the service to which we are called. In making choices about occupation or education, consider the way that offers the fullest opportunity to develop your individual abilities and contribute to the world community while providing for yourself and your family. In daily work, manifest a spirit of justice and understanding, and thus give a living witness to the truth.

Be ready to limit engagements, to withdraw for a time, or even to retire from an activity that inhibits your ability to follow a higher call. Try to discern the right moment to accept new responsibilities as well as to relinquish responsibility that can pass to others. Be open to your calling in different stages of life. Meetings need the strength and vigor of young people as well as the experience and wisdom of elders. Although they may not be able to contribute great financial support, their energy and insight invigorate the community. As people begin careers and families, they may need the spiritual and experienced help of the Meeting. Later, when families are growing up and careers are established, greater participation in the Meeting and greater financial support may become possible. Welcome the approach of old age, your own and others', as an opportunity for wisdom and greater attachment to the Light. Meetings should be ready with material and spiritual support for those suffering from unemployment or facing difficult financial decisions.

How have I been faithful to the leadings of the Spirit in choosing work or vocation?

What am I doing with my talents, time, money, and possessions? Am I sharing them according to the Light I am given?

Is my conduct at the workplace consistent with my life as a Friend?

How does my daily work enhance my spiritual life?

How does the Meeting help and support members who are in job transitions?

[next month's queries]

Harmony With Creation (Advices & Queries for April)

It would go a long way to caution and direct people in their use of the world, that they were better studied and knowing in the Creation of it. For how could [they] find the confidence to abuse it, while they should see the Great Creator stare them in the face, in all and every part thereof?
[William Penn, Some Fruits of Solitude

God is revealed in all Creation. We humans belong to the whole interdependent community of life on earth. Rejoice in the beauty, complexity, and mystery of creation, with gratitude to be part of its unfolding. Take time to learn how this community of life is organized and how it interacts. Live according to principles of right relationship and right action within this larger whole.

Be aware of the influence humans have on the health and viability of life on earth. Call attention to what fosters or harms earth's exquisite beauty, balances and interdependencies. Guided by Spirit, work to translate this understanding into ways of living that reflect our responsibility to one another, to the greater community of life, and to future generations.

In what ways do I express gratitude fo the wondrous expressions of life on Earth?

Do I consider the damage I might do to the Earth's vulnerable systems in choices I make of what I do, what I buy, and how I spend my time?

In our witness for the global environment, are we careful to consider justice and the well-being of the world's poorest people?

Does our way of life threaten the viability of life on Earth?

[next month's queries]

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A link to this post indicates that we fully intend to take up the subject you were looking for; the site is still under construction and we'll get to your subject when we're ready to do it justice.

Reaching Out (Advices & Queries for March)

Friends fellowship begins and is nurtured within the home and Meeting. It reaches greater fulfillment as we carry our beliefs into the wider community.

Share your Quaker faith. Take time to learn about other people's experiences of the Light, and as you learn, give freely from what you have gained. Respect the experiences and opinions of others, but do not be afraid to say what you value. Welcome the diversity of culture, language, and expressions of faith in your Monthly Meeting, the Yearly Meeting, and the world community of Friends. Encourage discourse with Friends of pastoral and programmed traditions, and with members of other faiths.

Friends have a long history of involvement in public and private education, sharing our values with the world and nurturing future generations. Be mindful of the needs of children in the community and of avenues for deepening understanding between peoples.

How does my life reflect Friends beliefs and thus encourage others to be interested in the Religious Society of Friends?

Do I respond openly to inquiries about Quaker experience and belief?

What does our Meeting do to make others aware of Friends principles and practices?

What are we doing to help people of various races, cultures, and backgrounds feel at home among us and we among them?

How do we encourage newcomers to return and participate in activities of the Meeting?

In what ways do we participate in the life of the interfaith community and in the wider fellowship of Friends?

[next month's queries]

An Invitation

There are scriptures that can virtually stand alone and “say it all.” Psalm 46:10 is one of those: Be still and know that I am God. . .

The invitation is to sit alone and quiet somewhere, to relinquish the mind’s incessant chatter and rest in God’s presence. In so doing, we allow God to be God--free of our small expectations and endless anxieties. This heightens clarity in the following ways: We come to know God more intimately because we’re less inclined to crowd out that still, small voice with our own varieties of noise. Increasingly, we enjoy paradoxes such as God’s Infinite Mystery paired with God’s Supreme Love. And we truly come to know that God, who is closer to us than we are to ourselves, will never abandon us. Over time, as we sink deeper into silence, we discern the underlying, eternal reality that all is well in God’s vast universe. In short, embracing stillness means embracing God and our truer selves. So, will you opt to savor more silence?

by Jane Milligan

February Advices & Queries (from our _Faith & Practice_)

The heart of the Religious Society of Friends is the Meeting for Worship. In direct communion with God, we offer ourselves for God’s will. Our daily lives are linked with the Meeting for Worship, the Meeting for Worship with our daily lives.

Come regularly to Meeting for Worship, even when you are angry, tired, or spiritually cold. Bring your joys and your hurts, and the needs of other people. Accept and support each other in the community where God dwells among us. As you do so, you may find the grace of prayer.

At times the Spirit may prompt you to speak in Meeting. Wait patiently to know that the sense and the time are right. When you are sure, have confidence that the words will be given to you. Listen to the ministry of others with an open spirit. If it is not God’s word for you, it may be for others. After a message has been given, allow time to ponder its meaning and to let the Meeting return to silent worship. In speech and in silence, each person contributes to the Meeting.

Do I come to Meeting with heart and mind prepared for worship?

In both silent and vocal ministry, do I respond to the leadings of the Holy Spirit, without pre-arrangement and in simplicity and truth?

Am I careful not to speak at undue length or beyond personal spiritual experience?

Do we meet in expectant waiting for the promptings of the Divine Spirit?

Are we drawn together in a living silence by the power of God in our midst?

[next month's queries]

Spiritual Life (Our PYM Advices & Queries for January)

The life of the spirit gains depth and vigor through devotional practices, prayer, study and meditation. Take time regularly for individual and family worship, discussions, readings from sacred texts, and other spiritual refreshment in order to live a more centered life and to bring a deeper presence to the Meeting for Worship.

Friends believe that the spiritual path is best found in community. Create opportunities in your Meetings for people of all ages to explore and express their evolving relationship with the Divine, their spiritual highs and their doubts. If different metaphors and language interfere with communication, listen more deeply, honoring the Spirit in which the thought and words have their beginnings.

Do I live in thankful awareness of God's constant presence in my life?

Am I sensitive and obedient to the leadings of the Holy Spirit?

When do I take time for contemplation and spiritual refreshment?

What steps am I taking to center my life and stay open to continuing revelation?

Do we share our spiritual lives with others in the Meeting, seeking to know one another in that which is eternal?

Does the Meeting provide religious education including study of the Bible and Friends' history and practices?

[next month's queries]

Questions About Friends (Quakers)?

If there's anything you'd like to know about Quakers, please ask in the comments below.

(If you'd rather direct a question to the San Diego Meeting's Education Committee, you can email it to treegestalt at gmail.)

Peace (Advices & Queries from Faith & Practice)

Friends oppose all war as inconsistent with God's will. As every person is a child of God, we recognize God's Light also in our adversaries. Violence and injustice deny this reality and violate the teachings of Jesus and other prophets.

Friends challenge their governments and take personal risks in the cause of peace. We urge one another to refuse to participate in war as soldiers, or as arms manufacturers. We seek ways to support those who refrain from paying taxes that support war. We work to end violence within our own borders, our homes, our streets, and our communities. We support international order, justice, and understanding.

Become an instrument of peace. At every opportunity be peacemakers in your homes, workplaces and communities. Steep yourself in the power of the universal Spirit. Examine your actions for the seeds of violence, degradation and destructiveness. Overcome the emotions that lie at the root of violence and nurture instead a spirit of reconciliation and love. Come to know the oneness of creation and oppose the destruction of the natural world.
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Do I live in the virtue of that life and power that takes away the occasion of all wars?

How do I nourish peace within myself as I work for peace in the world?

Do I confront violence wherever it occurs, even when my personal relationships are involved?

Where there is distrust, injustice, or hatred, how am I an instrument of reconciliation and love?

What are we doing to remove the causes of war and destruction of the planet, and to bring about lasting peace?

Do we reach out to all parties in a conflict with courage and love?

[next month's queries]