Chapter 3

The Quaker Answer

The Quakers are a Christian denomination founded in 17th century England. The Quakers, who call themselves “Friends”, are known as Quakers because the founder of the Quaker Church, George Fox, urged his followers to quake at the Word of God. Quakers believe that all humans can relate to God directly, with no need for the mediation of ordained clergy. This brand of Christianity is thought to be closer to that of the early Christians, and therefore purer.

The first Quaker ministers, many of whom were women, travelled throughout England and the world preaching a universal priesthood of believers, and by 1680, 1.15% of the population of England and Wales were Quakers. Sadly, many powerful figures viewed the flourishing of the Quaker Church as a sociopolitical threat, leading to the Quakers’ persecution under the 1662 Quaker Act. Droves of Quakers were forced to flee to the New World colonies that would later become the United States in search of a safe haven to practice their religion openly. There, they introduced the colonists to ideas destined to become the bedrock of American society, such as gender equality, democracy, trial by jury, and public education.

These ideas stemmed from the Quaker belief that all humans are equally capable of communing with the divine. Women, for example, were commonly considered inferior to men in the 17th century. But the Quakers, who stressed the equality of all humans, allowed women to prophesize and preach and encouraged them to play an active role in the spiritual growth of their families. Similarly, class distinctions were anathema to the Quakers, leading to their embrace of democratic ideals. Their fervent belief in equality also led the Quakers to reject war and slavery, a rejection which has famously translated into conscientious objection during wars and heroic abolitionist efforts.

Quakers believe that there is a divine spark, or “inner light” within each human. The logical conclusion to be drawn from the existence of this spark is that one must look into one’s own soul for guidance on how to lead one’s life. This is why Quakers emphasize being personally moved by God and eschew following religious traditions and sacraments. In fact, many Quakers prioritize the cultivation of the divine spark over the Bible! The spark-centric way of life also extends to Quaker worship; some Quakers practice “unprogrammed worship”, also known as “silent worship”, in which a congregation meets and is completely silent until God calls a believer to speak. Speakers can say whatever they feel moved to say, and if, for example, they feel guided by God to marry another member of the congregation, simply exchanging promises in the meeting serves to solemnize the marriage. But what if not a single member of the congregation feels that God has revealed truth to him or her during a particular meeting? The answer is that such meetings can end without anyone saying anything at all. The early Quakers were known to hold meetings that lasted for many hours, but nowadays meetings are usually one hour long, perhaps to limit the less eventful ones.