Introduction

While some in our Meeting were born into Quaker families and grew up in Quakerism, many have come to Friends from other religious traditions, the result being a wide range of spiritual experience within our membership and diverse perspectives, which we welcome, on issues of belief. Lacking a formal creed other than the conviction that there is that of God in everyone, most Quakers would nonetheless ascribe to the following: Available to each of us is a direct, inward experience of God which can serve as a guide for how we conduct our lives and which is enhanced by our commitment to a spiritual community. Beyond that there is considerable diversity of opinion regarding the following questions: Why am I a Quaker? What do Quakers believe? What do I believe? Here are some individual voices from our Meeting addressing these questions.

Why am I a Quaker?

I am a Quaker for many reasons. Quaker practice is simple and deep. In this busy, complicated and noisy world, I appreciate and long for a regular “time-out” and my Quaker journey has provided me with a way to sit in silence and be reminded over and over again of the goodness in the world and the people around me despite the challenges we face. I am a Quaker because the practice demands a personal connection to and responsibility for my spiritual journey. My Quakerism is as much about service to a greater good, believing in and working towards a more perfect world and living in accordance with the world we know is possible. I am a Quaker because I believe in peace, in personal integrity and in community. I believe there is goodness in everyone and that it is part of my job to find that and to honor it – in myself and in others.

I am a convinced rather than birthright Quaker. I first began attending Friends Meeting in Washington DC while in the Navy during the early 1970’s because of the peace testimony, which at the time seemed like the right approach to a senseless war. I’ve stayed with Friends ever since then because of the following features of Quakerism that continue to resonate with me:

• The idea that the members themselves take responsibility for all aspects of running the organization.

• A spirit of inquiry and emphasis on seeking truth rather than adherence to doctrine, along with a commitment to help each other in this search.

• The eclectic nature of Meeting, including a willingness to accept wisdom from many sources.

• A religious service which does not depend on designated clergy but rather views each person in attendance as providing ministry, which may be communicated by words or just by that person’s presence.

• The twin challenges of interpretation and implementation of the Quaker testimonies, which, in addition to peace, include simplicity, community, integrity, equality, and stewardship.

• Tolerance of the concept that many of us choose to base our spiritual beliefs on what we experience rather than what others tell us.

I grew up a Methodist and had a good grounding in basic Christian principles, but in a rather uninvolved sense. I did however gain a firm belief in God and a respect for the life and the wellbeing of all, if only in a rather abstract sense. I became a Quaker based on my observation of a rather atypical Quaker community. My years at Moses Brown School exposed me to my first view of an active and positive expression of religious principles at a time in my life when I was ready to see. The school had, or at least tried to have, a devotion to honesty and respect for each member of the community. The relationship between this attitude and Friends’ belief and principles was often cited and led me to further study and eventual membership.

Quakerism is a pragmatic and optimistic belief. The belief that by listening for truth/God and thinking about how to live is a tremendously comforting approach to a very confusing world. The concept that God communicates with even the least of us gives hope. Without this life would seem more a punishment to be avoided and less a wondrous gift to be celebrated. After some years of watching kids, some despite the various trials of life, turn into wonderful adults, celebration seemed the only choice.

I do not believe in a supreme being but I do believe in the miracle of life and this world we live in. I also believe in the teachings of Jesus Christ and the value of religion as a moral compass (although we all know how this can go wrong). When my children were little and we were searching for a spiritual community, we became familiar with Quakerism through Bruce’s work at Moses Brown. “There is that of God in everyone” was a concept that felt right to me. I was happy that it allowed individual interpretation and that we did not all have to believe in exactly the same way. The George Fox quote “Walk cheerfully over the earth seeking that of God in everyone” really spoke to me and is how I try to live my life. The testimonies (Peace, Simplicity, Truthfulness in all aspects of life) also felt right. Finally, the way we worship without an intermediary and the concept of “seeking” were (are) important to me.

I am a Quaker because I believe that my relationship to God is personal and private. My relationship and my privacy are honored by this community. Such a community enhances and supports my spiritual life. My privacy being honored helps me to respect and honor other people’s choices.

I am a Quaker because I am comfortable in a religious gathering that emphasizes fairness and equality. From this comes a peaceful approach to life and leads us to service.
I appreciate and am awed by the past efforts and accomplishments of Quakers but I am mostly interested in the choices we each make everyday. In a confusing and often dangerous world, I am comfortable that this community holds my family well.

“…initially because I was born one. At age 15 I started going to Christian Scientist school. It’s like a foreign country; you don’t understand your own until you visit another. At that age, I actually became a Quaker on my own…..If you have a set of beliefs, you don’t just practice them on Sunday.”

The short version is “I’m a Quaker because G. W. Bush sent a census taker to my house….She brought me to my first meeting…The meeting I went to I (sigh) suddenly felt at home….Everything I’d always believed, even as a child….I was among people who understood me…I’ve never been part of a faith community where I felt so welcome. And I’ve always felt welcomed at any Quaker Meeting I’ve been to.”

“When I was in high school my mom started attending Quaker Meetings and I went with her…..(I liked) not having structure, not being told what to do…(and) the silence is in my nature. I like peace and quiet.”

“What I find persuasive and appealing is the lack of liturgy and religious specialists….I’m moved by the fire of people like George Fox…..I get to step outside my own nature…(And) I like the sense of international community, the sense of belonging.” At the same time “there is diversity; each meeting has its own DNA.”

The speaker started in the Episcopal Church and enjoyed singing in the choir. When she was 12 years old, a new Quaker Meeting started nearby and her father wanted to attend, so the family did. Her father’s idea was that he and her brother would join the meeting while she and her mother were to be Episcopalians. She rebelled and became a Unitarian for a long time. At a difficult time in her life, she revisited things important in her past and started attending Westerly Meeting where she picked up a pamphlet on Pendle Hill. She went to Pendle Hill for 3 months and something happened to her consciousness. “I became stronger positively emotionally since then…Meditation is important….can bring us to higher places (many Quakers don’t appreciate this). I also belong to Buddhist Sangha. The practice….interbeing.”

The beauty is that they’re always our own truths that we’ve come to. That’s why one is “convinced” not “converted.”

Because I enjoy the practice of silent worship. Because I needed a religious community that didn't require certain beliefs. Because the snacks are good. Because the words of my fellow worshippers open my mind and my heart.

While still a young person, I was deeply influenced by an elderly Quaker lady named Elibeth Hazard in an upstate New York community....

I attend Quaker meeting because community creates a context for caring interaction, intellectual stimulation, spiritual connection. Meetings provide a unique opportunity for reflecting on my core values as I respond to the insights of other seekers. Through this process I hope to become more caring and better able to act congruently with my understanding of a process to integrate growing knowledge and compassion. Meetings provide an opportunity to nurture the light within.

What do Quakers believe?

Quakers believe in a dynamic and evolving faith. We believe that each of us has within ourselves a bit of Truth/God. We believe that God communicates with us directly and that we need to listen for those words reverently and actively. Our role in meeting is not mere quiet, but listening. Our role in the world is not mere silence, but seeking and speaking Truth. Those basic beliefs lead us to believe in a better world and the obligation and opportunity to work at bringing about that better world for everyone. We are all blessed with the tools which can help in the making of that world. What better job?

If Providence Friends Meeting is any indication, it would be difficult to formulate a set of beliefs that all Quakers would embrace. However, I think that Quakers do share two over-riding ideas in the form of premises, these being (a) that there is that of God in every person and (b) that we can realize an awareness of God in communal silent worship. Once one accepts these premises, not necessarily as beliefs but as a starting point for inquiry, then multiple questions follow: What is the nature of God? How is God manifest in each of us? Is God present and manifest only in persons or also in other living things? How about non-living things? Does the silence help us develop a direct relationship with God, and, if so, how? An exploration of these kinds of questions is in fact the spiritual journey undertaken by Quakers, and the individual answers we find along the way are what a Quaker then comes to believe.

Quakers believe that there is that of God, Love, the Light, the Spirit in everyone. Quakers believe that a peaceful world is possible and that we can work towards this without resorting to violence. I think that if you asked 50 Friends this same question, you would receive 50 different answers that said more or less the same thing. Quakers believe that our inner spiritual life is as important as, and informs, our daily lives and the choices we make. Quakers believe that the Truth is continually being revealed to us and that anyone can have access to these Truths. Quakers believe that it is possible to live simply and that service to others is an important part of a spirit-led life.

Quakers believe that their relationship to God is an individual and personal one and that there is no need for an intermediary in that relationship. This frees the individual and at the same time requires responsibility towards others. Quakers believe that “there is that of God in everyone” and from this comes the belief in equality. From equality comes respect and honor and from these come the necessity of peace and service and honesty. Quakers are interested in how one moves through life being a good steward. Adhering to the idea of simplicity aids one in stewardship.

‘There is that of God in everyone” out of which grow the Testimonies. Each person can connect directly with God (or “the light”). There is no defined “creed” but rather a personal seeking.

We don’t have a creed. “I think there are things we, Quakers in general, revere: the peace testimony, metaphors of light…”

We can’t overlook that there is a tradition of Quaker belief and practice in the past; a connection with that tradition is important.

Community” is an inadequate word for what happens in Meeting; “communion” is better.

We do have a common belief in the divine.

That the divine is present with us in our daily lives and in our community. That we have a responsibility to act peacefully in the world. That inspiration can come from anywhere.

What do I believe?

I believe that there is goodness in every living being and that our “real” work is to seek out that goodness in ourselves and each other.

I believe that there is a force greater than all of us which is at the very root of this goodness.

I believe that it is possible to create a world free of suffering and injustice but to do this we must live our values not just talk about our values.

I believe in treating everyone with the same trust, dignity and respect I would wish to receive. I believe in walking in each other’s shoes before passing judgments.

I believe in singing. I believe in potluck suppers. I believe in eye contact and smiles. I believe in kindness.

As a result of attending Meeting, listening to messages in Meeting for Worship, talking with Friends and friends, reading, meditating on my own, and of course just experiencing life, I’ve come to believe the following:

That a Living Spirit gives rise to all things and is present and manifest everywhere.

That all the elements of what we refer to as the past and the future are contained in the present moment.

That the miracles of the present moment are here precisely because of, rather than in spite of, all that has happened, and therefore there is no need to trouble ourselves with regrets.

That all seemingly separate things are interconnected and interdependent.

That we have within us the ability to discern, out of our own experience, what is true, and in that way we can continually deepen our understanding throughout our lives.

And that the manner in which we conduct our lives makes a difference and is more important than how many possessions we accumulate or how much success we achieve in
the eyes of the world.

I believe in infinite wonder. I was brought up Christian so those are the tapes that run in my head easily. The stories are familiar and I have spent many years questioning and trusting in them. I ventured Eastward to other religious practices for a time. Now, I believe that all things are possible and all religions are similar, if not in form, in intent. I steer clear of arguments over religion and I do not participate in conversations that end in atheism. I believe that how I walk through my life is the most important thing and there are many places to find help with that but I am most comfortable among Quakers.

I believe in a power greater than myself who in some manner controls our universe/reality. I have no real idea who or what this power is and suspect that my understanding of his(?) existence, operation, and purpose is past my complete understanding. I further suspect that scientific & logical investigations into GOD (or however a supreme being may be titled) are of very limited value. I suspect that God exists in a fundamentally different manner than humans and we are to some extent in the position of the blind men describing the elephant as we use the tools we depend on in our environment.

I believe that everyone, however unlikely it may seem, is a child of God and therefore has within them some portion of Truth or God or spirit or holiness or whatever title may be used.

Simultaneously and to some extent contradictorily, I believe that we are all capable of communicating with God on a fundamental level and on occasion anyone of us may receive revelation. I have never experienced the kind of revelation described in the Bible. There has been no burning bush or pillar of fire, but I have had experiences which have changed my life. I have heard messages from others that, upon reflection, seem to me revelatory. Most of these messages have been concerned with day to day life rather than any Great Religious moment such as Saul on the road to Damascus.

I do believe that we have an obligation to try to leave the world a bit better than we found it and to help others. While I do not believe that money is the root of all evil, I do believe it is a lousy way to keep score. I am at least vaguely Christian, although much of what passes for Christianity both historically and today seems a mockery. I see many great teachers, both within and without Christianity, who have spoken truth and surely have their roots in God’s guidance

I am both a pragmatist and an optimist. I am distrustful of absolute moral codes, particularly when those codes dictate the behavior of others and go on to penalize those others for their sins against those codes. I do have faith in our ability to recognize right and wrong (eventually) and our responsibility to try to do right. Every new day we are given a chance to get it right.

That god and the world are unified - that the cheek of Jesus is the soil of the earth and is the same as the cheek of Mary Magdalene. That sometimes God is three years old and pours orange juice on my head. That unto he who knocks shall the door be opened. That simplicity is more complicated than it seems.

I believe that human capacity for good grows in a culture of appreciation, acceptance, compassion, knowledge, humor, beauty, and joy. This light within provides guidance, and allowing it to do so requires practice. I believe that the capacity for good needs resolve to become effective action.

...that there is that of God in every person.