The Quaker movement in
Britain has famously been through several distinct historical eras,
from the prophetic period of Early Friends, to its 'Quietist' phase
in the 18th Century, followed by 19th Century
Evangelical Quakerism. The era of Liberal Quakerism is usually dated
from the Manchester
Conference of 1895, and has remained the dominant paradigm
throughout the 20th and early 21st centuries.
The principles of Liberal Quakerism were formulated by writers such
as John Wilhelm Rowntree and Rufus Jones, offering a powerful
reinterpretation of traditional Quaker spirituality that spoke to the
contemporary condition. These included the primacy of experience over
religious belief, an openness to 'new light' from other faiths and
traditions, the acceptance of 'continuing revelation' and an
engagement with contemporary science and society.
Since the early 20th
Century, Liberal Quakerism has had a dramatic impact in many fields of
social action, including war resistance, famine relief, social
housing, the peace and environmental movements, feminism and LGBT
equality (including our recent commitment to equal marriage). The
continuing appeal of Liberal Quakerism is eloquently expressed by the
Quaker Meeting House sign, which is quoted by Gerald Hewitson in his
Swarthmore
Lecture:
'Quakers are people of
different beliefs, lifestyles and social backgrounds. What we have in
common is an acceptance that all people are on a spiritual journey.
We hope that we are indeed a real society of Friends, open to the
world and welcoming everyone.'
For many Friends today,
especially those who have been hurt or excluded by traditional
churches, this is the version of Quakerism that they were attracted
to and the only one they are comfortable with. For them, the Quaker
Meeting is primarily a 'safe space' - a place to be themselves, where
they will be accepted for who they are, without expectations or
demands. There is a liberating acceptance of differences in lifestyle
and sexuality, and no oppressive or patronising 'leaders' imposing
their own rulings on acceptable belief and behaviour.
However, over recent
decades Liberal Quakerism has unmistakeably declined in numbers, and
in spiritual coherence and vitality. Although many Friends are very
active in a huge range of social action, we no longer have a shared
language with which to communicate our spiritual experience, or a
shared understanding of core Quaker practices such as Meeting for
Worship, testimony or discernment. We have retreated from sharing our
spiritual experience with each other or with the wider society.
Consequently we have shrunk to a group of predominantly White, middle class retired people, while complacently assuring ourselves that
'people will find us when they are ready', without the need for any
action on our part.
We have cultivated a
marked hostility to spiritual teaching, insisting that 'Quakerism is
caught not taught', and as a result many Friends who have been
members for decades remain ignorant about traditional Quaker
practices and spirituality. We have developed a hostility towards any
suggestion of leadership or authority, and by failing to encourage
and support each others' gifts and leadings we have deprived
ourselves of direction. We have become collections of like-minded
(because socially similar) individuals, rather than true communities
of people who are both accountable to and responsible for each other.
We have rejected the
Quaker tradition, with its embarrassingly fervent early Friends and
old-fashioned religious language, and ended up with a Quakerism that
is almost evacuated of religious content, in which our spiritual
experience is something 'private' that we cannot share with each
other. Consequently we have little to offer to people who are seeking
a deeper spiritual reality beyond an accepting 'space' for their own
solitary spiritual searchings.
There is considerable
momentum within Britain Yearly Meeting towards an increasingly
attenuated version of Liberal Quakerism, as first Christian and now
'theist' language is steadily rejected as too exclusive and
old-fashioned. The current trajectory of Liberal Quakerism is towards
a secular friendly society, which has replaced any spiritual content
with a vague concept of Quaker 'values' that are almost
indistinguishable from the background liberal middle-class culture.
With nothing deeper to offer people who are genuinely seeking a path
of spiritual transformation, Quakerism would no longer have any
distinctive identity or any reason to exist.
Throughout our history
as Quakers we have been able to transform our Society, when old forms
no longer served as vehicles for the Spirit. Each period of Quakerism
has seen a renewal of spiritual practice, conviction and witness;
drawing from, transforming and enriching the tradition to meet
contemporary needs.
Are we at such a
transition moment today? There are significant signs of a
counter-movement to the continued dilution and diminution of
Quakerism in Britain, although there is as yet no name for it, beyond
aspirational words such as 'renewal' and 'Whoosh'.
We cannot legislate for what this new form of Quakerism might
eventually look like, but some hints seem to be emerging from the
conversations that are bubbling up across Britain Yearly Meeting, and
that were evident at both the Kindlers conference and the Whoosh
event last year. These characteristics are striking because of some
radical departures from Liberal Quaker orthodoxy. They include:
A desire for deeper,
more disciplined worship and spiritual practice. In the words of one
Friend, 'how many of us really, really understand the profound depths
of this experience, how many of us spend years not ever
understanding... yet not daring to say. Is my Friend who reads all
through Meeting gaining and contributing to the essential heart of
our Tradition?.. does it matter? Yes.'
Many Friends have
adopted the Quaker meditation practice of 'Experiment with Light'.
Some Meetings are experimenting with forms of semi-programmed and
extended Meetings for Worship, or with spiritual friendships, silent
retreats, journalling, or other spiritual disciplines beyond an hour
on Sunday mornings.
Recognition of the need
for leadership that empowers others, and that supports and encourages
the development of everyone's ministry. This understanding of
leadership includes a renewed attention to the value of eldership,
spiritual accompaniment, travelling ministry and spiritual teaching.
As one Friend put it, 'there is nothing to be gained by stepping back
and giving people space when they are in reality desperate to know
more, to experience and understand more. What are we afraid of?'
A willingness to work
towards a shared understanding of the Quaker Way, and a new clarity
of language to communicate the experience of spiritual reality, God,
worship and prayer. As one Friend at the Kindlers conference said,
'at each stage in the Quaker past Friends have been clear about these
things; we need to become clear about them too, knowing that our
clarity may not be their clarity'. As another put it, 'it is not
enough to flippantly talk of discernment, of 'gathered' meeting...
what does it all really mean? How can we start to arrive together
through our own understanding to the real true authentic meaning of
these things?'
This shared language
will not be imposed by any group, but may emerge through a process of
'threshing' throughout Britain Yearly Meeting. A pointer to one
direction that such a language might take is Rex Ambler's approach in
his new book The
Quaker Way – a rediscovery.
Deliberately reaching
out to the wider society with a confident Quaker message and
invitation. Since the spread of Quaker
Quest around the country, initially resisted by many Friends as
'proselytising', there has been a growing enthusiasm for Quaker
outreach, including other initiatives such as Quaker Week. This is
often accompanied by a conscious intention to create more diverse
Quaker communities – socially, ethnically and generationally.
A re-engagement with
Quaker tradition. There is a growing enthusiasm for the spirituality
of early Friends, reflected in recent Swarthmore Lectures and the
popularity of Experiment with Light. In the foundational insights of
the first period of Quakerism, many Friends are rediscovering the
passion and authenticity of Quaker spirituality. Far from being
embarrassed or put-off by the uncompromising vision and message of
17th Century Friends, many of us are being drawn to find
ways of experiencing it for ourselves.
A willingness to
overhaul Quaker structures and bureaucracy to serve the spiritual
practice of the community. Some Meetings, overburdened and exhausted
by the pressure to fill nominations for Local, Area and national
committees, have laid down all of their roles while they re-examine
their real priorities from scratch. Longer term, a renewed focus on
the spiritual priorities of the community seems likely to require a
drastic slimming down of Quaker structures, and a reduction and
decentralisation of our centrally managed work.
These possible
characteristics of an emerging new form of Quakerism are of course
speculative, based on conversations with an unrepresentative minority
of Friends. I have also spoken to experienced Friends, who are
sympathetic to the critique of Liberal Quakerism above, but sceptical
about the prospects for a resurgence of British Quakerism. No doubt I
will also have offended some readers by my rather harsh assessment of
Liberal Quakerism. What is your judgement of the state of Quakers in
Britain, and of our prospects for the future? Do you recognise any of
the characteristics of an emerging 'new' Quakerism in your Meeting?
And what have I missed?
