what are the quakers beliefs

Among key Quaker beliefs are:

• God is love
• the light of God is in every single person
• a person who lets their life be guided by that light will achieve a full relationship with God
• everyone can have a direct, personal relationship with God without involving a priest or minister
• redemption and the Kingdom of Heaven are to be experienced now, in this world

Full Answer

Do Quakers believe in God?

We Quakers believe each person, everyone, everywhere has that of god within them, they carry it about with them whether they know it or not. Friends believe we can discover ‘it’ with a little work and practice. Other folk may be happier with an external god, or even gods: Quakers are content with that which is inside us.

What do Quakers believe about Jesus?

Jesus Christ: While Quakers beliefs say that God is revealed in Jesus Christ, most Friends are more concerned with emulating Jesus’ life and obeying his commands than with the theology of salvation. Sin: Unlike other Christian denominations, Quakers believe that humans are inherently good.

Do Quakers believe in Hell?

The Quaker God is a merciful one, and no sin is great enough to challenge this mercy. Even Quakers who do believe in hell are likely to believe that sincere repentance earns forgiveness. The problem with any definite statement about Quaker hell is that Quakers themselves don't all agree.

What are some interesting facts about Quakers?

• No Clergy. There is no hierarchical structure in Quakerism. ...
• Gender equality. What? ...
• Racial equality. Shut up. ...
• Simplicity. They enjoyed nature and all that silliness. ...
• Community. Love your neighbor as yourself. ...
• Education. Tsk-tsk. ...
• Integrity. ...
• Peace. ...
• Science. ...
• As if educating girls and black people wasn’t bad enough, those weirdo Quakers wanted to educate poor kids. ...

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What are the 5 key Quaker beliefs?

Quaker Principles S.P.I.C.E.S. This acronym—Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, Stewardship—captures core Quaker principles, called testimonies, and can serve as a guide to a meaningful life.

What are the 3 beliefs of the Quakers?

Among key Quaker beliefs are: God is love. the light of God is in every single person. a person who lets their life be guided by that light will achieve a full relationship with God.

What 3 things did Quakers refuse to do?

They also refused to doff their hats before magistrates or to swear oaths. They opposed war and gave women the right to speak at public meetings, holding that both sexes were equal in their ability to expound God's teachings. The Quakers rejected the orthodox Calvinist belief in predestination.

Do Quakers have to believe in Jesus?

Quakerism is a way of life, rather than a set of beliefs. It has roots in Christianity and many Quakers find the life and teachings of Jesus inspirational, but we have no creed. Quakers today do not look any different from other people, although we try to avoid extravagance and excess.

Are Quakers part of Christianity?

Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements are generally united by a belief in each human's ability to experience the light within or see "that of God in every one".

What are four beliefs of the Quakers?

Belief in accepting and respecting each individual's uniqueness. Belief in the spirituality of life. Belief in the value of simplicity. Belief in the power of silence.

Can Quakers drink alcohol?

Quakers are not forbidden from using alcohol (or tobacco), but most Quakers avoid them, or consume them moderately.

What Bible do Quakers use?

The Quaker Bible, officially A new and literal translation of all the books of the Old and New Testament; with notes critical and explanatory, is the 1764 translation of the Christian Bible into English by Anthony Purver (1702–1777), a Quaker.

Are the Amish and Quakers the same?

Quakers, also known as the Religious Society of Friends, diverge from the Mennonites and Amish most fundamentally in their form of worship. Most Quakers Meetings, particularly unprogrammed Quaker Meetings such as Reno Friends, do not have ministers, as they resist having creeds or a church hierarchy.

How do Quakers pray?

In Quaker worship there are no ministers or creeds. We first gather together in silence to quiet our minds – we don't have set hymns, prayers or sermons. In the stillness we open our hearts and lives to new insights and guidance. Sometimes we are moved to share what we discover with those present.

Why did Quakers wear plain clothes?

Plain dress is also practiced by Conservative Friends and Holiness Friends (Quakers), in which it is part of their testimony of simplicity, as well as Old Regular Baptists, Plymouth Brethren, Cooperites and fundamentalist Mormon subgroups.

Do Quakers celebrate Christmas?

Quakers believe every day is sacred, that we celebrate Christ's birth, death, and resurrection all the time, not just at Christmas and Easter. That said, many Friends take comfort in the year-end focus on the Nativity.

What do Quakers believe about life after death?

Though there is no unified Quaker theory on the afterlife, many Quakers reject the traditional notions of Heaven and Hell in favor of the idea that a life lived in the service of good deeds is essential to the salvation of humanity.

Do Quakers celebrate birthdays?

Some do, some don't, but any such celebration is likely to be low-key.

Can Quakers watch TV?

Contemporary Quakers live in the world. They are not puritans. They use computers, they go to rock concerts, they drink alcohol, they love art, they shop in the high street, they drive taxis, they eat chocolate, they watch TV. And while we're about it, let's explode some other common myths that may have confused you.

Can Quakers have more than one wife?

Like all other branches of Christianity (except some splinter sects of the Latter Day Saints) Quakers oppose polygamy (plural marriages) and frown on extra-marital sexuality.

Do Quakers pray to God?

Quakers may pray silently. We may formulate words or an image or just be. It is important that we listen for what God may have to say to us. Some Quakers also use set prayers from the Bible or other spiritual writings when they pray.

What is Quakers most known for?

Quakers rejected elaborate religious ceremonies, didn't have official clergy and believed in spiritual equality for men and women. Quaker missionaries first arrived in America in the mid-1650s. Quakers, who practice pacifism, played a key role in both the abolitionist and women's rights movements.

How do Quakers feel about abortion?

Quakers have not found unity on the issue of abortion. Some Friends are strong advocates for abortion rights, recognizing that a woman's choice is a matter of individual conscience to be taken in relationship with her God as she weighs the multiple impacts of pregnancy.

What did the Quakers reject?

Quakers rejected elaborate religious ceremonies, didn't have official clergy and believed in spiritual equality for men and women.

Did the Quakers refuse to fight?

A core belief of Quakerism is pacifism, which meant that Friends did not engage in violence. Quakers represent a key third group in the American Revolution that chose political neutrality, and were affected by the war nevertheless.

Did the Quakers refuse to pay taxes?

A number of Quakers even refused the “mixed taxes.” Up to 500 Quakers were disowned for paying war taxes or joining the army. Following the war many Quakers continued to refuse because these taxes were being used to pay the war debt, and therefore were essentially war taxes.

Did the Quakers refuse military service?

Quaker beliefs in pacifism and rejection of cultures of conflict and normalized violence guide us to carry out this work. Historically, Quakers have objected to military service and have been persecuted for their conscientious objection and we support all whose conscience calls them to reject military activity.

What are Quakers' beliefs?

It is difficult to write a description of Friends beliefs that would be acceptable to all the Quakers in the world today. Quakers all share common roots in a Christian movement that arose in England in the middle of the 17th Century. Today, it is generally true that Friends still adhere to certain essential principles: 1 a belief in the possibility of direct, unmediated communion with the Divine (historically expressed by George Fox in the statement, "Christ is come to teach his people himself"); and 2 a commitment to living lives that outwardly attest to this inward experience.

What is Friends United Meeting?

You Are Welcome Among Friends. From Friends United Meeting (an organization which affiliates pastoral and unprogrammed Friends in Christ-centered outreach).

Why is the Bible important to Friends?

Crucially, because most Friends consider the Scriptures to be inspired by God, the Bible is helpful in weighing whether new inward guidance comes from the Spirit of God or from another source. However, for some Friends (especially the Liberal-unprogrammed branch) it is not important that we have similar beliefs.

What is QuakerMaps.com?

A Brief Introduction to Quakerism From QuakerMaps.com, an independent resource for locating Friends Meetings and churches.

Do Quakers still adhere to the Friends doctrine?

Today, it is generally true that Friends still adhere to certain essential principles:

Do modern friends have significant variations in the ways we interpret our traditions and practice our beliefs?

Nonetheless, modern Friends exhibit significant variations in the ways we interpret our traditions and practice our beliefs.

What Is a Quaker?

Quakerism continued to spread across Britain during the 1650s, and by 1660 there were around 50,000 Quakers, according to some estimates.

What was the central idea of the Quakers?

Central to their beliefs was the idea that everyone had the Light of Christ within them. Fox spent much of the 1660s behind bars, and by the 1680s thousands of Quakers across the British Isles had suffered decades of whippings, torture and imprisonment.

What were the Quakers ordered to do?

Quakers were also early abolitionists. In 1758, Quakers in Philadelphia were ordered to stop buying and selling slaves. By the 1780s, all Quakers were barred from owning slaves.

Why did the Quakers create schools?

The Quakers took up the cause of protecting Native Americans ’ rights, creating schools and adoption centers. Relations between the two groups weren't always friendly, however, as many Quakers insisted upon Native American assimilation into Western culture. Quakers were also early abolitionists.

What is the Shakers group?

The Shakers are another religious group with whom the Friends are sometimes mistaken for. The Shakers (officially the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearance) were founded in England in the 18th century.

Why did William Penn get a land grant?

In 1681, King Charles II gave William Penn, a wealthy English Quaker, a large land grant in America to pay off a debt owed to his family. Penn, who had been jailed multiple times for his Quaker beliefs, went on to found Pennsylvania as a sanctuary for religious freedom and tolerance.

How many presidents have been Quakers?

To date, two U.S. presidents have been Quakers: Herbert Hoover and Richard M. Nixon.

What was the Quaker meeting called?

The Quaker Yearly Meetings supporting the religious beliefs of Joseph John Gurney were known as Gurneyite yearly meetings. Many eventually collectively became the Five Years Meeting and then the Friends United Meeting, although London Yearly Meeting, which had been strongly Gurneyite in the 19th century, did not join either of these. Such Quaker yearly meetings make up the largest proportion of Quakers in the world today.

What is the Quaker movement?

Members of the various Quaker movements are generally united by a belief in the ability of each human being to experience and access the light within or see "that of God in every one".

Why did the Hicksites split from the Quakers?

The Hicksite–Orthodox split arose out of both ideological and socioeconomic tensions. Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Hicksites tended to be agrarian and poorer than the more urban, wealthier, Orthodox Quakers. With increasing financial success, Orthodox Quakers wanted to "make the Society a more respectable body – to transform their sect into a church – by adopting mainstream Protestant orthodoxy". Hicksites, though they held a variety of views, generally saw the market economy as corrupting, and believed Orthodox Quakers had sacrificed their orthodox Christian spirituality for material success. Hicksites viewed the Bible as secondary to the individual cultivation of God's light within.

Why did the Quakers split from the Society of Friends?

Around the time of the American Revolutionary War, some American Quakers split from the main Society of Friends over issues such as support for the war, forming groups such as the Free Quakers and the Universal Friends. Later, in the 19th century, there was a diversification of theological beliefs in the Religious Society of Friends, and this led to several larger splits within the movement.

How many yearly meetings are there in India?

India has four yearly meetings – the unprogrammed Mid-India Yearly Meeting, programmed Bhopal Yearly Meeting, and the Mahoba Yearly Meeting. Bundelkhand Yearly Meeting is an evangelical Friends Church affiliated to Evangelical Friends International. Other programmed and unprogrammed worship groups are not affiliated to any yearly meeting.

What percentage of the population was in the Religious Society of Friends in 1800?

Numbers dwindled, dropping to 19,800 in England and Wales by 1800 (0.21 per cent of the population), and 13,859 by 1860 (0.07 per cent of population). The formal name "Religious Society of Friends" dates from this period and was probably derived from the appellations "Friends of the Light" and "Friends of the Truth".

Did Quakers own slaves?

Some Quakers in America and Britain became known for their involvement in the abolitionist movement. But until the American Revolutionary War, it was fairly common for Friends in Colonial America to own slaves. During the early to mid-1700s, disquiet about this practice arose among Friends, best exemplified by the testimonies of Benjamin Lay, Anthony Benezet and John Woolman, and this resulted in an abolition movement among Friends. By the beginning of the American Revolution few Friends owned slaves. At the war's end in 1783, Yarnall family members along with fellow Meeting House Friends made a failed petition to the Continental Congress to abolish slavery in the United States. In 1790, the Society of Friends petitioned the United States Congress to abolish slavery, resulting in them being the first organization to take a collective stand against slavery and the slave trade.

What do Quakers believe about baptism?

Quakers hold that baptism is an inward, not outward, act. Bible: Quakers' beliefs stress individual revelation, but the Bible is truth.

How many Quakers are there worldwide?

Worldwide Membership: An estimated 300,000. Prominent Quaker Beliefs: Quakers emphasize a belief in the “inner light,” a guiding illumination by the Holy Spirit. They don't have clergy or observe sacraments. They reject taking of oaths, military service, and war.

Why do Quakers meet in a circle?

Quaker meetings are kept simple to allow members to commune with God's Spirit. Worshippers often sit in a circle or square, so people can see and be aware of each other, but no single person is raised in status above the others. Early Quakers called their buildings steeple-houses or meeting houses, not churches.

What do liberal Quakers believe about the afterlife?

Liberal Quakers hold that the question of the afterlife is a matter of speculation. Jesus Christ: While Quakers beliefs say that God is revealed in Jesus Christ, most Friends are more concerned with emulating Jesus' life and obeying his commands than with the theology of salvation.

What is alternative Christianity?

Some Friends describe their faith as an "Alternative Christianity," which relies heavily on personal communion and revelation from God rather than adherence to a creed and doctrinal beliefs.

What is the Quakers belief?

Originally called "Children of the Light," "Friends in the Truth," "Friends of the Truth," or "Friends," the Quakers chief belief is that there is in every man, as a supernatural gift from God, an inward illumination of the Gospel's truth.

What are the two types of meetings?

Basically, two types of meetings exist. Unprogrammed meetings consist of silent meditation, with expectant waiting upon the Holy Spirit. Individuals may speak if they feel led. This type of meditation is one variety of mysticism. Programmed, or pastoral meetings can be much like an evangelical Protestant worship service, with prayer, readings from the Bible, hymns, music, and a sermon. Some branches of Quakerism have pastors; others do not.

Why was the Quaker name given to the Quakers?

According to Fox, Bennet "was the first that called us Quakers, because I made them tremble at the word of the Lord". Therefore, the name Quaker started as a way of mocking Fox's warning but became generally accepted and used by some Quakers in self-reference.

What was the role of women in the Quakers?

In the mid 17th century, special Quaker women foretold and preached publicly, emerging charismatic personas and growing the Quakerism movement. This work was supported by the movement's strong notion of spiritual equality for men and women.

What were the major factors that drove Quakers to re-enter the mission realm?

These two factors drove Quakers (and many other denominations) to re-enter the mission realm. All three Missionary focuses utilized - Friends traveled with their Bibles to new lands, growing their Quaker faith, traveling ministers commonly visited new and well-established meetings, and schools were set up at numerous missions. Missionary destinations included Australia, Russia, South Africa, Mexico, and Jamaica.

Why were Quakers deemed heretics?

They were deemed heretics because of their emphasis on personal submission to the Inner Light. They were jailed and exiled by the Massachusetts Bay Colony. In 1660, English Quaker Mary Dyer was killed on the Boston Common for frequently defying a Puritan rule forbidding Quakers from the colony.

What are the focuses of Quaker missionaries?

Quaker Missionary activity over the centuries has had three focuses – (1) spreading the Quaker message to non-Friends (2) visiting and strengthening existing Friends, and (3) service with education, health, etc. in relation to Friends’ missions.

Which colonies allowed Quakers to live in the New England colonies?

The three colonies that permitted Quakers at this time were West Jersey, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania. 3. Quaker Missionaries.

How many presidents have been Quakers?

So far, two U.S. presidents have been Quakers: Herbert Hoover and Richard M. Nixon.

What did the Quakers believe about the Sacraments?

Some conservative meetings are divided over the issue of homosexuality. 5. Sacraments: Most Quakers believe that how a person lives their life is a sacrament, and that formal observances are not necessary.

What is a Quaker meeting?

Meetings: Quaker meetings, or a meeting of friends , may differ considerably, based on whether the individual group is liberal or conservative. Because of this there are basically two types of Quaker meetings. Meetings of meditation are mostly silent, with expectant waiting for an answer of some sort from the Holy Spirit.

What is a pastoral meeting?

Pastoral meetings can be much like an evangelical Protestant worship service, with prayer, readings from the Bible, hymns, music, and a sermon. Some branches of Quakerism have pastors, others do not. 2. Personal Communication: In order to communicate with each other and with God, Quakers often sit in a circle or square.

What do Quakers believe?

3. Continuing Revelation: Most Friends believe in the religious belief that truth is continuously revealed to individuals directly from God. Quakers are taught that Christ comes to teach the people himself. Friends often focus on trying to hear God.

How do Quakers communicate with each other?

Personal Communication: In order to communicate with each other and with God, Quakers often sit in a circle or square. This allows people to see and be aware of each other, but no single person is raised in status above the others.

Which denominations believe in the Trinity?

Of all of the Protestant Christian denominations, that of Quakers is probably set apart the most. Friends, as they call themselves, believe in the Trinity of the father, the son, and the Holy Spirit like other Christians, but the roles that each person plays varies widely among Quakers.

Is meditation silent?

Meetings of meditation are mostly silent, with expectant waiting for an answer of some sort from the Holy Spirit. SPECIAL: Prayer Changes Your Brain in 4 Amazing Ways. Individuals may speak in these meetings if they feel led to do so.

What does Jesus say when he lies?

When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:42-44) so Jesus disagrees with Quaker doctrine that those who are not saved are still God’s children. Quakers do not believe in the Sacraments like baptism or the Lord’s Supper (or Communion) but believe that belief in Jesus is itself a Sacrament. ...

How did the Quakers get their name?

The Quakers were founded in the 1600’s by George Fox and according to his biography, he was brought before England’s magistrates Nathaniel Barton and Gervase Bennet on charges of religious heresy. One of those magistrates, Gervase Bennet, is responsible for the name Quakers. The Quakers call themselves Quakers but ...

Why do Quakers call themselves Friends?

The Quakers call themselves Quakers but also “Friends” because Fox “ bad them [to] trembled at the Word of God” and the name stuck. [1] .

What do Quakers believe?

Quakers are not that different from Christians in that they believe in the Bible, they believe in Jesus Christ and that He lived a sinless life and became for us the sacrifice that was necessary to restore fallen mankind to a right relationship with God and that a person can be saved based upon their belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Whether you are a Quaker, Catholic, or Protestant, you have the hope of an eternal home with the Lord and you are one of the children of God. For those who have not repented, confessed their sin, pleaded to God for the forgiveness of their sins, and then trusted in Christ, God the Father is not their Father but their Judge and they are of their father the Devil. Without repentance, confession, and trust in Christ, their future is hopeless because they don’t have the peace of God (Rom 5:1) and the Father doesn’t see them as having Christ’s righteousness (2 Cor 5:21) so their future is a bleak as possible (Rev 20:11-15) but for those who tremble at His Word and are of a contrite, broken spirit, He will be near to them (Psalm 51:17; Isaiah 66:2). God leaves that decision up to you and you will live with that choice for all eternity with no opportunity to change it.

What are the Quakers?

The Quakers are Protestants who believe in the same Jesus but their orthodoxy is different from most Christian churches as we will read about later in this article. The Quakers were born of dissent and dissatisfaction about the Church of England which had become too ritualistic and hypocritical.

What is Patheos's view?

Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Why were Quakers born?

The Quakers were born of dissent and dissatisfaction about the Church of England which had become too ritualistic and hypocritical. Even though their popularity caused their numbers to swell to 60,000 by the late seventeenth-century, they immigrated to America in search of greater religious freedom and better economic opportunities. They eventually migrated to the Northeastern region of America and today primarily reside in New England. Besides being called Quakers, they refer to themselves as “Friends” or “Friends of the Truth.”

Why do Quakers believe in God?

Quakers believe that there is something of God in everybody and that each human being is of unique worth. This is why Quakers value all people equally, and oppose anything that may harm or threaten them. Quakers seek religious truth in inner experience, and place great reliance on conscience as the basis of morality.

Why are Quakers not interested in theology?

and many Quakers are still not keen on it, believing that experience is a better teacher. Reasons for disliking theology include: Theology distracts people from looking for the 'inner light' and responding to it.

How many Quakers are there in the world?

The formal title of the movement is the Society of Friends or the Religious Society of Friends. There are about 210,000 Quakers across the world.

What do Quakers seek?

Quakers seek religious truth in inner experience, and place great reliance on conscience as the basis of morality.

Why is silence important in worship?

The silence in a meeting for worship isn't something that happens between the actual worship - the silence itself is part of the worship; it provides a space for people to separate themselves from the pressures and events of daily life and to get closer to God and each other.

How do people create silence?

The people who are present try to create an internal silence - a silence inside their head. They do this by stopping everyday thoughts and anxieties.

What are human rights based on?

human rights, based on their belief in equality of all human beings

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