| | by admin | | posted on 12th April 2023 | | views 11999 | |
FAQs
From who are the Quakers to what's their connection with Quaker Oats, here are some FAQs.
- Who are the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)?
- What do Quakers believe?
- What makes up the community of Quakers?
- What are the Quaker Testimonies?
- What is Quaker Faith & Practice?
- What is Meeting for Worship?
- Why is there silence during Meeting for Worship?
- When does Meeting for Worship start and end?
- Who's in charge of the Quakers?
- How are the Quakers organised?
- How do you become a Quaker?
- How did the Quakers begin?
- How are the Quakers and Quaker Oats connected?
Who are the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)?
Quakers are a worldwide community of faith-based individuals.
Therefore, Quakers call and greet each other as Friend.
The first panel of the Quaker Tapestry has the following quote:
“For the Society of Friends might be thought of as a prism through which the Divine Light passes, to become visible in a spectrum of many colours; many more, in their richest, than words alone can express.”
Quakers began in England and Wales in the mid 17th century and quickly spread to Ireland, the Netherlands and the American colonies. In recent years there has been growth in Africa, with Kenya now the country with the largest number of Quakers.
The formal name is the Religious Society of Friends, usually shortened to the Society of Friends.
Today there are an estimated 377,000 Friends worldwide.
The words Quaker and Friend are used interchangeably.
Quakerism is the name given to the faith and practice that Friends seek to live by.
Quakers have no creed. Without a central written statement, there is great diversity of belief within the Quaker community.
A well-known maxim suggests that the only thing Friends have in common is that they do not like being told what to believe. At Hammersmith Quakers' Meeting House, London, a poster reads:
thou shall decide for yourself
no-one telling you what to believe — just the peace and quiet to work it out for yourself
Quakers often describe themselves as seekers on an experimental journey of learning and experience.
What makes up the Quaker community?
Some come from Christian, Jewish or Buddhist backgrounds. Some come from no religious background at all.
Quakerism is often seen as widening whatever path you are already walking.
Many Friends speak of there being something of the divine in every person. Christian Quakers often use the phrase 'That of God in everyone'.
Every Quaker speaks for themselves and lets their life speak.
For many, this is expressed through living out the Quaker testimonies.
What are the Quaker Testimonies?
A testimony describes how Friends bear witness to their beliefs in everyday life. It is not belief itself but action arising from lived experience.
The testimonies commonly recognised in the 21st century are:
- Simplicity
- Peace
- Integrity
- Community
- Equality
- Stewardship / Sustainability
These form the acronym SPICES.
Friends often use these words from George Fox:
“Be patterns, be examples in all countries, places, islands, nations, wherever you go, so that your carriage and life may preach among all sorts of people... Then you will come to walk cheerfully over the world.”
The first generation gathered as a 'great people to be gathered' in 1652 in Lancashire during the English Revolution (1640 – 1660).
In 1660 they presented their Declaration of Peace to the restored King Charles II.
Despite this, they were persecuted, fined and imprisoned. Many refused to swear oaths or pay tithes. Government legislation made Quaker gatherings illegal, yet they continued to meet and worship in defiance of the law.
In 1689, William and Mary passed the Act of Toleration. It finally became legal to be a Quaker, though prejudice continued.
Unlike many radical groups of the period, the Society of Friends endured and continues today.
How are the Quakers and Quaker Oats connected?
Quaker Oats adopted the Quaker name and image for branding purposes, but the oats are not produced or sold by Friends.
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