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Quakers
- Thread starter Iosias
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Early Friends did not believe in the reliance upon practice of the outward rites and sacraments, believing that holiness can exist in all the activities of one's life—all of life is sacred. They experienced baptism by the Holy Spirit as an inward, transforming experience and knew communion with Christ in the midst of gathered worship in the expectant silence. Thus they did not perform baptism as a rite of membership. These Friends also believed that any meal with others could be a form of communion.
At various times some individuals or small groups of Friends have published corrective cautions against adopting the prohibition of some rite as itself being creedal. The focus should be upon God as Present Teacher, rather than on some human ritual, or the absence of a ritual. Most Friends therefore do not prohibit rites or ceremonies, but they do counsel against allowing these human inventions to take the place of direct experience and leading by God.
I believe this. Although I was born into a creedal church and was baptised I hold this view now.
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Quakers have always put more emphasis on practice than on doctrine. There is a range of Quaker groups from the Religious Society of Friends, who have no doctrinal or creedal statements at all, to the Evangelical Friends, who have statements of faith like this. All Friends Yearly Meetings, to the best of my knowledge, maintain an official document called "Faith and Practice" which is something like a set of bylaws that will tell you how they do things and what beliefs and practices, if any, they consider important.
WRT water baptism and communion with the elements, current Quaker practice varies. Generally, neither is considered a requirement, spirit baptism and spiritual communion being considered essential instead, but some Friends offer either or both for those who request them.
My perspective on this is that George Fox considered them empty rituals in England during his time, and after his spiritual revival, called upon his followers not to practice empty rituals. Instead, the silent meeting developed. Today, the Friends silent meeting has become an empty ritual to some, and some Friends no longer practice it.
I look at the Friends tradition of not practicing baptism or communion as a form of protest against forms of godliness, lacking the power thereof. It is very similar to some of the OT prophets who protested against the feasts and sacrifices. Thus, I view abstaining from these things as a form of prophetic protest, intended for some people at some times, and not as norms for all people, times and places. Among Quakers, you will find a variety of views on this.
WRT water baptism and communion with the elements, current Quaker practice varies. Generally, neither is considered a requirement, spirit baptism and spiritual communion being considered essential instead, but some Friends offer either or both for those who request them.
My perspective on this is that George Fox considered them empty rituals in England during his time, and after his spiritual revival, called upon his followers not to practice empty rituals. Instead, the silent meeting developed. Today, the Friends silent meeting has become an empty ritual to some, and some Friends no longer practice it.
I look at the Friends tradition of not practicing baptism or communion as a form of protest against forms of godliness, lacking the power thereof. It is very similar to some of the OT prophets who protested against the feasts and sacrifices. Thus, I view abstaining from these things as a form of prophetic protest, intended for some people at some times, and not as norms for all people, times and places. Among Quakers, you will find a variety of views on this.
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