First, a preamble: I am, in this order: 1) a Quaker; 2) an
orthodox Quaker; 3) a "
Gurneyite;" and 4) an
Evangelical Quaker. Unlike our liberal, unprogrammed cousins (who seem to be the first to come to mind when Quakers are mentioned, hence the qualification*) we are, as a general rule, theologically and socially conservative and we utilize pastors and programmed services with hymns, sermons, etc. that are similar to what you'd find in any typical low-Protestant church, particularly those of the Holiness/Wesleyan/Methodist/Evangelical/Revivalist persuasion (because our beliefs were refined by the
Second Great Awakening). We have commonality, however, in that we continue to maintain distinct beliefs and interpretations, albeit alongside Evangelical "standards" (if you will) of Biblical authority and inerrancy, Trinitarianism, and so forth and we, too, practice "quietism" and "waiting worship" (
Spirit-led silent worship) but as a part of our overall service and practice rather than the majority of it.
* For what it's worth, though universally mischaracterized as such, the vast majority of Quaker meetings worldwide are
not liberal, unprogrammed, or new age.
Wiki:
In today's world, around 89% of Friends worldwide worship in churches that have programmed worship —that is worship with singing unto God, a prepared message from the Bible, and often coordinated by a pastor. Around 11% of Friends practice waiting worship (also known as unprogrammed worship) - that is worship where the order of service is not planned in advance, which is predominantly silent, and which may include unprepared vocal ministry from anyone present, so long as it is credible to those assembled that the speaker is moved to speak by God.
A quick selection of ideological standards from the majority, for comparison:
Declaration of Faith Issued by the Richmond Conference in 1887
Northwest Yearly Meeting Faith and Practice (PDF) (sections: Friends Faith and Appendix)
Evangelical Friends Church-Eastern Region Faith and Practice (PDF) (sections: Doctrine, Testimonies, and Appendix)
And a boilerplate representative statement from a local unprogrammed meeting:
"Although the roots of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) are in Christianity, some individual Friends do not call themselves Christians. Today’s Friends are very comfortable with the wide range of beliefs in any one Quaker meeting. The Meeting welcomes lesbians, gay men, and non-traditional families."
Up to and including:
"Nontheist Quakers (also known as nontheist Friends) are those who affiliate with, identify with, engage in, or affirm Quaker practices and processes, but who do not necessarily accept a belief in a theistic understanding of God, a Supreme Being, the divine, the soul or the supernatural."
I was not raised in any religion, let alone in a specific denomination. I became a Christian (wholly unexpectedly) right around the time I became an adult, and I wasn't sure how to align myself for nearly a decade afterward. I've looked into everything from Eastern Orthodoxy to Calvinism to Oneness Pentecostalism and came up unsatisfied at the end ever time, so I took a look at my family tree for inspiration and decided to read more about Quakers after discovering my great-grandmother attended a Quaker church from the 1930s to the end of her life. Like many others I had been under the assumption that Quakerism and quietism were the same thing, but having looked into the history and theology a bit deeper I've finally found a match.
2. As a Quaker, do you generally accept the traditional Christian beliefs (Trinity, Jesus died, risen, coming again, etc.)?
Here are some excerpts from the sources I supplied earlier:
We believe in one eternal, omnipresent, unchanging, personal God; perfect in holiness, wisdom, love, power, and justice without preceding cause or beginning; creator and preserver of all things, visible and invisible. He exists as one divine being and yet as a trinity of three distinct persons, identical, inseparable, and equal in divinity, power and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
...He [Jesus] died in our place and was raised the third day for our justification; He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God, ever living as our only Mediator and High Priest making intercession for us, and from there will return again to receive His church unto Himself and to judge the world in righteousness.
We in the EFCI also affirm the National Association of Evangelicals'
Statement of Faith.
There are, of course, certain beliefs and practices that prevent us being lumped in with any ol' Protestant denomination. Generally speaking, we do not practice outward ordinances (the two ordinances being identified by the Reformation as Baptism and the Lord's Supper). We believe in Baptism of the Spirit (not to be confused with tongues, etc.) which is the "Inner Light" or the working of the Holy Spirit which indwells in man. However, some Quaker churches (mostly abroad, from what I gather) are experimenting with water baptism, but will only baptize adults on a profession of faith. So, not only do we not baptize infants, we tend to not baptize at all. Just one point of contention with our mainline brethren.
