Wait what? Quakers?

SamTeeJayKay

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Just did some research.

Christiandoctrines.net says,"In official Quakerism, few Quakers believe in the need for Biblical-salvation. This is because few of them accept the reality of Satan, or of sin. Obviously, if there is no sin, there is no need for salvation! To many Quakers, 'sin' is merely a vestigial remain within a man which can be removed by doing good. Satan is said to be a figment of the imagination and Jesus Christ is said to have been just a very good man."

What is a sub-forum for a cult doing in CF?
 
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CelticRose

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Modern Quakerism covers a lot of ground. I have met aethistic Quakers, Pagan Quakers ~ & full blown, born again, spirit~filled Quakers who believe all the traditional Christian doctrine. They do hold to there being *something of God* in every man & thus seek to identify & relate to that in the belief God is drawing all men unto Himself. I may have that a little wrong, not being the usual sort of Quaker.
 
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graciesings

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Ok- I will try to answer your question, but as I am a history whiz, I have to give you some historical background first.

Quakers were a sect of Christians that came out of England and Ireland in the 1600's. Many of the early Quaker ministers were fiery Irishmen. The early Quakers believed in simplicity of dress, seperatism, and epuality. Quakers put more emphasis on the Holy Spirit than any other Christians of the time. Quaker meetings were traditionally a period of sillence in which anyone (male or female) who felt called to speak could do so. Quakers didn't have creeds or an established doctrine and disregarded rituals and sacraments. They called themselves the "society of friends," but were stuck with the name "Quakers" when one of their leaders told an English judge that he "should quake at the name of the Lord!" Quakers were usually pacifists and would not swear or take oaths. Some refused to hold public office.

Many Quakers immigrated to Pensylvania around 1680-1720. Some of my Quaker ancestors moved to the wilderness when they saw "non-Christians" moving into Pennsylvania. Quakers took a stand for women's rights and were usually against slavery. During and before the Civil War (1860s and earlier) many Quakers were abolitionists who worked with the underground railroad. Quakers also used antiquated English pronouns (thee, thou, thine, ect.) until around 1900.

Over the last 100 years, Quakers have split into many different groups. Most are pacifists, but every meeting (congregation) is different. A few have held to the same beliefs of the 1600s. They live on farms and are dress like 1600s Puritains. Sunday meetings take all day and follow the old Quaker time-of-silence/feel-the-Spirit idea. They have large families and teach their children about the Bible. Many groups have gone to the other extreme and embraced the philosophies of liberalism, world peace, and loooooove. They have no defined beliefs and dress/act like everyone else. Sunday mornings are a "fellowship time" in which people of all religions can spend time in quiet peace and meditation. Some have mostly accepted modern evangelicalism, and their worship services are just like any contemporary service except for a 15 minute period of silence. It seems to me there are a number of in between groups too, but I know less about them and each meeting really is different.

I hope this answers your questions. If any of this is confusing, ask me!

God bless you,
Grace Ryan
 
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dsaly1969

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The problem with Quakers in the United States is that there are different groupings representing different theological tendencies going from classic Christian Quakerism ("Conservative" Friends) to evangelical Christianity (Evangelical Friends International) to more "mainline" Christian (Friends United Meeting) to more progressive and universalist (Friends General Conference and some of the independent Yearly Meetings in the West). Among the liberal Quakers in the FGC you can find many who may not identify as Christian, some may identify more with Buddhism or paganism or even nontheism - but even then there is a recent movement even among liberal Quakers especially among the younger generations to reclaim that peculiar form of Christian Universalism which has been part of Quakerism almost from the beginning while still retaining that open inclusiveness of others. Most Quakers in the UK most closely resemble the liberal Quakers (FGC) of the U.S. However, the majority of Quakers in other parts of the world will be closer to more evangelical EFI understandings or the more conservative wing of FUM as these groups have done the most missionary work.
 
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crazyasheaven

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I see that the variety has been discussed. I have a men's small group that is all quakers, and I have attended quaker services a dozen times at one meeting house (anabaptists often call a church a "meeting house" and church service is "meeting")

The place i go to is very inclusive of different faith backgrounds. They make decisions by consensus, they love potlucks, social justice, simple living, and peace.

I go to the service occasionally because there's a lot of commonality there with me, and i love the quiet and simple style of worship. They have music before meeting and it's just sitting around a piano singing out of a book. No light shows, smoke, guitar solos, etc.

Their theology rests heavily on relationship and life together, and very little on absolutes or philosophy.

The relationships inform the rich philosophy and ethics, not the philosophy forming the way we relate.
 
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