Wait what? Quakers?

[FaithfulPilgrim]

I just recently became a Quaker. I was already on board with Anabaptist theology, but I thought they were to strict on pacifism and I still held to eternal security. I ended up joining the Quakers, because AFAIK, they don't require you to be a pacifist and it seems there is great diversity in theology among them, which can be both a good and a bad thing.

 

[dsaly1969]

The Quakers are more like a grouping of related faiths. The vast majority of the Quakers in the world (Africa has the highest numbers of Quakers) including the USA are explicitly Christian - they range from Evangelical Friends Church International which has their theology in their name (they do not believe external sacraments are necessary for salvation but often offer them as an outward symbol of inner grace) to Friends United Meeting (which ranges from mainline to evangelical in theology - there are a few liberal Meetings with joint FGC/FUM affiliation left in FUM but I predict they will all or most will leave FUM within the next 5 years) to Conservative Quakers (the smallest group but most traditional Christian Quaker in practice and theology). The vast majority of Christian Quakers have pastors and "programmed" worship ( a church service with hymns and sermon, etc. although with a period of "open worship" to wait upon the Holy Spirit). Evangelical Friends and FUM both accept classic Christian theology as spelled out in their various belief statements (such as the Richmond Declaration of Faith in FUM). The Conservative Friends and some FUM meetings have no pastor and only practice "unprogrammed" or "open" worship.

A much much smaller group of Quakers are theologically liberal (aka inclusive or universalist) and are not explicitly Christian so people with a wide array of theologies and beliefs (from Christian to Buddhist to whatever) can attend and participate if they agree with the primary Quaker "testimonies" of Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Compassion, Equality, and Sustainability. Liberal Quakers have no pastors, creeds, and only do unprogrammed worship as well. The liberal Quakers are represented in Friends General Conference as well as the Yearly Meetings in the UK, Australia, and most European countries.

 

[GoodLightSJ]

I'll throw in the obligatory 'the Quaker oats guy has absolutely nothing to do with Quakerism' bit of trivia. In fact, I recently read an account from a Quaker who the oats company threatened to sue for using their products in artwork he was creating for the Society of Friends.

What a world.

 

[9Rock9]

If they believe that Jesus was 'just a good man' how is that not a cult

There are different kinds of Quakers. Sounds like you encountered non-theistic Quakers.

 

[Victor in Christ]

I just recently became a Quaker. I was already on board with Anabaptist theology, but I thought they were to strict on pacifism and I still held to eternal security. I ended up joining the Quakers, because AFAIK, they don't require you to be a pacifist and it seems there is great diversity in theology among them, which can be both a good and a bad thing.

self-defence would be allowed. If someone is going to kill or harm you, some self-defence lessons may be needed without trying to inflict harm on your attacker.