Details
Mid-17th century England was swept by dramatic change: sharp religious and political conflict, rising hopes, persecution of those outside the mainstream, charismatic leaders, and popular grassroots movements—in short, a world much like the one we live in today. The Publishers of Truth (as Quakers first called themselves) were born as a faith community into this world, discovering together new approaches to worship, relationships across gender and class lines, and ideas about God in many ways different from anything the world had seen before.
In this class we will walk with those First Friends, sharing with each other what we know about them and listening to their own voices across the centuries. Our main intention will be to reflect together on what these Friends can teach us about ways we can live together into these same critical issues as a faith community today.
Subjects that will be covered:
- The World Turned Upside Down: historical background & the beginnings of the new movement
- This I Knew Experimentally: God as an Inward Teacher
- The Silent Assemblies of God’s People: gathered worship and Spirit-led vocal ministry
- This Is Our Testimony to the World: prophetic witness, faithful living & sufferings for the Truth
- “Gospel Order”: developing new ways of living with each other in local meetings
This course is designed to be helpful both for experienced Friends and those new to Quakerism.
Leader: Peter Blood-Patterson (Mt Toby)
Peter’s ministry of teaching and writing about Quakerism is currently under the care of Mt. Toby Friends Meeting in NEYM. Working in close collaboration with a number of leading Quaker historians and writers, he is the primary curator of the online library InwardLight.org, which has already provided free access to hundreds of Quaker pamphlets, books, and talks stretching from the beginnings of Quakerism to the present day.