1. How many Quakers are there?
Worldwide, there are about 300,000 Friends, in roughly 80 countries. The countries with the largest concentrations of Friends are Kenya, the USA, Bolivia, Guatemala, Britain, and Burundi. In the United States, there are about 90,000 Friends. In New England there are about 5,000 people regularly attending worship, in around 90 local congregations (meetings). For more about Friends around the world, please visit Friends World Committee for Consultation.
2. Where did Quakerism start?
Quakerism arose in the north of England around 1650, and quickly spread across the whole of England and the British Isles. By the late 1650s, there were Friends in Europe (especially France and the Netherlands) and in North America (West Indies, New England, and elsewhere). Pennsylvania, the Quaker colony, was founded by William Penn in 1680.
3. Are Quakers Christian?
(We have adapted the following from the website of Friends Meeting at Cambridge fmcquaker.org)
The Religious Society of Friends is an evolutionary transformation of Western, English, Protestant, Puritan Christianity that arose in the mid-1600s during the English Civil War. The movement sought to revive the radical spiritual life of primitive Christianity. Early Quakers were persecuted as heretics.
Today, many “convinced” Friends, that is, those who have been attracted to join our search for spiritual immediacy, bring with them some more, some less of their Christian faith. Others, who have been raised as Quakers, continue in the radical Christianity of the early Friends. Still others simply do not self-identify as Christians.
What has persisted in the Quaker movement is the belief in radical spiritual life for those who sit in expectant worship and walk the talk in social action. Many of us have experienced the growing reality of the inner Christ, the seed, the Light within, the inner teacher. We believe that the love and Light of God, which showed in all its perfection in the life and teaching of Jesus, is available to everyone even today, however they may choose to identify it.
So, the question is, is this the form of Christianity that you are seeking? If not, you may wish to explore other branches of Quakerism that have different Christian profiles.
4. Do Quakers have a creed?
We believe that one’s religion is not a matter of asserting a form of words, but rather is a way of life — of worship, of truthfulness, of spiritual growth, and of life in community. From the beginning of the Quaker movement, however, we have made statements about our discoveries under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Individuals, in writing, teaching, or proclamation, have also given an account of their belief. A good place to find out more is to read our book of Faith and Practice and there is an online version you can access for free.
We most often make use of “queries” to explore our religious faith and practice. You may find Quaker queries to be helpful aids to reflection, whether you come to a Friends meeting or not.
5. Are you Amish? Shakers?
No, neither.
With these two groups we share a common understanding that followers of Christ are not to participate in war, and a commitment to simplicity of life, and truthfulness in speech. The Amish, Mennonites, Hutterites, and Church of the Brethren come from the Anabaptist tradition that originated in Europe more than a century before Quakerism arose. The Shakers (United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing) arose in England in the 1740s; the founder, Ann Lee, was herself originally a Quaker.
6. What about thee and thou? And aren’t you supposed to dress differently?
The Quaker use of “thee and thou,” often called “the plan speech,” now is used only in some communities. It arose at the beginning of the movement, as an outgrowth of our commitment to truth-telling: At the time, the use of “you” to address a single person was a new fashion, a form of politeness. Friends believed that it was more truthful (and less flattering) to use the singular forms “thou, thee, thy” when speaking to a single person, and the plural forms (you, your) for speaking to more than one person.
By the way, Friends traditionally did not use the pagan names of the months and weekdays. Instead, they spoke of First Month (=January) and Second Day (= Monday). In most meetings still, classes for children or adults that happen on Sunday are referred to as “First Day School.”
The “plain dress” perhaps most widely know from the picture on the Quaker Oats box, was a result of a commitment to simplicity of dress, and avoidance of fashion and decoration. As with the plain speech, only a few modern Friends still wear this traditional clothing.
7. What should I wear to meeting?
In most meetings, everyday clothes are fine.
8. Do Quakers read the Bible?
The Scriptures have been important to Friends from the beginning, and many still read it regularly, and sometime engage in Bible study. Many Friends in liberal meetings, however, are not particularly well-versed in the Bible. Regardless, it must be stressed that Friends have traditionally not regarded the Scriptures as “the word of God.” We were mindful from the first that the Gospels speak of one Word, and that is Christ (as in the first chapter of the Gospel of John). An early Quaker writer called the Scriptures “a declaration of the Fountain” and not the Fountain itself.
9. Quakers and war.
Quakers believe that war and preparation for war is not compatible with the teachings and spirit of Jesus.
10. Quakers and marriage.
Quakers place a high value on marriage, and have careful procedures by which a couple can be married, as we say, “under the care of the meeting.” These procedures originated in the early years of the movement, when opponents of Quakerism charged that our marriages were not legitimate, because our weddings are not conducted by clergy. A wedding takes place as part of a meeting for worship, which starts out in silence. At a certain point, the couple stand and speak simple vows to each other. Soon after this, the meeting for worship continues, and often there are many messages of blessing and joy. All those present are asked to sign a certificate as witnesses to the event.
11. Quakers and LGBTQ+ people.
Friends in New England are welcoming of all seekers, regardless of sexual identification. Friends are also prepared to celebrate same-sex marriages between members of the community on the same basis, and with the same procedures, as heterosexual marriages.
12. Do Quakers have a leader?
Quakers do not have anything corresponding to clergy, though we do sometimes pay staff to undertake other functions. As organizations, meetings appoint a person as clerk, who presides at our meetings for business, which take place once a month, and are accordingly called “Monthly meetings” or “business meetings.” Most of the work of the meeting is carried out by appointed committees. Small meetings rarely have standing committees. Local meetings in New England are grouped into Quarterly Meetings, and any member of any meeting in New England can attend our annual gatherings for worship and business — the Yearly Meeting. (These often are attended by around 700 people of all ages.)
Yearly Meetings have formed national and international umbrella organizations, but these are associations for work and worship, and the constituent yearly meetings are independent decision-making bodies.
13. Do Quakers practice the sacraments?
We have never practiced enactments of the sacraments such as baptism, the Lord’s Supper, etc. We believe that these are to be experienced as spiritual events, not as outward rituals which can be enacted with great meaning, or can be performed by habit, empty of spiritual power.
Noting that the Gospels teach that Jesus was to come to bring baptism with fire and the Spirit, we recognize that one may have the experience of renewal of spiritual commitment and cleansing many times in one’s life, under the guidance of the Inward Teacher. Again Jesus told his disciplines that “wherever two or three of you are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of you,” and we believe that unity in the Spirit is the essence of communion.
14. What is a preparative meeting?
The basic organizational unit in Quakerism is called the “monthly meeting,” because it meets once a month for business. The monthly meeting can include more than one local worshiping congregations. If one of these local meetings grows large and stable enough, it may meet from time to time to organize budgets or other local matters. At this point, it may take on the status of “preparative meeting,” in that it “prepares” business to forward to the monthly meeting (for example, marriages or new memberships). This meeting may or may not be preparing to become a monthly meeting on its own — indeed, it may never do so.
15. What about Quaker Oats?
Quaker Oats has nothing to do with Quakers, now or in the past — except that the originator thought that his product would be recommended by associating it with the Quaker reputation for honesty and wholesomeness.