Quakerism

[Benjamin]

Does anyone here have any experience with Quaker Christians (or they may refer to themselves as Christian Quakers), or insight into Quaker christianity?

I ask because I'm reading the third book (called The Legacy ) in a trilogy by Michael Phillips and there is a reference to Quakers and one in particular, John Woolman of New Jersey. To clarify, the trilogy is a work of fiction, but in the fiction, there are references to a non-fiction historical person. Clear as mud?

What has me asking mostly, I think, is that in the work of fiction, and in the short effort I've put into additional research around Quakerism, it seems they have a significant emphasis on each believer grappling individually with their faith and listening for what God wants them individually to do.

This strikes me as very similar to Ed's consistent message that what God calls him to do is not necessarily what God is calling each of the rest of us to do. And he is not posting so we can follow the path he has discovered God is calling him to, but that he posts to encourage us to find out from God for ourselves what God wants from each of us.

I'd especially be curious for any encouragement for or warnings against looking more deeply into Quaker theology based on whatever anyone here may know or have heard.

Incidentally, I came across a Quaker related website called friendsjournal.org.  I've gathered that journaling about one's spiritual journal is encouraged among Quakers.  There were also links on the same site to a book review of a book about small community farming, and links to "Speculative Fiction and Sci-Fi".  My curiosity is piqued.

[Ed Hurst]

I've not dealt with any Quakers directly. There is some overlap at the point you cited, Benjamin, but little else. As early as the late 1800s the Quakers consciously embraced liberalism and what was then wokeism. They depict Jesus as some kind of activist. The only boundaries are their own traditions within that frame of reference. And they are responsible for the state where Jay lives, since the founder of Pennsylvania was a Quaker trying to provide a safe refuge for this fellow travelers who were persecuted in those days. That was back before they went liberal.

[IainH]

I believe that Pennsylvania was the first colony to allow freedom of religion. 
I encourage anyone who has the curiosity, to examine any and all the religious traditions that their curiosity demands. I don't see any harm cherry picking whatever useful nuggets you find.

[jaybreak]

And now we have a tyrant and federal shill for a governor, who just broke our own state's election laws (and probably more, but everyone breaks laws).

I've checked out the PA Amish (not Quakers) communities a few times. They seem like a good group of folks.

[Ed Hurst]

The video is a really good summary. The Anabaptist traditions spun off Mennonites and Amish at various points in history. These groups range all over the map in the degree to which they remain separate from society, and how much technology they accept. There are some useful ideas there, but they arise from a very different, Western tradition, so it would be quite a leap to join their community after all my bridge-burning with Western background.

[IainH]

"...so it would be quite a leap to join their community after all my bridge-burning with Western background."
Ditto