Education has long been important to Quakers. Friends feel that education is a lifetime effort to develop an open and informed mind and a seeking and sensitive spirit.
It became apparent to early Friends that some form of education would be necessary for leadership and ministry if the Society were to be effective in promoting Truth. In 1668 George Fox urged that schools be established for girls as well as boys. John Woolman, in 1758, cautioned Friends to "watch the spirit of children" and "nurture them in Gospel Love." And, in 1831, Joseph John Gurney exhorted, "We shall never thrive upon ignorance."
Friends are concerned to educate for individual growth, community responsibility, a knowledge of God's world and a sense of wonder at continuing revelation in this changing universe.
a. Religious EducationFriends hold that specific instruction in religious topics is vital in the preparation of the human spirit for living a whole life. The goal of our religious education is to strengthen the awareness of the presence of God and so build Quaker spiritual values and conduct. We learn these through experience and study.
Religious education begins early in the home as the child participates in family silence, prayer, readings from the Bible and other religious works, and in family discussions. We set an example in our own lives and seek actively to guide our children's development of sensitivity to God and the world. Thus children can learn to know how God works through and among all of us as exemplified in the life and ministry of Jesus.
As children grow, they broaden their religious experience through participation in meetings for worship and for business. In First Day School classes conducted by the Meeting, the Bible, religious history and ideals, the world of nature, and the history, principles, and testimonies of Friends are more formally taught. As children are guided to an understanding of history and science, they are enabled better to understand religious Truth. A secure awareness of our role in God's world frees us for more sensitive responses to the leadings of the Inner Light.
b. Adult EducationAdult First Day School classes began among English Friends in the late 19th century and are continued by many Meetings all over the world. The main purpose of Friends' educational activities for adults is the development of spiritual depth in the meeting for worship.
Meetings should foster activities that bring all age groups together. Conferences, workshops and retreats, organized by Monthly, Quarterly or Yearly Meetings or other Friends' bodies provide contacts with a variety of Friends' viewpoints. We should encourage adult members to follow their leadings in seeking education of all kinds and should be sensitive in offering the financial assistance sometimes needed to take advantage of such opportunities.
c. Friends' Educational InstitutionsFormal education among Friends was developed early. In 17th century England, Quakers as dissenters could not attend local church schools or the universities. Friends designed their own schools to provide an education in "whatsoever things are useful in the creation, as George Fox put it. Some of these schools were open to all and became the forerunners of the free schools which developed in the 19th century on both sides of the Atlantic.
In America, Meetings sponsored elementary and, later, secondary schools to provide education in a religious atmosphere designed to prepare the pupils for active membership in the Society of Friends. Many Friends' schools survive as elementary or secondary schools, or as colleges. Baltimore Friends were involved with Philadelphia Friends in the founding of Swarthmore College. As in other well-known colleges such as Bryn Mawr and Pomona, some Quaker connection continues. Others, such as Haverford, Earlham, Wilmington, Guilford, Malone, Whittier, William Penn, George Fox, Friends University and the more recently established Friends World College, retain a more direct connection with one or more Yearly Meetings.
Friends' schools traditionally offer opportunities to put ideals into practice. They nurture students spiritually and intellectually. They seek to create an environment where pupils can grow together toward Truth through a wide range of experiences. They promote a way of life compatible with the Quaker interpretation of Christianity and are a means of Friends' outreach. While each Friends' school is unique, each is a caring community based on belief in that of God in each human being. Respect for the individual and a spirit of give and take among pupils and teachers characterize Friends' schools.
For many years Friends have been concerned about the problem of exclusivity in private schools, especially in those carrying the name of Friends. Those concerned with any Quaker-related school would agree that each institution has a continuing responsibility to discourage snobbishness and feelings of false superiority, to encourage economy and simplicity and to cultivate a realization that with special opportunities go special obligations. A Meeting that has direct responsibility for a Friends' school, or that has any Friends' school in its community, should assist the school to maintain its Quaker character.
d. Public EducationFriends have supported public education from its inception, recognizing that Truth prospers best among a populace that is "led out" from illiteracy and ignorance. In local Meetings we share responsibility with our communities for public education. Through involvement as teachers, school administrators, parents or interested citizens, Meeting members can work to improve the programs of public schools. Opposition, for example, to overemphasis on competition, to military exercises in schools, or to overly lax or overly severe discipline can be a prelude to positive suggestions of alternatives. We should continue to use our influence as citizens to elevate the standards of the public schools, recognizing that the crux of education is how the school system treats the individual. The Quaker ideal is to develop each child's spiritual strength as well as intellectual and practical skills.
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Religion and science are approaches to the universe and our relationship to it. There need be no conflict between these approaches. This Quaker view is well reflected in the following statements by Friends:
William James described Quakerism as "a religion of veracity rooted in spiritual inwardness." Veracity is indeed the Truth of the heart; the renunciation of lies, deceit, guile, deception, and pretence. … The whole knowledge explosion which is a result of the development of scientific subculture, depends quite closely on the tradition of veracity which is so strong there.(Kenneth E. Boulding, in The Prospering of Truth, The Swarthmore Lecture of 1970)
As a scientist and as a person, I recognize the co-existence of two worlds, two systems. For want of better names I will call them the world of matter and the world of spirit -- not independent, yet capable of independent description. The world of matter is the world that we apprehend with our five senses, the world we can measure, the world of time and of space, the world of natural laws that we believe operate without being spoken. … The world of the spirit is the world of love and of hatred, of imagination and illusion, the world of fear and suffering, of ecstasy and of memory, of gratitude, of resentment, of hope and of happiness. No two people have the same inward experiences, although understanding comes from shared experiences. There are laws in this world which do not cease to operate although they are broken every day. … These two worlds are interlocked. God makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and the unjust. Even if we take an airplane and travel around the world with the speed of its rotation so that we experience a continued sunrise, we cannot escape "the starry heavens above" and "the moral law."
(Kathleen Lonsdale, The Spiritual Sickness of the World Today)
There is a truth that lies beyond scientific theories and religious doctrines which are always being disproved and outmoded. Religion should welcome every discovery of science, which in rolling back the boundaries of the known world makes the miracle of creation that much more wonderful, that much more divine. Personal religion, like science, should always be rolling back the boundaries -- making new discoveries, discarding inadequate concepts, enlarging its vision.
(Bradford Smith, Meditation: The Inward Art, 1963)
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Early Friends believed in simplicity, avoiding ostentation and adornment in their clothing, furnishings, homes and meeting houses. However, they often achieved a beauty of line, proportion and workmanship which, later, non-Friends also came to appreciate.
Historically, the fine arts have been relatively undeveloped among Friends. Many early Friends questioned the value of fine arts, often regarding them as superfluous or distracting, if not worse. But Friends have come to realize that art may carry spiritual force. The arts can serve to increase understanding among people, carrying their messages across human barriers of language, dogma or politics. Many have found in artistic creation an avenue for personal growth and fulfillment. Friends may express their own creative spirit through whatever media or in whatever ways seem appropriate. Those who become artists are urged to realize that art constitutes a great force in society and to be mindful of their social responsibilities. Friends in the unprogrammed tradition rarely include music in their worship, but enjoy singing and instrumental music in other contexts. Spontaneous musical contributions, however, may be appropriate in a meeting for worsh
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It seems to me that the moving force behind the Quaker social witness has got to be some vision, however faint and tantalizing, of what the world would be like if we were really obedient to God.(Deborah Haines in Friends Seek Wholeness)
The basic Quaker trust in the Light within leads to our trust in the inherent dignity and sacredness of each person. This trust, combined with our Society's own history of persecution, underlies our social witness.
Some concerns which once drew the witness of Friends are obsolete today, but still we have many challenges. War, violence in streets and homes, injustice in the justice system, prejudice and discrimination, the plights of starving, homeless and disadvantaged people, and business conduct which involves exploitation of people or nature's resources -- all these still call us to action in obedience to the Spirit.
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Since their beginnings over 300 years ago, Friends have been led by their commitment to the ideal of peace to renounce wars and violence, as in the declaration made to Charles II by George Fox and other Friends on November 21, 1660:
We…utterly…deny all outward wars and strife and fightings with outward weapons, for any end or under any pretense whatsoever. And this is our testimony to the whole world. … The spirit of Christ, by which we are guided, is not changeable, so as to once command us from a thing as evil and again to move unto it; and we do certainly know, and so testify to the world, that the Spirit of Christ which leads us into all Truth will never move us to fight and war against any man with outward weapons, neither for the kingdom of Christ, nor for any kingdoms of this world.(George Fox, 1660)
God's law of love, as taught and lived by Jesus Christ, applies to all the levels of society. Wars break the law of love as do violence in communities and families and fighting between individuals. Friends have a settled intention to practice love and to make peace.
As peacemakers we hold that attitudes of justice and compassion are basic. A peacemaker must be able to identify with others. Peace cannot be attained at the expense of others. "Do to others as you would be done by" is indeed a Golden Rule.
We are called as peacemakers to deal with the violence and aggression within ourselves, to find ways of living in harmony with ourselves and neighbors. A simple life style is useful in this connection, since the pursuit of excessive material wealth or power entails competition and exploitation of others. As John Woolman urged, "May we look upon our treasures, the furniture of our houses and our garments and try whether the seeds of war have nourishment in these our possessions." The development of inward peace is part of the process of making outward peace.
Friends need to wage peace boldly and positively. The promotion of peaceful methods of conflict resolution, of international exchanges, of peace education and research, of world law and world-wide standards of human rights -- all are positive ways.
One important aspect of our peace witness is refusal to serve in the military or in activities contributing to military preparedness. Friends who face the draft or registration for it should consider prayerfully their alternatives. Their Meetings should stand ready to counsel and support them. Friends of all ages may witness by acts ranging from refusal to pay war taxes to non-participation in war-related work to demonstrations and other public witness.
All should be aware of the tragic consequences of indifference, timidity and procrastination.
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Friends believe that the aim of government is to preserve a community in which justice, peace, good order and individual development are possible. Members of our Society are also citizens of the community and the nation. Quakerism is not intended to be a refuge from the disturbing events of our times, but rather a source of strength and support in facing them. The free institutions under which we live give many of our members a direct share in the responsibilities of government and in forming a healthy public opinion.
Friends have supported the state as long as its requirements have not opposed the leadings of the Inner Light. They have generally believed that
…if any be called to serve the commonwealth in any public service, with cheerfulness it be undertaken, and in faithfulness be discharged unto God.(Meeting of Quaker Elders at Balby, 1656)
Whether or not directly involved in government, we need to consider carefully our responsibilities in influencing legislation and educating fellow citizens on public issues. Friends should work with people in other churches and in the community to bring about desirable ends through the institutional resources of society.
From the beginning, Friends have found that loyalty to God results at times in refusal of the demands of the state, as in opposition to war and unjust laws, and have supported decisions of conscience taken by individual Friends. Before deciding on a course which involves civil disobedience, a Friend should consult with persons of trusted judgment who have sympathy with the individual's sense of duty. Clearness committees within the Meeting are valuable in such situations.
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The relationships, decisions, and actions of our working lives should reflect a calling to the service of God. Our witness will be unconvincing unless we seek and heed Divine guidance. Individual leadings vary with differences in talents and interests. Each Friend's talents, however, should be fully used.
Investment of assets and consumption of resources require our careful stewardship. As Friends we can direct our investments toward socially desirable ends, avoiding speculation and activities wasteful or harmful to others. We seek to participate constructively and without greed in the economic life of the community. We should refrain from undue accumulation of wealth as well as irresponsible borrowing.
Friends' Meetings and concerns require money and time. Non-pastoral Meetings do not need as much financial support as churches with paid ministers, but our concerns do call for considerable funding. We are required to give generously of our time, since our way of serving the Spirit depends on our personal efforts. For every Friend, the responsibility to give generously of both money and time is real. Monthly Meetings should provide regular opportunities for us to discuss our practices in the use of money and time. Wills should be made and periodically revised with care. This avoids difficulties for heirs and beneficiaries. The needs of our own family members and the merits of contributions to worthy causes should be considered in a spirit of love. Selection of a capable and understanding executor is encouraged.
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We are all human before we are of one race or another, and it is on this common ground of being human that we live truly and on which we meet.(Martin Buber)
From its earliest days, the Society of Friends has supported the equal right of all individuals to be treated with dignity and respect. The opposition of Friends to slavery is well known. Less well known is their support of the rights of women. Quakers, particularly Lucretia Mott, Susan B. Anthony, and Alice Paul, were in the forefront of the American suffrage movement. We oppose all forms of prejudice. Prejudice should never be allowed to keep any persons from a chance to develop or use their abilities, or deprive them of their political, economic or social rights. We are called to work creatively for equal opportunity in education, employment, justice, housing and the like.
Since thought and action are reflected in words, we should take care to use language that reflects the equal dignity and worth of all human beings. We support an ongoing search for broader language to express the continuing revelation of the nature of God. Use of masculine or feminine forms when referring to God perpetuates gender-specific images. With terms such as the Inner Light, That of God in Everyone, and the Seed, Friends already have a vocabulary which is inclusive.
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We must be sensitive to the need for an institutional and societal framework within which disadvantaged individuals can achieve dignity and can experience a purposeful life within the limits of their capabilities. Aging is a natural part of human life. At no time should people be considered to be on the periphery of society because of their age. Older persons, who represent an increasingly large portion of the population, have varied talents, interests and concerns. Friends have a long tradition of appreciation of the gifts of older members, and our Meetings should continue to encourage participation of all ages in Meeting activities.
The same concern for human dignity, and opposition to the use of physical force and violence, has motivated Friends to work toward improvement in institutions and services for the aged, for the mentally or emotionally ill, the retarded, and the handicapped. Employment of members of these groups is encouraged, as well as special education and training.
The Society of Friends has long worked toward improvement in the treatment of offenders. While continuing to press for programs of rehabilitation inside prisons, Friends also recognize a need for pre-trial justice and the elimination of police brutality. Friends are led to oppose capital punishment by our belief in the sanctity of life.
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Population growth and technological abuses are threatening the planet. Millions of people are malnourished or starving, unable to obtain food, homeless. Our faith that there is that of God in every person calls us to concern over this tragic situation. Friends are advised to set the example in living simply so that others may have the wherewithal to live. We are called also to work for public policy aimed toward conserving the world's resources on one hand and sharing them fairly among all God's children on the other.
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Last Revised August 23, 2000