The Queries

The Queries are a device used within the Society of Friends for prompting both corporate and individual self-examination. They have varied through time and from Yearly Meeting to Yearly Meeting, reflecting current regional insights as to the best way for Meetings and individual Friends to live their spiritual and temporal lives. It is the practice in most Monthly Meetings to read and consider a query at each meeting for business. We urge consideration of these queries by all Friends.

Associated with each Query, one or more references relevant to that Query are given. Friends may wish to use selections from these passages, or others, to read as Advices with the Queries.

The Voices of our tradition speak eloquently, emphatically and clearly to our condition. These words illuminate both the wisdom of the past and the issues of the present, connecting our own concerns with those of our history. We have chosen both voices from our Quaker tradition as well as others which echo the spirit of Quakerism.

The Advices gather the essential suggestions and critical ideas that might serve to guide our meditations, our reflections, and our choices about how to live. Gleaned from our readings, our worship sharing, our prayerful meditations, these advices articulate our understanding of the concern.

The Queries are a device which have long been used by the Religious Society of Friends for prompting both corporate and individual self-examination. Queries are an incentive to continue our search, deepen our journey, engage the mystery.