The Quaker Faith: Friends of Love and Truth

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Description

For nearly 400 years, Quakers, also known as Friends, have been a small but influential faith community, combining a spirituality of divine intimacy with an active commitment to peace and social justice. In this accessible introduction to the Quaker tradition, Stuart Masters traces the roots of the Quaker way in 17th-century English Puritanism and founder George Fox, and the role of such early leaders as James Naylor and, reflecting Quakerisms progressive views on gender, Margaret Fell. Masters then describes how the movement has developed and changed over time, producing a number of different expressions in the world today.

The Quaker Faith illuminates the enduring shape and orientation of Quakerism by tracing the key stages and waymarkers of the Quaker spiritual journey. He also explores the challenges posed by this spiritual path, including those situations in which the Quaker community has failed to live up to the standards of its stated values and beliefs. The book also highlights the fascinating connections between Quakerism and the practices of other Christian churches and faith traditions and assesses what Quakers have to offer in a modern world where people are searching for spiritual meaningand yearning for a society founded on peace, racial reconciliation, gender equality, and ecological justice. Chapters explore such topics as Quaker diversity, worship and practice, discernment and decision making, testimony, and the spiritual journey. The book concludes with an assessment of the future of Quakerism.

Author Bio

Stuart Masters is program coordinator for History & Theology at Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre in Birmingham, UK and the author of The Rule of Christ: Themes in the Theology of James Naylor. He is also the author of numerous essays and articles about Quakerism, many of which have appeared in Friends Journal. His research and teaching focuses on Quaker spirituality and theology, eco-theology, and the relationship between Quakerism and other Christian traditions.