From a lifetime of seeking, Harvey Gillman explores a way to respond to what remains, in spite of everything, a very beautiful and sacred universe. This is a journey through language, using poetry, philosophy, and insights from different religions, graced with the song of a blackbird, who accompanied the author as he wrote the work. Pandemics, civil wars, religious extremism, spilling of blood in the name of sacred and secular causes, destruction of our environment... Why write a book on spirituality and language? Don't we need calls to action, positive plans to change the world? But the way we speak, the way we search for meaning, the way we declare our truths - these are often at the root of such political and spiritual 'dis-ease'. The driving force behind this book is how we can use difference compassionately and with integrity.

Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone!

This life of Fox was written, not primarily for those who are his followers and disciples in name and faith, but rather for that wider group of persons who are only remotely acquainted with him as a 17th century figure in leather breeches, the founder of the Quakers and an apostle of the divine in man.

Published By Direction Of The Five Years Meeting.

This book is an attempt to study historically and critically the religious movement inaugurated in the New World by the Quakers, an important movement both for the history of the development of religion and for the history of the American Colonies, and to present it not only in its external setting but also in the light of its inner meeting. At the time of original publication in 1911, Rufus M. Jones, M.A., D.Litt., was Professor of Philosophy at Haverford College; Isaac Sharpless, D.Sc., was President of Haverford College; and Amelia M. Gummere, was author of The Quaker - A Study in Costume.

This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we have made it available as a part of our commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting the world's literature.

Quaker author of fiction and non-fiction, Daisy Newman writes of the role Quakers have had in befriending Indians, opposing slavery, providing humane treatment for prisoners and the mentally ill, and opposing war and capital punishment. This is history in its most readable form, as the author's sense of detail gets beneath the facts to give the reader the sense of place and emotion in each event.

Published By Direction Of The Five Years Meeting.

A important book which gives a comprehensive view of the message and vision of George Fox and the Early Friends, and how there is an urgent need to recover that vision.

Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone!

The best introduction to the spirituality of George Fox (1624-1691), founder of the Religious Society of Friends. The author explores six key phrases used by Fox and applies them to modern spirituality. Free study guide available online at the publisher's website.

Quakers are chary of doctrine, feeling that it seeks to limit our understanding of God and to shut people out rather than bring them in. In his 1982 Swarthmore Lecture book, the late Gerald Priestland drew upon his experience in exploring the doctrines of the churches for his broadcast series Priestland's Progress. In his talks with more than a hundred thoughtful churchpeople he found doctrine to be far more flexible and useful than many of us suppose. In his own words 'It is not a set of unreasonable certainties, but of reasonable uncertainties. It is a way of packaging and passing on information. It is a set of tools to work with, not a row of idols to worship'. Quakers do not need to hammer out doctrines of their own, but they can be an authentic part of the One Great Church only if they are prepared to come to terms with doctrinal thinking and see what it means.

Beth Allen offers her understanding of faithful discipleship, starting with how we experience and think about God. She explores how we can think and worship today in integrity to our inner selves and to our knowledge of the world, and takes a practical approach to theological and philosophical concepts, from her Quaker and Anglican experience. We need a solid foundation to ground us as we reach for the ideals, the actions which will make peace and justice real today. For Quakers, this starts with the meeting for worship, and continues with the experience of God found in words from Quaker and other traditions. The cool stillness of the Spirit is the source of enormous, exuberant life.

"The right joining in marriage is the work of the Lord only, and not the priests' or magistrates, for it is God's ordinance and not man's; and therefore Friends cannot consent that they should join them together: for we marry none; it is the Lord's work, and we are but witnesses." So wrote George Fox in 1669 in Quaker Faith & Practice 16.01. How can any couple be clear that they are called to steadfast commitment to each other? How can the meeting witness this divine work, and uphold the couple? The Quaker understanding of marriage is rooted in our history, unique, yet evolving. How could a meeting support a couple of the same sex who ask to celebrate their life long commitment before God and in the care of the meeting? This is a practical and inspiring book for those responsible for oversight or eldership. It will help registering officers and everyone concerned for committed partnerships. Couples considering their life together may find this informative and supportive.

Outlining a life of discipleship in Christ, William Penn addresses topics relevant today such as daily bearing the cross, worship and our inner character. Selleck's modern English translation makes this classic (written in 1668) easily readable in the 21st century.

This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we have made it available as a part of our commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting the world's literature.

Where do we stand on lived witness, on social testimony? Both in the essay by Jonathan Dale, which carries forward ideas expounded in his Swarthmore Lecture of 1996, and the short contributions from many Friends, we get a glimpse of other people's experience of the living truth. As Jonathan Dale says, 'The more the Light is followed, the deeper the joy and the readier we may be for the next step'. Quaker Books hopes that this book will inspire readers to think more on how we live out our testimonies in our lives, to develop a culture of mutual accountability, and to share the lessons from our own journeys. When we say that God is love, the integrity of our claim is known by the degree to which it is lived out in our lives. The examples given here should provide much to stimulate further action by us all.

Ryan P. Jordan explores the limits of religious dissent in antebellum America, and reminds us of the difficulties facing reformers who tried peacefully to end slavery. In the years before the Civil War, the Society of Friends opposed the abolitionist campaign for an immediate end to slavery and considered abolitionists within the church as heterodox radicals seeking to destroy civil and religious liberty. In response, many Quaker abolitionists began to build "comeouter" institutions where social and legal inequalities could be freely discussed, and where church members could fuse religious worship with social activism. The conflict between the Quakers and the Abolitionists highlights the dilemma of liberal religion within a slaveholding republic.

The secret of Woolman's purity of style is that his eye is single, and that conscience dictated his words. This Quaker preacher and tailor was a man of wisdom and true philosophy. These pages are filled with insight and messages for our time. A major classic of American spirituality.

If the holy potential is in each of us, and we recognise it, our behaviour towards others must be deeply affected. How could we abuse or treat them as enemies? Must we not try to heal relationships fractured by anger, fear and incomprehension, making use of the universal capacity for peace making that flows from 'that of God'? To do so effectively involves understanding the nature of unpeaceful relations and recognising that there are different types depending on the power balance of the protagonists. But some methods are always appropriate: recognising and responding to the good in the other, establishing and maintaining a relationship of trust, listening, perseverance. There is no box of magic peace making tricks. All depends on love and concern informed by experience and understanding.

Are Quakers Christian? Is it possible for Quakerism to be both Christian and Universalist? These are just two of the questions which form the starting point for this book. In exploring them, it becomes clear that they cannot be answered in isolation for they are linked to a whole complex of questions about Jesus, God and the nature of human living. So it becomes necessary to engage in theology. But for Quakers this must be from a distinctively Quaker standpoint which seeks to be both undogmatic and concerned with practical issues. Most of all it must be grounded in our corporate experience of God. Janet Scott attempts to begin this process. She explores what we may say about Jesus and about God, sets out one way in which Quakerism may be both Christian and Universalist, and points out areas needing further discussion.

This book is an attempt to study historically and critically the religious movement inaugurated in the New World by the Quakers, an important movement both for the history of the development of religion and for the history of the American Colonies, and to present it not only in its external setting but also in the light of its inner meeting. At the time of original publication in 1911, Rufus M. Jones, M.A., D.Litt., was Professor of Philosophy at Haverford College; Isaac Sharpless, D.Sc., was President of Haverford College; and Amelia M. Gummere, was author of The Quaker - A Study in Costume.

From 1940 to 1946, Roger Cowan Wilson was General Secretary and Travelling Commissioner of the Friends Relief Service. Soon after his wartime experience, in 1949 he delivered the Swarthmore Lecture, and applied his clear thinking and his understanding of Quaker processes to examine how a religious concern can be made manifest in practical work, and what needs to be considered so that this can be organised. 'The true "concern" is a gift from God, a leading of his Spirit which may not be denied.' How is the authority for this held by a human organisation? What kind of people does it need to lead and carry out its work? Subtitled 'A study in motive and administration in Quaker relief work', Authority, Leadership and Concern was soon recognised as an essential book, was reprinted in 1970, and is still valuable in the next century.