Letters - 18 August 2017
From the word 'Quaker' to vision
The word ‘Quaker’
I was disappointed to read the statement ‘we don’t quake’ (23 June).
I have been a Quaker for over twenty years. The first time I ministered, I quaked. Most of the time I quake before ministering. I am suspicious of ministering if I don’t quake. I suspect I am not the only one.
We should be careful about making categorical statements about Friends.
The word ‘Friends’ is easily confused with ‘friends’. Quakers as a ‘brand’ name (whether we like it or not) is recognised by many people of faith. It can’t be ‘erased’. It is part of our history. I think we should let it be.
Don Stubbings
Quaker copses
Trees can prevent flooding and landslides, provide homes and shelter for animals, absorb carbon dioxide and are lovely to be around. Planting more of them could be a practical demonstration of our sustainability witness.
I have a vision of ‘Quaker copses’ appearing near every town and Meeting, planted by local Friends. It could be a good community building activity for Meetings, as well as beneficial to the environment and wider society.
I know that some Meetings already do this, as do groups like the Woodland Trust. Is anyone interested in working with me to achieve this?
Oliver Robertson
Atonement
I enjoyed Keith Walton’s reflection on atonement in the Friend (21 July).
I recently took part in a fascinating six-week series of webinars, led by Stuart Masters of Woodbrooke, on the theme ‘The nonviolent atonement’. I warmly recommend this to Keith and anyone else who may want to explore this sometimes challenging concept in Christian theology.
One thing I learnt, which seems apposite, is that the very word ‘at-one-ment’ was created to convey the sense of ‘one-ness’ and restoration to wholeness that the concept had in Hebrew worship and ritual.
So, while the lovely quote from Quaker faith & practice 2.92 may not overtly address the meaning of atonement, it certainly embodies it in relating the story of how, through love and grace, Young Friends in 1985 reached unity and wrote a prophetic epistle that still comforts and challenges us today.
Marisa Johnson
Local Meeting
There was spoken ministry at Yearly Meeting Gathering saying, in effect: ‘I have been an attender for twenty years. This is my first time at a Yearly Meeting. It is only now that I understand what Quakerism is about…’
Friends, what does that say about how we conduct ourselves – and our business – at Local Meeting level?
Angela Arnold
Vision
‘Living out our faith in the world – working with others to make a difference.’
I attended Yearly Meeting Gathering. It was my first time and I found it very inspiring and enjoyable, with many wonderful speakers and events. There was a strong sense of working with others to make a difference. Many of the speakers mentioned the lack of equality in British society and strategies to work towards creating equality.
Whilst waiting to go into the penultimate session, we had been supplied with a list of things said during ministry over the week and I overheard a comment: ‘Where is the vision?’
It had been said by some of our speakers how important it is to have a vision of a goal and a strategy for how to achieve that vision. We had heard of the low level of equality in our society compared to the Scandinavian countries and to Japan, and how they came to achieve their increased equality.
We had heard many things said by those called to speak, emphasising our faith and our need for action, but we had not produced an overall vision.
Gillian Bilbrough
