Of bath water and plastic ducks
Ann Barnes considers the challenge of ‘coming home’
Coming to Quakers quite late in life I am constantly struck by how many people, like myself, have reached this place by a rather circuitous route. Coming home Some of those journeys will have taken in membership of one or more other churches, time in the wilderness and exploration of different faiths; some have involved just a moving-on from a place of disillusionment with the church of their upbringing. This ‘coming home’ from a long search for a spiritual base seems a common experience, but it also seems that most new Quakers come with a sound knowledge base of what Christianity is about, even though rejection of erstwhile accepted aspects of it is part of the process.
This rather obvious fact seems to me to be important, and we should perhaps give some thought to some of the implications of this, as well as considering the fact that many of our young folk in the UK are singularly lacking in knowledge of the Christian scriptures and may even be unfamiliar with such ‘basics’ as the Lord’s Prayer, or the difference between the Old and the New Testaments. Children are, on the whole, no longer subjected to sessions of Bible reading, prayers and recitations of the creed and the Lord’s Prayer, and the amount of time in schools devoted to religious studies is, in most cases, small.
Seeking
At the same time there seems to be a growing spiritual searching among young people today. The resurgence in the so-called New Age faith groups, Paganism, the exploration of Buddhism and meditation, as well as the emergence of the non-churches in America, seems to show that this is so. For such people, Quakerism, with its lack of dogma and creed, may well prove very attractive. The silent waiting may appeal to those who find meditation attractive and helpful; the strength of our testimonies may speak to the activists in society. The sheer ordinariness of our Meeting houses and their secular use during the week will be less daunting to those who feel overpowered by the sacred space and, in some cases, the vast and ornate building of churches.
Bathwater
Disillusionment with, and moving away from, a place and form of worship can be both a painful and a liberating experience. For many it means a chucking out of a lot of bathwater and, while we may retain and carefully nurture the baby, a lot of little plastic ducks that erstwhile made bathtime fun will be lost with the water. So we may cease to refer to the Bible for help or inspiration, may stop reciting old favourite prayers, and no longer value the sacredness of certain days and festivals as we seek to find the sacred in all things, places and people. These things were important to us at earlier stages of our journeys, they remain a part of our own personal history, and they will forever inform our view of Christianity.
How then do we celebrate, experience and share our deep Christian roots as Quakers? The early Quakers were steeped in scriptural knowledge, and the Bible was an integral part of their lives and their worship. I have heard it said that had every Bible in the country been destroyed in the late seventeenth century, George Fox could have rewritten it in its entirety. A massive overstatement no doubt, but the story illustrates how important biblical knowledge was to many people, not only Quakers, at that time in our history. But our knowledge base is much wider now. We know, value and have respect for other religions. We have become used to archaeological research and biblical scholarship casting doubts on previous certainties. We question old presumptions and abandon some of the beliefs that sustained our forefathers. We confront and acknowledge our doubts and hesitate to form new certainties.
To proceed in faith with a diminishing belief system is not an easy route to take, and it is something that people new to Quakerism can find daunting. Unsure as many of us are, and holding many different views as we do, on matters such as the divinity of Christ and the nature of God, how can we best help those who come to Quakerism without much experience of Christian teaching or worship? Quakers are ace at handling the big issues, and are second to none in their involvement and unstinting work in those areas to which the testimonies speak. We get stuck into issues such as disarmament. We fight injustice and strive for equality and sustainability in the environment. We treasure our rich history and we search critically for theological truths. But, maybe, the one challenge we have yet to face is that of how to engage, help and teach those who come to Quakers with little or no knowledge of the Christian faith, its rich biblical history and of the scriptures of the Old Testament that informed so much of the thinking of the Gospel writers and of Paul in particular.
Ducks
We may find ourselves having to gather up some of those little plastic ducks again and re-engage with our Bibles, look again at the practice and value of prayer in our lives, and search for new truths therein as we seek to become more relevant to seekers of Truth who arrive in our midst from a starting point very different to our own. As a relative newcomer to Quakers I am conscious that I may be missing something here, and it is not for me to speculate. However, that amazing little guidebook that we have in Advices & queries refers unambiguously to our Christian heritage and the teachings of Jesus; I do wonder if the next generation of convinced Quakers will truly and comfortably be able to answer the queries and heed the advices of, say, Advices & queries 2 and 4? But at the same time I am convinced, too, that if we hold true to our history and tradition of being ‘seekers of Truth’ we will, in the words of Advice & query 5: ‘appreciate that doubts and questioning can also lead to spiritual growth and to a greater awareness of the Light that is in us all.’
Advices & queries, 2
Bring the whole of your life under the ordering of the spirit of Christ. Are you open to the healing power of God’s love? Cherish that of God within you, so that this love may grow in you and guide you. Let your worship and your daily life enrich each other. Treasure your experience of God, however it comes to you. Remember that Christianity is not a notion but a way.
Advices & queries, 4
The Religious Society of Friends is rooted in Christianity and has always found inspiration in the life and teachings of Jesus. How do you interpret your faith in the light of this heritage? How does Jesus speak to you today? Are you following Jesus’ example of love in action? Are you learning from his life the reality and cost of obedience to God? How does his relationship with God challenge and inspire you?
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