Photo: A close-up of the cover artwork of the upcoming edition of The Friends Quarterly.
All write: Catherine Milne & Gill Sewell of the Friends Quarterly
‘The February issue will soon be dropping onto subscriber doormats.’
It is a pleasure to welcome faithful readers – and potential new recruits – to the longer reads in the Friends Quarterly. Last year we explored the meaning of faith across different cultures, and the meaning of membership to Quakers. We also heard from Eva Koch scholars working on the practical implications of climate justice, and read first-hand accounts of Quaker witness in Israel and Palestine.
The February issue will soon be dropping onto subscriber doormats. Our theme for this edition is ‘spiritual accompaniment’, and we explore what this practice involves for five Quakers. A need for accompaniment was articulated at Yearly Meeting 2024, and our authors have been pondering whether the time is ripe for the Quaker take on spiritual direction to be better known and more accessible.
May’s edition will introduce the Quaker Racial Justice Network to a wider audience. We have found writers who will enlighten us on the work going on at grass roots, supported by BYM staff. As with every issue, there will be discussion questions to provoke engagement.
The August offering is a new departure: we are throwing the invitation wide to you, dear readers, wondering how many of you yearn to see your work in print? We are inviting submissions of short stories, inspired by a buzzword that emerged from the Future of Quakerism conference held last year: transformation. Let your imaginations loose over 2,500 words, or in ‘flash fiction’ (under 1,500), or even ‘micro-fiction’ (75 words). We will read every submission.
‘We are throwing the invitation wide.’
We are also seeking contributions for the final issue of the year, which has the enticing subject of ‘Eden’. These essays would run to our more usual length of 3,000-3,500 words. Have you experienced Garden of Eden moments in your own life? How does the image of innocence call to you? Do you have practices that weave a sense of the numinous, mystical or sacred into your own landscape?
Looking ahead, there is plenty of time to organise your thoughts on ‘power and authority’, which is the projected subject matter for the first edition of 2026! We are commissioning historical, theological, and sociological readings on how these ideas and values have been significant in Quakerism to date. We also hope to see reflections on what kind of relevance they may have in the twenty-first century.
As ever, we would be delighted to welcome submissions of art, whether for use on the cover or inside the magazine. As far as writing goes, it is worth remembering that any published essays from those aged under-thirty-five qualify for an honorarium.
Your work will need to reach us at least three months ahead of the publication date, so if one of these topics appeals to you, please get in touch so we can explore your ideas before you get started. Essays will need to reflect the diversity and inclusion to which we as a Religious Society are committed. We look forward to hearing from you.
