'Fox also insisted that, though the Bible contained the word of God, the Word in its full sense was synonymous with Christ and the light.' Photo: by Jessica Delp on Unsplash
Brought to book: John Wattis on early Friends and the Bible
‘It is not just that we are to be peaceful, we must be peacemakers too.’
Sometimes we forget that early Quakers were among the first people in Britain to have reasonably-easy access to the Bible in the vernacular. It informed a great deal of early Quaker thinking, and it was foundational to George Fox’s understanding, along with a personal encounter with Christ as ‘one who can speak to my condition’. Fox also insisted that, though the Bible contained the word of God, the Word in its full sense was synonymous with Christ and the light, as at the beginning of John’s gospel. Early Quaker theologian Robert Barclay maintained that while scripture was inspired by the Spirit, it could only be understood by someone inspired by that same Spirit.
The New Testament and the teachings of Jesus seem particularly relevant to early Quakers. Two of the ‘beatitudes’ or ‘blessings’ declared by Jesus (Matthew 5:9-10) have strong resonance: ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven’ (New International Version).
The relevance of verse nine is obvious. Emerging from the turmoil of civil war, early Quakers reclaimed this oft-forgotten teaching. It is not just that we are to be peaceful, we must be peacemakers too. Advices & queries 31 advises us to live ‘in the virtue of that life and power that takes away the occasion of all wars’ and asks us whether we ‘faithfully maintain our testimony that war and the preparation for war are inconsistent with the spirit of Christ’.
Verse ten is more difficult because of the negative association of the word ‘righteousness’ with the idea of being self-righteous. An alternative translation might be ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for doing the right thing’ or for ‘acting justly’ or even for ‘treating other people fairly’. This brings us close to the Quaker testimony to equality, stemming from the conviction that all people are of equal spiritual worth and that we should ‘love our neighbours as we love ourselves’. It recalls stories of early Quakers being persecuted for refusing to doff their hats to people of ‘higher status’ than themselves. According to a paper produced by the Testimonies Committee of Quaker Peace & Social Witness (2003/2009), the Equality Testimony ‘covers such matters as social inclusion, ethical investment, seeking to ensure that those who produce goods (especially in poor countries) receive fair payment, the avoidance of exploitation and discrimination, work with the homeless, asylum-seekers, refugees and prisoners, and prison reform’. Interestingly, these are still behaviours which may lead to social disapproval, though rarely to persecution. It also reflects Fox’s belief that Friends were called to live lives dedicated to the pursuit of righteousness. This understanding also chimes with a rich thread in the Old Testament, summed up in Micah’s declaration: ‘He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God’ (Micah 6:8, NIV).
These blessings, foundational to early Friends, must continue to inform our actions in the world.
