A Bible opened at the start of The General Epistle of James. Photo: By timesscript on PIxabay.
Home James? Tim Gee looks at the letter that inspired Quaker founders
‘I’ve been amazed to discover how many well-loved lines from early Friends have a link with the epistle.’
On 13 April I’m looking forward to speaking on the BBC about the epistle of James. It’s a little-known book, disliked by some because its words disrupt some aspects of Christian dogma. But it is liked by many Quakers, especially as James says that faith is meaningless without deeds, and that what we do is more important than what we say. He also calls for peace and equality. An elder I knew used to call it ‘the Quaker book’ because of its resonances with our faith. Since then I’ve been amazed to discover just how many well-loved lines from early Friends have a link with the epistle. To be radical means to ‘go to the root’. So here are six radical roots of well-known Quaker phrases that have a connection with James.
