Letters - 17 March 2023
From Kinder ground to Historic injustice
Kinder ground
I am feeling dismayed. It seems more and more Quakers are choosing to leave ‘kinder ground’ to embrace the more combative discourse that seems so prevalent elsewhere in society. Even in the Friend, some letters are published which take no note of the watchword at the head of each week’s correspondence column: In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity (my italics).
Friends are entitled to their opinions and free to express them. There is nothing wrong with disagreement per se. But can we not express disagreement respectfully, without insinuating – or even saying outright – that Friends who think differently from ourselves must by definition be despicable people of bad faith and unworthy motives?
One recent letter, for instance, accused Quakers of dishonestly presenting themselves as a Christian organisation in order to derive ‘kudos’. The writer of the letter claimed to be concerned for truth – but what he said was far from the truth. He offered no evidence in support of his accusation, and I have seen none. On the contrary, if you look at our website and publications, there is plenty of evidence that Friends are completely open about our theological diversity. Can this individual not consider it at least possible that Quakers (and indeed other denominations) might set aside their theological differences purely because they want to work together for a better world?
I sense that most people these days are feeling battered by the stormy times we are going through, and there is more and more anger and hurt around. Quakers are suffering along with everyone else. But we are all Friends; if we cannot be kind, or at least charitable, to one another, where can we go to find mutual kindness and respect?
I would like to urge Friends to keep Advice 17 in mind and ‘avoid hurtful criticism and provocative language’, and not ‘allow the strength of your convictions to betray you into making statements or allegations that are unfair or untrue’. In fact, I’d like to ask anyone who writes a letter to the Friend to offer it as ministry, intended to help us all move forward into the Light, not to tear others down. Am I alone in this desire?
Stevie Krayer
The Peace Testimony
Anne Macarthur (3 March) is right to remind us that ‘the situation in Ukraine is not simple’. But the complexities should not blind us to a simple truth. Russia invaded a country that has been independent since 1991, in defiance of international law. Some Friends tell me they are conflicted over the hostilities in Ukraine and feel their commitment to the Peace Testimony is tested.
The late archbishop Desmond Tutu wrote: ‘If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse, and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality’.
Neutrality leads to appeasement. I’m on the side of the mouse.
David Boulton
Peter Laszlo Peri
The sad news from Woodbrooke has prompted the following request. Many Friends will remember with affection the figural sculpture ‘Quaker Meeting’, which resided for many years in the Quiet Room, and latterly in an upstairs sitting room.
The artist, Peter Laszlo Peri, was a member of Hampstead Meeting from 1952 until his death in 1967. Although little known among Friends, he was famous as a Constructivist artist in Berlin in the 1920s, and his post-war work in Britain is about to be the subject of a major exhibition in Germany later this year.
I have been working for some years on Peri’s role as a Quaker artist, and am also in touch with his estate.
We are eager to have news of any other Quaker-related works by Peri which Friends may know of. (For example, Friends House Library has a group of figures taking part in a CND Aldermaston march.)
In addition, if any Friends remember Peri himself from the 1950-60s at Hampstead Meeting, I should love to hear from you.
And finally, as we gather together our memories of Woodbrooke, if any Friend has a particular memory of the ‘Quaker Meeting’ sculpture during its fifty-five years on public display, it would be good to be able to put together a record of how Peri’s fellow Quakers have responded to his work. Thank you.
Rowena Loverance
Truth & Integrity Award
In his letter of 3 March, Roger Hill raises serious questions about the Quaker Truth & Integrity Award. In putting forward this Award (the first recipient of which will be announced next month), the Quaker Truth & Integrity Group (QTIG) was acting out of concern that truth and integrity are being undermined in public life. As we have seen recently, it is all too easy for democracy to be eroded from within if trust is lost.
The concern about the preservation of democracy (and the rule of law) stems in turn from the way in which our testimonies can flourish more readily in a liberal democracy.
Moreover, Britain and indeed the world will only be able to deal with the existential problems facing humankind from a position of trust – and trust is necessarily underpinned by truth and integrity.
Some have indeed questioned whether such an award is in accord with Quaker tradition – but ironically the lead item in the news section of the 3 March edition of the Friend is about the nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize that have just been made by Quaker Peace & Social Witness and the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC/QPSW).
That Quaker nomination is highly valued in the US, and also helps keep Quakers in the public eye.
Of course it is formidably difficult to assess truth and integrity but, having myself participated in the deliberations of the AFSC/QPSW nominations committee, I can only say that the discernment process was of a quite exceptional order.
Are we perhaps placing ourselves on a pedestal? That will always be a risk but, deserved or undeserved, Quakers do have a reputation for truth and probity and as such we have an opportunity for our voice to be listened to.
And instead of exposing bad practice, we are trying to raise up the good (‘kinder ground’), which is an entirely different thing.
As Roger says, we hope this will be a way of teaching the importance of truth and integrity, not just to the young but more widely.
Friends interested in what QTIG is doing will find details on www.quaker.org.
Jan Arriens
Assistant clerk, Quaker Truth & Integrity Group
Bullying
I believe bullying is endemic in Quakers but we do not see it because, like domestic violence, the word is seen to apply only to physical violence.
There are so many ways in which we are coerced, sadly: recycling, trans, non-theist, and so on.
We can be so strong minded and active that we throw out our expectations on others and we are not always tolerant of others’ views or life experience.
Love is not an easy practice and we should not beat ourselves up as we are still novices.
Margaret Roy
Historic injustice
The Quaker Africa Interest Group (QAIG) would like to clarify the importance of acknowledging historic injustice – and that this is ongoing (3 March).
QAIG’s statement on Redressing Inequality (http://quakerafricainterest.org.uk) recognises that ‘The transatlantic slave trade has ended but the way rich countries relate to Africa and the Global South generally is still exploitative – e.g. poor countries suffer most from climate change that rich countries cause and are unwilling to compensate for’.
Those working on projects/charities network through QAIG – they are on the ground, listening and responding to needs with African partners as active participants in repairing historic and ongoing loss and damage.
Lee Taylor
Co-clerk, Quaker Africa Interest Group
Comments
David Boulton’s name was missing off this version of his letter on the peace testimony, which we are reprinting in our meeting’s weekly news.
By Anne & Rob Wade on 16th March 2023 - 12:04
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