Letters - 19 May 2023
From Our future direction to Universities and tapestries
Our future direction
I was pleased when Charles spoke of seeing himself as a defender of faiths, rather than as defender of the (Anglican) faith, as it seemed to show a broader vision than nationalism. So I was rather taken aback when I heard that the general public was being asked to take an oath of allegiance to Charles. This concerns me as a Quaker for a number of reasons. Human societies that are cooperative and peaceful outperform those that are riven by dissension. Yet in the UK we are seeing a drift away from unity and towards distrust.
The Society of Friends has a record of peacebuilding, and of encouraging fruitful discussion, yet at this critical time seems to have laid down many of its practical initiatives, such as encouraging personal contact across diplomatic and social divides, and spreading awareness of techniques by which trust can be built at all levels of social contact.
Nationally, our legal, political and trades union systems are all based on fundamentally-adversarial frameworks, yet all require trust to run smoothly, just as mechanical devices require oil. Our banners say ‘Quakers for Peace’, but, corporately, what are we doing to encourage dialogue across the climate divide, or to seek ways in which protest can be carried out constructively, or to encourage groups to concentrate on the interests which they may hold in common?
The Society of Friends has experience in building trust, and we believe at the deepest level that honesty, equity and truth are vitally important in all human affairs. Yet at this time it is easier to find Friends addressing our internal organisation than in looking outwards into society at large. Surely, it is in the latter arena that we need to live most adventurously?
We have a Light that is needed in the world. Should we not be doing more to set it where it can shine out to the best advantage?
T Roger S Wilson
Alarm bells
I found your report on the first three days of Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM) alarming (5 May).
If BYM is a kind of spiritual AGM of the Religious Society of Friends, then it would be normal and expected to hear the latest audited financial accounts, and a report on the health of the Society (number of members and attenders).
These were both absent.
Instead, there seems to have been a preoccupation with committees and processes.
The iceberg was always far more important to the Titanic than the deck chairs or the orchestra.
If this had happened at any other organisation’s AGM, alarm bells would be ringing very loudly.
To kick the most important items down the road a couple of months to another day in July seems worrying to me.
Simon Newton
Response to BYM Epistle
I read and reread the Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM) Epistle before listening to it as it was read in Meeting on Sunday, and have read the minutes since. I felt very sorry for the challenges that must have been experienced by the BYM clerks and indeed by all of those who took part in the sessions. It can be felt in the repetition of issues over the days and the level of anxiety expressed for the future of the Society. And I was horrified to think that the issue of our structures would be reopened. It seems that we have only recently reached the end of the last, seemingly endless, restructuring process.
There are huge and intensifying causes for anxiety about the world at large, affecting us all. Need we really add so much worry about our own Society?
Yes, we are numerically aging and our numbers are going down (though my own Local Meeting is thriving). The future of our planet and the good of other beings does not hang on our collective survival. And that in turn is unlikely to be determined by the matter of structures but by the depth and inspiration of our worship, the strength we find in it, and the joy we experience in each other’s company. Maybe our next Yearly Meeting should be devoted to those things.
Diana Francis
Quakers and honours
Quakers of former times eschewed titles and honours, but now it seems that Quakers accept British empire medals, including knighthoods and damehoods, too readily forgetting all the historic violence that goes with this.
Gerard Bane
Speaking truth to power?
I resonate with much of the Epistle from this year’s Britain Yearly Meeting (5 May). But reference to ‘Speaking truth to power’, a phrase which often appears in Quaker writing, makes me feel uneasy.
It implies that we know what is the truth. This has the danger of fostering a pretentious spirit. The Epistle also refers to ‘the possibility that we could be mistaken’. So, this does give some reassurance.
A comment I once heard also helps to maintain a thoughtful balance: ‘The bridge of love in your heart must be strong enough to carry the load of truth you want to get across it. It’s no good trying to get a ten-ton truck over a three-ton bridge’.
Howard Grace
Apologies
I am at a loss to know why you felt it necessary to apologise for re-printing Stephen Petter’s letter about non-theists in membership (5 May) on the grounds that ‘Some Friends have found it a difficult letter to read, and we know that our republishing exacerbates that’.
There have surely been many occasions when you have published letters which Friends found difficult to read – for example about racism, about anti-semitism, about sexual orientation, and about bullying and exclusion in our Society.
Why apologise for this letter when you didn’t apologise for the others? Does the fact that you felt you had to make this apology actually reinforce the case made by our Friend, that we are too afraid to challenge people who join us even though they are not following a religious path?
Chapter 11 of Quaker faith & practice reminds us that membership is about discipleship. Maybe that was not made clear to those who found Stephen’s letter difficult. We are also reminded in the introduction to Advices & queries that they are offered ‘for the comfort and discomfort of Friends’. If we try to avoid the difficult discussions which will inevitably follow from looking with a clear vision at our current situation, then we don’t deserve to thrive as a Religious Society.
Barbara Forbes
Membership
I was delighted to read the letter from Stephen Petter. It was a real comfort to see. I have been in the past disturbed by correspondence in the Friend on the differences between theism and non-theism.
I have been a member all my life, as were my parents and grandparents.
The journals of George Fox refer to ‘God’ or ‘the Lord’ all the time.
We are the Religious Society of Friends with Christian teaching at our root. If we forget this, we cease to have a reason to exist.
Prue Handley
Universities and tapestries
I found interesting Andy Fincham’s article on ‘Why were early Quakers successful’ (21 April). However, there were six universities in Britain at the time of which he was writing. As well as Oxford and Cambridge, there were four universities in Scotland – Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and St Andrews.
I am not a historian but I believe that there was no requirement to swear an oath on matriculating from these institutions.
That there were four universities in Scotland may have had an influence on the two tapestries for the Quaker Tapestries, which Scottish Quakers chose to stitch – ‘Swear Not At All (Matthew 5:34: The ability to claim burgess rights regained Aberdeen 1714)’ and also ‘Publishers of Truth: Robert Barclay of Ury published his Apologia 1676’.
Kate Arnot
Comments
Thank you, Diana Francis. There is so much to do to ‘mend the world’:
let us not waste energy!
By patriciacockrell21@gmail.com on 25th May 2023 - 15:37
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