Letters - 20 May 2011
From testimonies to the tapestry
Testimonies
Our Friend, Roger Hill (6 May), speaks my mind. I share his disquiet at the proliferation of so-called Quaker testimonies. As he says, the peace ‘testimony’ arose out of a need to express the position of Friends as regards warfare (even ‘righteous’ war) at a particular time in history.
I, too, am uneasy about the quasi-credal use of the four virtues in question for the reason that creeds tend to shut out those unable to adhere totally to them. Don’t we, after all, invite anyone who finds our Quaker way of worship to join with us in seeking the Truth, without question?
I find the idea of living peaceably, simply, honestly and fairly to be entirely in keeping with my Quaker leadings (if often difficult to achieve in every particular) but I don’t wish to preach or proclaim this. As a child, I acquired my Quaker values from observing the exemplary lives of adult Friends, and not from what they said about their beliefs.
Is it possible that in our current zeal for ‘outreach’ we have turned too hastily to words about our beliefs to print on posters and pamphlets instead of letting our lives, as Quakers, speak to our communities?
George Fox’s starting point was a deep-rooted and well-informed Christian faith. The Society of Friends has evolved over the centuries and some Friends have moved further than others from this basis but the freedom to express our beliefs through the testimony of our daily lives remains a sufficient and precious Quaker witness.
Barbara Pensom
You need to login to read subscriber-only content and/or comment on articles.