Peace 350

The Friend reports on the QPSW peace workshop at YMG

Quaker Peace & Social Witness (QPSW) have rededicated themselves to active nonviolence with a new declaration based on comments from Meetings across Britain.  While the word ‘pacifism’ does not appear, the statement declares: ‘We are convinced that no end can justify the means of killing another human being’. It has been issued 350 years after the first collective declaration of the Quaker peace testimony.

The wording is based on declarations compiled by dozens of Meetings using QPSW’s ‘Peace 350’ workshop.

‘Through collective worship and personal reflection, Friends identified areas of concern,’ explains the statement, ‘Friends reaffirmed their commitment to nonviolent, Spirit-led approaches’.

The statement was read out for the first time at Yearly Meeting Gathering (YMG) last week by members of QPSW’s Peace Campaigning & Networking Group. They acknowledged that individual Friends and Meetings had come up with varied responses and that summarising them had not always been easy.

The causes of war

The new declaration begins with a focus on the causes of war. It describes ‘economic, environmental and human injustices’ as ‘structural violence’ and the ‘root causes of much violent conflict’. It identifies the arms trade as a key factor in encouraging armed responses.

Friends are reminded that they may face an ‘uncomfortable’ calling to ‘go against the norms and values of society’.

The words of George Fox are echoed in a contrast between the power of the Spirit and the dominant powers of the world: ‘The power that governments, corporations and individuals wield is too often destructive. But we know a “life and power” which enables us to be both peaceable and powerful’.

The statement goes beyond the more usual Quaker assertion of ‘that of God in everyone’. It states: ‘Quakers recognise that of God in every living being’.

QPSW have emphasised the ‘bottom-up’ nature of the process, which began with comments from Friends in workshops and led to a formal declaration at a national level. Outside the sessions at YMG, several Friends pointed out that no time had been allocated for consideration of the document by Yearly Meeting in session.

A few Friends told the Friend they thought that many British Quakers were moving away from pacifism, making it harder to reach unity. Some said there had been conflict over the peace testimony in their local Meetings.

Workshop

About thirty Friends attended a workshop at YMG, at which QPSW’s Sam Walton emphasised that the phrase ‘peace testimony’ refers to actions and lifestyles through which Quakers witness to peace, rather than a written document.

Only around half the group seemed prepared to describe themselves as pacifists, but most agreed with the statement ‘I would be a conscientious objector’. Some Friends said they felt unable to disengage from all violence, while one spoke in favour of ‘just war’ theory and described war as ‘the lesser evil’.

There was a range of responses when Friends were asked if they felt called to action by the peace testimony. One was thanked for his honesty when he said: ‘I feel called, at times. I tend not to answer.’

A discussion on the future direction for Quaker peace activism brought up comments on military spending, armed forces recruitment, nonviolence training and the
links between peace and the environment. Several Friends expressed interest in campaigning against the London arms fair, which takes place next month.

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