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After many conversations with Friends, I have concluded that, if non-resistance means doing nothing about evil, we do not accept this maxim – and nor did Jesus Photo: Peace and resistance icons by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

‘We can think that there may be exceptions to a principle without feeling guilty that we have therefore failed it.’

Returning evil: John Lampen’s Thought for the week

‘We can think that there may be exceptions to a principle without feeling guilty that we have therefore failed it.’

by John Lampen 7th July 2023

In a recent letter (16 June), Gerard Bane asked whether ‘Resist not evil, but return evil with good’ is still a defining feature of Quakerism. After many conversations with Friends, I have concluded that, if non-resistance means doing nothing about evil, we do not accept this maxim – and nor did Jesus, Paul of Tarsus or George Fox. But if ‘resistance’ implies ‘using any means available’, many Friends would say no to that too.

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