The fruits of conversation
Jez Smith reviews a new book examining the range of beliefs among Quakers
Rooted in Christianity, Open to New Light – Quaker spiritual diversity by Timothy Ashworth and Alex Wildwood, Pronoun Press in partnership with Woodbrooke. ISBN 978 0 955 6183 3 8. £9. This book comes at the same time as the deadline of the Friends Quarterly essay competition on the future of Quakerism in Britain and in some ways it could have been an entry. For, in essence, Rooted in Christianity is about the future of the Religious Society of Friends in Britain. Tim is Christian and Alex isn’t. They talk a lot. In private or in public, as they did during their visits to Meeting houses. Then they write about their own experience and each other’s.
Rooted in Christianity, Open to New Light came out of a long-term project by Tim and Alex, in which they explored the rich diversity of Quakers in Britain by holding workshops in Meetings across Britain Yearly Meeting. If the partnership works in comedy (think Punt and Dennis or Mitchell and Webb) there’s no harm in giving it a try in religion too. At times the narrative reads like an old married couple might have written it: ‘Ooooh’, Tim might say, ‘you’ll find that Alex doesn’t like his Quakerism described like that’.
So what of the content? Tim and Alex coherently present one of the big issues facing our society – can we stay united as the basis of our faith becomes broader. Perhaps in the way that they tackle it is a way for us to think of it too, as an open community of faith.
At one level the words we use are all immaterial anyway because what we’re trying to describe and define ultimately escapes complete description or definition, and some people will remain content with that state of affairs. But for others the words are important. A recent example occurred in the Friend as some contributors began to engage in the questions about the importance of theism before the conversation was closed. But even by then some Friends were finding themselves hurt or even starting to wonder if Quakerism was their home, such was the way that the communication was conducted.
Attending a Good Lives course a couple of months ago I was taken aback by the number of participants for whom vocalising their faith, simply expressing what their spiritual practice is, was an unusual or even first time experience.
If we can’t confidently express our faith internally what hope do we have when we come to share it with others, either because we are involved in outreach, or because one day an enquirer to our Meeting asks us something important? Well, we might have some hope but not as much as we could have. The Friend also has a significant role to play in any discussion – we are an outlet for the national conversation, coupled with the Friends Quarterly and the discussion online.
During the course of this book Tim and Alex do a lot of work on the ‘banana shape theory’, which was one description of their opposing views, but the banana is a bit of a red herring. What is most important is the general theme of this book and how we respond to it.
For all that the banana isn’t all that important (and at least this is recognised by Tim and Alex by the lack of up-front attention that they give the concept in the title, imagery or blurb), finding a way that Christians and non-Christians can exist side by side is helpful. Of course many of us might avoid the issue, but if we do so en masse, we do so at our own peril – bananas don’t stay ripe for ever.
