Issue 28-02-2014
Featured story
Thought for the Week: Meeting for Worship at North Gate, Faslane Naval Base
On the far side of the roundabout Pyramidal orchid, tormentil, silverweed. Three small streams, toppling over rocks, Improvise tranquil cadences While a scrum of compact birch Crowd to the tree line Whence swells the heather hill. High above all, a pair of buzzards With wings outstretched, Bank and turn, Bank...
Top stories
Body, mind and soul
The fifth edition of Quaker faith & practice contains fifty-three separate references to ‘soul’, drawn from more than three hundred years of Quaker thought. Clearly, the notion of the soul has an important place in the history of Quaker beliefs. Curiously, however, the word does not appear in the index....
Sustainability - Low carbon? Let’s be realistic!
Recently I have been interviewing councillors and council officers about their efforts to reduce carbon emissions and am encountering intensely conflicting opinions and worldviews about this. Take, for example, ‘Mr A’, who says, (I am paraphrasing): ‘The scientists can’t even agree about climate change, so how can I...
Fair and sustainable?
It is with some relief, but also with a heavy heart, that I am about to retire at the age of seventy after nearly fourteen years of ministry as a part time prison chaplain. Most of this time has been spent at Wormwood Scrubs prison. Until the last few...
Faith and practice
Letters to the Friend about acceptance of atheism, nontheism and God indicate that, despite discussion over several years, we are no closer to a resolution of this dispute. The debate has not been helped by the lack of definition of terms, particularly ‘nontheism’. Are nontheistic Friends merely unhappy with the...
The Winchester Whisperer
A fragile historical document written on toilet paper and housed in the library of Friends House was featured this week in a new BBC world war one project. The Winchester Whisperer was a newsletter written by conscientious objectors in Winchester Prison.
All articles
Fairtrade Fortnight highlights ‘banana wars’
Fairtrade Fortnight, which this year runs between 24 February and 9 March, will highlight the struggle of banana farmers around the world. Bananas, along with shopping basket staples such as bread and milk, have become a battleground on which the big four supermarkets – Tesco, Asda, Sainsburys and Morrisons – compete for market...
QPSW supports End Hunger Fast campaign
Quaker Peace & Social Witness (QPSW) is supporting the End Hunger Fast campaign that calls for urgent political action to end hunger in Britain. Many people throughout Britain, including some Friends, will be taking part in a national day of fasting on 4 April in solidarity with half a million...
Woodbrooke launches online postgraduate courses
The first online postgraduate courses in Quakerism have been launched by the Woodbrooke Centre for Postgraduate Quaker Studies in Birmingham. The Centre, in conjunction with one of the top dozen universities in the UK, Lancaster University, is now offering the first online postgraduate courses in Quakerism: a Postgraduate Certificate...
Research grants opened up
The Friends Historical Society (FHS) research grants have been made available to more people than ever before. The awards, which are up to £500 each, will be open for the first time to non-academic researchers. A maximum of four grants will be made in 2014.
Pilgrimage
Somehow, this is not footfall. The tired glance is missing, and the peculiar ache of distance. Jerusalem, Medjugorje, Croagh Patrick – a list of names. Dust, horizons, remembering.
Eye - 28 February 2014
The work of two artists with Quaker connections is on display this spring. Artwork by Margaret Glover, a New Zealand Friend, can currently be found at The Peace Museum in Bradford. Margaret is a Quaker who ‘combines her two passions (art and peace) through her artwork’.
Letters - 28 February 2014
Forgiveness on the River Kwai It was a real pleasure to read John Lampen’s feature about Bill Allchin and his experience of reconciliation with Nayasa Takashi bringing his memory alive (7 February). Bill was a valuable addition to Winchester Meeting and was surprised to find how quietly active members were. ...