The Friend

‘What canst thou say?’: Damian Entwistle on better understanding between theists and non-theists

‘Any man who judges by the group is a pea-wit.’ Buster Kilrain, in Gettysburg, by Ron Maxwell.

‘We are all different. Don’t judge, understand instead.’ Roy T Bennett, The Light in the Heart.

Outside the box: Jonathan Wooding rediscovers the writing of Colin Wilson

Here’s a young man, just in his twenties, in 1950s’ London, reading of all things George Fox’s Journal. In 1954, there was plenty for this earnest, self-taught, independent-minded man to process: the testing of a hydrogen bomb, war-time rationing at an end, the publication of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, the founding of Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, Alan Turing’s suicide, William Blake’s ‘Jerusalem’ included on the Last Night of the Proms, and a new film starring Peter Cushing – George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four. History hurts and inspires; culture is challenging, sometimes demeaning; life is ultimately precarious… What does it all mean? Who am I? Where do I belong? 

Stopping ecocide: Hilary Saunders is impressed by FWCC

In autumn 2024, Woodbrooke ran two learning sessions on ecocide, with the help of Stop Ecocide International (SEI) and FWCC (Friends World Committee for Consultation). This issue is crucial for FWCC, as it is frequently contacted by Quakers around the world who are affected by climate disasters, and need help.

Two of a kind: Martyn Kelly’s Candlemas reflection

Candlemas, celebrated in early February, commemorates the presentation of Jesus at the Temple (Luke 2: 21-40), and features two intriguing characters: Simeon and Anna. Simeon, Luke tells us, was ‘waiting for the consolation of Israel’, while Anna ‘never left the temple but worshipped night and day’. Both saw, in the infant Jesus, the promise of hope.

Poem: Still life

Your presence quietly breathing here in grey light,

is a shadow cast on a wafted veil of days.

A Complete Unknown

I am so glad I saw this film. It brought me joy and it brought a tear to my eye. Some wag will probably call it a jukebox musical for boomers and that’s as maybe, but it’s still the best musical I have ever seen.