007
QuakerQuaker
Primitive Christianity Revived, Again
QuakerQuaker
Primitive Christianity Revived, Again
What to read?
dear people, i've felt some sort of spiritual kinship with the Quaker way for many years and am now feeling a need to learn more and attend a local meeting of Friends here in Austin, TX. i am not and have never been a Christian but have always had deep spiritual feelings. i have always believed in the equality of all peoples and had passionate feelings for social justice. i marched for all such causes back in the 60s in Chicago and feel as strongly now as i did as a youngster. i have been reading novels and a couple of books involving Quakerism and would love to hear from anyone as to what books i should read first that might help me gain a better understanding. my dress is not often simple, and i have always worn jewelry. could that mean that i do not fit in or maybe would not be welcome? silly questions, perhaps, but i am most surely a novice here! many thanks to anyone who might respond with ideas and/or information! Beth
Tags: austin, books, friends, inquirer, outreach, plain, quaker, texas
Views: 5
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Ashley W on -
Hi Beth,
I saw you posted this and remembered that there was a thread here before where Friends recommended books for a new Friend: http://www.quakerquaker.org/forum/topics/booksadvice-for-a-new-friend. I think there are a lot of good suggestions there. And don't worry about the clothes or the jewelry, Friends wear all sorts of things!
--Ashley
-
Permalink Reply by Stephanie Stuckwisch on -
Hi Beth
I like to recommend A Living Faith by Wilmer Cooper and Slence and Witness by Michael Birkel. Both are available through FGC Bookstore: http://www.quakerbooks.org.
Don't worry about clothes and jewelry. I have a thing for earrings and no one has eldered me about it.
Stephanie
-
Permalink Reply by Beth Anne Wiggins on -
thanks so much, Ashley! just what i needed to hear! i shall check out the web site also. again, thanks!
Beth
-
Permalink Reply by Beth Anne Wiggins on
-
thanks, Stephanie. i really appreciate your response and will check on the books soon!
Beth
-
Permalink Reply by Madeleine Cadbury Brown on -
If your jewelry doesn't get between you and God, don't worry. Ditto your unplain dress. Modern Quakers do not look like the Qs of 150 years ago, and few dress that way. (I had an older cousin who did, but he was NOT someone you would like or want to identify with). The most distinctive visual clues I have of other Quakers are the liberal bumper stickers on their cars (which are usually modest and efficient).
I loved Plain and Simple, which was NOT about Quakerism but was a fine fit. It's about a woman from California who is led to live with the Amish. Another book I loved was Living More with Less, by a Mennonite Christian woman.
-
Permalink Reply by Alice M Yaxley on -
I love Walter Wink's books. "The powers that be" is a good start, "Jesus and nonviolence" is a superb 100ish-page quick read. The Pendle Hill Pamphlet series are amazing as well, some of them available online.
-
Permalink Reply by Beth Anne Wiggins on
-
Madeleine, i so much appreciate your response! your words are very reassuring! i have read Plain and Simple, also A Quaker Summer (by Lisa Samson). both very comforting to me, although i am not of Ms. Samson's same traditional Christian bent. in fact, i have gone on to read 2 more of her novels for the simple reason that they are inspirational and offer an open-minded love of humanity (my personal opinion, anyway). i try not to be biased and to find the "that of God" whenever and wherever possible. i have also read The Friendly Persuasion and Except for Me and Thee twice. Plain Living is still sitting on my nightstand. ?? i read from several inspirational books each morning, including one by Mother Teresa. I shall look for Living More with Less!
i feel i am quite "unsophisticated" in matters of theology and religious tradition, but not in matters of the heart and soul. i am very happy to read what all of you are writing about on this site and very grateful indeed that i found it! so thank you again, Madeleine, and also thanks to Ashley and Stephanie for responding.
-
Permalink Reply by Faye M. Chapman on -
Dear Beth,
I think thee has the key to going forward in thy search for understanding Friends' ways. In the first sentence thee calls the practice of Quakerism as a "way". I believe thee. I also believe that it is helpful to read how others have come to practice this "way". It is good to read their testimonies. I am convinced (that word is important) that a lot of reading may delay thy practice of that "way" because thee will gain a second hand version when what thee may be after is thy own way of practicing it. I have found several written accounts of others helpful...not all of them are Friends. One is "Practicing the Presence" by Brother Lawrence...The journal of John Woolman...the book of John in the scriptures...and the small devotional book, "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers. It will come to thee that the "way" of Friends is experiential and not understandable very much and, best of all, it is inside thee all ready. I hope this is not too vague. Let me know if these suggestions cloud thy way or open the door. There is no "requirement" about dress, to my thinking...only that nothing stand in the way of thy experience of the living Light within.
-
Permalink Reply by Madeleine Cadbury Brown on
-
Living More with Less is by Doris Jantzen Longacre. She also wrote More-with-Less Cookbook.
-
Permalink Reply by Beth Anne Wiggins on
-
Dear Faye, i cannot thank you enough for your missive. it feels absolutely right--i should not read too much but need to stay on the path of finding my own way of practicing it, which is already inside me. you must have a touch of spiritual genius to be so in tune! oh, i know a certain amount of facts about various religions and philosophies and such, but it is only within the past few years that i have actively begun to search my own soul for what feels spiritually right and comfortable for me.
again, thank you!
-
Permalink Reply by Stephanie Stuckwisch on
-
Beth,
I don't know how I left this one out when I responded earlier. Listening Spirituality: Personal Practices Among Friends and Listening Spirituality:Corporate Spiritual Practice Among Friends, both by Patricia Loring are two of my favorites.
Again, they are available at http://www.quakerbooks.org
Stephanie
-
Permalink Reply by Faye M. Chapman on
-
Dear Beth,
There is no genius of our own making. I'm pretty old in years (76) so some of spiritual insight may come from practice. I haven't always experienced a lot of "comfort" in my Quakerism practice, but I have felt the "rightness" of it. Also it is of great help to find a community to help on the spiritual path. Others can support and nurture the path within and they need to be nurtured and supported as well. I wish thee well.
Follow Us
QuakerQuaker is a community of Friends exploring Primitive Christianity Revived: plain witness, ministry, beliefs. Quaker blogs, photos, videos & gatherings. Learn More.
Subscribe in a reader
Get daily emails
Facebook
iTunes / Podcast
Twitter / Twitter Quaker List
Support:
Make a One-Time Online Donation (Paypal)
Latest Activity
Karen Mercer replied to Elin Hagberg's discussion 'Plain babies and children' in the group Plainness & Simplicity
I wish I could have homeschooled, but here it was not permitted to me by law. School choice is only permitted to two parent families that can afford for one to stay home.
I don't know what clothing is like where you are but it should be…
Convergent Friends
A movement seeking a deeper understanding of our Quaker heritage and a more authentic community life. Tag: convergent
Zaley Warkentin joined QuakerQuaker's group
Elin Hagberg replied to Elin Hagberg's discussion 'Plain babies and children' in the group Plainness & Simplicity
Thanks for your gratulations and your input.
Homeschooling is by virtue of our new curriculum very hard, something I even as a teacher am very critical about. I think that most people do not understand that there are many pros to it and think it is…
Called Out, Called In: Maggie Harrison's Loving Challenge
There is a prophet in our midst, and her name is Maggie Harrison. Rousing many like fire, making my skin itch at being possibly excluded from this club that I don't even belong to, really (when asked if I am a Quaker, I always respond, 'Not yet.'), but want to think I can put on and off like so much-- clothing?And, nakedness. Taking off the mantle of Religious Identity, making space for the un-knowingness of living INTO something, removing armor and scaffold and hard won (or not so hard won)…See More
Blog post by Victoria Pearson
Caroline Gulian replied to Elin Hagberg's discussion 'Plain babies and children' in the group Plainness & Simplicity
First of all, Mazel Tov! Prayers to your pregnancy, may it be a healthy, happy event in your life.
With my children, I have raised them with my beliefs, explained why I dress Plain for worship, and leave them with what I have taught in hopes…
© 2012 Created by QuakerQuaker.
