Those Who Workto Shake Society Again Are Called

Introduction

Quakers - the Religious Club of Friends

Quaker meeting at Gracechurch Street ©

Quakers are members of a group with Christian roots that began in England in the 1650s.

The formal title of the movement is the Guild of Friends or the Religious Gild of Friends.

There are about 210,000 Quakers across the globe.

In Britain there are 17,000 Quakers, and 400 Quaker meetings for worship each calendar week. 9,000 people in Britain regularly take role in Quaker worship without being members of the Religious Society of Friends.

The essence of the Quakers

Quakers believe that in that location is something of God in everybody and that each man is of unique worth. This is why Quakers value all people equally, and oppose anything that may impairment or threaten them.

Quakers seek religious truth in inner experience, and identify not bad reliance on censor as the basis of morality.

They emphasise direct experience of God rather than ritual and ceremony. They believe that priests and rituals are an unnecessary obstruction between the laic and God.

Quakers integrate faith and everyday life. They believe God tin can be found in the center of everyday life and human relationships, as much as during a meeting for worship.

What Quakers believe

Amongst fundamental Quaker beliefs are:

• God is love
• the calorie-free of God is in every single person
• a person who lets their life be guided by that light will reach a full relationship with God
• everyone can accept a direct, personal human relationship with God without involving a priest or government minister
• redemption and the Kingdom of Sky are to exist experienced at present, in this globe

Quakers want to brand this a ameliorate world

Quakers work actively to make this a better world. They are especially concerned with:

• man rights, based on their belief in equality of all human beings
• social justice
• peace
• freedom of conscience
• environmental issues - Quakers seek to live simply then as to reduce the burden on the globe
• community life

Holy Books

Quakers do non regard whatsoever book as being the actual 'word of God'.

Virtually Quakers regard the Bible as a very great inspirational book but they don't see it as the only i, and so they read other books that can guide their lives.

Holy Days

Quakers do not gloat Christian festivals such every bit Easter and Christmas.

Worship

Quaker communal worship consists of silent waiting, with participants contributing as the spirit moves them.

Are Quakers Christian?

Although outsiders usually regard the motion as a Christian denomination, non all Quakers see themselves as Christians; some regard themselves equally members of a universal religion that (for historical reasons) has many Christian elements.

Tolerance is function of the Quaker approach to life, so Quakers are willing to learn from all other faiths and churches.

Where the names come from

I story says that the founder, George Play a trick on, once told a magistrate to tremble (quake) at the name of God and the proper name 'Quakers' stuck.

Other people propose that the proper noun derives from the physical shaking that sometimes went with Quaker religious experiences.

The proper name 'Friends' comes from Jesus' remark "Yous are my friends if you do what I command you" (John fifteen:14).

Beliefs

Quaker ideas and beliefs

Beliefs are not just condom ledges in an uncertain reality, simply rather handholds from which further heights can be reached.

Xi Quaker Scientists, 1989

Religion is living with God. At that place is no other kind of religion. Living with a Book, living with or by a Dominion, being awfully loftier-principled are not in themselves religion, although many people think they are and that that is all there is to it.

Bernard Canter 1962

In that location is no creed or formal set of behavior that you have to concur to exist a Quaker. This is because:

Quakers think that adopting a creed is taking on belief at 2nd hand - they think that organized religion should be more than personal than that and based on a person'due south inner confidence and on taking role in a shared search for the truth with other Quakers.

Quakers believe that faith is something that is e'er developing and not something frozen at a particular moment in history that can be captured in a fixed code of belief.

Merely it is possible to list many ideas and beliefs that are generally accustomed by Quakers.

Distinguishing Quaker ideas

Quakers believe that there is a direct relationship between God and each believer, every human being being contains something of God - this is oftentimes called "the lite of God". So:

• Quakers regard all human beings every bit equal and equally worthy of respect
• Quakers accept that all homo beings contain goodness and truth
• Quakers do not have value judgements based on race or gender
• Quakers welcome diversity

A written listing of beliefs is considered inappropriate. Quakers feel people should follow their 'inner light' rather than external rules.

They believe that God grows and changes with his creation and believe that God continues to tell human beings what they should do.

They don't believe in sacraments (either as realities or symbols) or formal liturgies or ceremonies and also pass up to take oaths.

Quakers don't believe in a clergy, they feel that all believers can minister to one some other. They emphasise the importance leading your own life well every bit an example to others (what a person does tin exist much clearer than what they say). They also practice worship in silence.

They are actively involved in social and political issues and believe in pacifism and not-violence.

Beliefs

• Each person has an inner lite (part of God's spirit) within them - then in that location is a unity betwixt all man beings
• Spiritual truth can only be known through direct revelation from God
• God continues to "talk" to people today
• Conscience gives a guide to behave
• The Bible is non regarded every bit the only guide for conduct and belief
• Uncertainty and questioning are valuable tools for spiritual growth
• All human being beings tin have a straight experience of God - they don't need priests to assist them
• At that place is good and evil inside all man beings, and all human beings tin choose between them - everyone has the ability to choose expert over evil if they really want to
• Christ'due south life demonstrates the total truth of God
• Quakers do not agree on what happens after death. Some believe in an afterlife, some don't

Customs

Quakers exercise not follow a creed, they acknowledge that words are not up to the task of precisely defining belief for a whole group of people.

They believe that individuals should take personal responsibility for their agreement of faith rather than just ownership a package and that each individual should try to develop themselves spiritually.

Quakers do not carve up religious life and secular life and feel that all life should exist 'lived in the spirit'.

They also feel that religious belief must influence a believer'southward actions and everything that happens in life tin inspire religious insights.

Quakers do not have elaborate religious ceremonies and rituals. They regard these every bit unnecessary; they sometimes telephone call them empty forms. They exercise not have clergy.

Quakers believe that political and other action to meliorate this globe is vitally of import.

Quakers and sacraments

Quakers neither practise baptism nor celebrate the Eucharist.

They don't regard some activities equally more sacred than others, nor do they believe that any particular ritual is needed to go in touch on with God, so they practice not believe in the sacraments practised in mainstream Christian churches.

Instead of using 'holy' rituals, Quakers try to carry the sacred into every part of their lives. So, for example, they say that baptism should non be "a single act of initiation but a continuing growth in the Holy Spirit and a commitment which must exist continually renewed."

Life and death

Quakers have no collective view on what happens after death. They tend to concentrate on making this globe better rather than pondering what happens after leaving information technology.

Quakers and theology

In the early days Quakers were suspicious of theology... and many Quakers are still non neat on it, believing that experience is a ameliorate teacher.

Reasons for disliking theology include:

• Theology distracts people from looking for the 'inner light' and responding to it
• Theological ideas come up from the teachings of churches that had distorted the original Christian teachings
• Theological teachings are used to control people
• Theology uses such difficult language that information technology hides God's truth from ordinary people
• Theological debate may give people a faux idea of their ain religious abilities; it would exist improve to spend time believing and living a good life

Worship

Quaker worship

Worship is our response to an awareness of God. We can worship alone, but when we join with others in expectant waiting we may find a deeper sense of God'due south presence.

Advice and Queries

Introduction

Quaker meeting for worship ©

Quaker worship is designed to let God teach and transform the worshippers.

Quakers phone call worship events meetings for worship rather than services.

In a Quaker meeting for worship a group of people sits in a room in silence for an hour. From fourth dimension to time someone may speak briefly, but sometimes the entire hr may laissez passer without a word being spoken.

Quaker meetings for worship are open to everyone. Children are specifically welcomed.

No liturgy

Quaker worship is very different to the worship of most Christian churches in that information technology doesn't follow a set liturgy or lawmaking of rules - a service has no structure, and no one leads it.

Quakers exercise without a liturgy because they believe that worship happens when ii or three people come together to worship - cipher more is needed.

This belief comes from Jesus' statement that "Where 2 or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matthew eighteen:twenty).

Coming together for worship

Meeting for worship in Lincoln ©

Quaker meetings for worship take identify in meeting houses, non churches. These are elementary buildings or rooms.

A meeting begins when two or more than worshipers come up together to be in the presence of God.

They commonly sit down facing each other in a square or a circle. This helps them to be aware that they are a group together for worship, and puts everybody in a place of equal status.

Anybody waits in shared silence until someone is moved by the Spirit (i.e. has a strong religious feeling) to do something as role of their worship.

A person will merely speak if they are convinced that they have something that must exist shared, and information technology is rare for a person to speak more than than one time.

The words spoken are ordinarily brief and may include readings (from the Bible or other books), praying, or speaking from personal feel. Each speaking is followed by a period of silence.

Quakers believe that God speaks through the contributions made at the meeting. Some people say that there is often a feeling that a divine presence has settled over the group.

The words should come from the soul - from the inner calorie-free - rather than the listen. Quakers know that even if the words they feel moved to speak have no particular pregnant for themselves, they may acquit a message from God to other people.

There may be no outward response to the contribution from other people, but if there is it will be something that builds positively on the previous contribution. Word and statement are not office of the meeting.

The meeting ends when the elders milk shake hands.

If pressed to say what they are really doing in a coming together for worship, many Quakers would probably say that they are waiting - waiting in their utmost hearts for the touch of something beyond their everyday selves. Some would telephone call information technology 'listening to the quiet voice of God' - without trying to define the word.

Others would utilise more abstruse terms: just 'listening' (though no voice is heard), or 'looking inward' (though no visions are seen), or 'pure attending' (though nothing specific is attended to). The discussion 'inwards' tends to recur every bit one gropes for explanations.

Richard Allen

Quakers and silence

The silence in a meeting for worship isn't something that happens between the actual worship - the silence itself is part of the worship; it provides a space for people to divide themselves from the pressures and events of daily life and to get closer to God and each other.

The people who are present endeavor to create an internal silence - a silence within their head. They do this by stopping everyday thoughts and anxieties.

Quakers believe that if they await silently for God in this way at that place will be times when God volition speak directly to them.

Exist still and cool in thy ain listen and spirit from thy own thoughts

George Flim-flam

Truthful silence ... is to the spirit what sleep is to the body, nourishment and refreshment.

William Penn, 1699

A Quaker service is not a time of individual meditation, although the description in a higher place may brand information technology sound like that.

Information technology is important that the waiting in silence and the listening are done every bit a grouping. The people taking office are trying to become something more than than just a collection of individuals; they desire to become aware of being part of a 'we', rather than just a solitary 'I'.

Pastoral or programmed worship

Some Quakers have adopted many of the practices of mainstream churches, and have pastors and use hymns in their worship. Their services are ordinarily like Methodist or Baptist services.

There is a Quaker hymn book, called Worship in Song, A Quaker Hymnal.

History

Quaker history

George Fox ©

Like many Christian groups, Quakers never intended to class a new denomination. Their founder, George Fox, was trying to accept belief and believers back to the original and pure form of Christianity.

Fox was born in July 1624 in Leicestershire, England, and died in 1691, by which time his movement had 50,000 followers.

Every bit Fox grew upwards he was puzzled by the inconsistency betwixt what Christians said they believed and the style they behaved. He became a religious activist at the age of 19, and was imprisoned 8 times for preaching views that bellyaching the religious and political establishment of his time.

Play tricks and social issues

Trick got into political trouble because of his idea that there was something "of God in every person".

This was a revolutionary assault on all discrimination by social class, wealth, race and gender and it had worrying implications for the social structure of his time.

The political establishment did not have this lying down. Quaker refusal to have oaths and to have off their hats before a magistrate, and their insistence on property banned religious meetings in public, led to half dozen,000 Quakers being imprisoned between 1662 and 1670.

Fox and religious issues

Fob's aim was to inspire people to hear and obey the voice of God and become a community "renewed up once again in God's image" by living the principles of their organized religion.

Fox believed that everyone should try to see God direct and to experience the Kingdom of Heaven as a present, living reality. He objected to the hierarchical construction and the rituals of the churches of his time, and rejected the thought that the Bible was always right.

But Trick went even further. He argued that God himself did non desire churches. Churches were either unnecessary to become to God, or an obstacle (Play a trick on often referred to churches unkindly every bit "steeple-houses"). Since believers should have a directly relationship with God, no one (priests, for example) and naught (like sacraments) should come in between.

Not surprisingly, these views infuriated the mainstream churches, and Quakers were persecuted in Britain on a large scale until 1689.

USA

Quaker missionaries arrived in the U.s.a. in 1656. They were persecuted at get-go, and four were executed.

However the motility appealed to many Americans, and it grew in strength, almost famously in Pennsylvania which was founded in 1681 past William Penn as a customs based on the principles of pacifism and religious tolerance.

Quakers and slavery

The origins of Christian abolition can exist traced to the late 17th Century and the Quakers. Several of their founders, including George Pull a fast one on and Benjamin Lay, encouraged swain congregants to terminate owning slaves.

By 1696, Quakers in Pennsylvania officially declared their opposition to the importation of enslaved Africans into North America. Along with the Anglican Granville Sharp, Quakers established the offset recognised anti-slavery movement in Britain in 1787.

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Famous Quakers

Chocolate manufacturers Joseph Rowntree and George Cadbury were both Quakers

• George Play a trick on (1624-1691) - founder of Quakerism
• William Penn (1621-1670) - friend of George Fox, founder of Pennsylvania
• John Woolman (1720-1772) - an American Quaker involved in the abolition of slavery
• John Dalton (1766-1844) - British scientist who invented the atomic theory of matter
• Edward Pease (1767-1858) - start Quaker member of Parliament
• Elizabeth Fry (1780-1845) - British prison house reformer
• John Bright (1811-1889) - British politician
• Joseph Rowntree (1837-1925) - Chocolate manufacturer
• George Cadbury (1839-1922) - Chocolate manufacturer
• Arthur Eddington (1882-1944) - physicist
• Paul Eddington (1927-1995) - actor
• James Dean (1931-1955) - actor
• Jocelyn Bell Burnell (born 1943) - astronomer, discoverer of pulsars
• Bonnie Raitt (born 1949) - popular musician
• Tom Robinson (born 1950) - popular musician

Holy days

Holy days

Quakers do non celebrate Christian festivals such equally Easter and Christmas (although Quaker families may marker Christmas every bit the secular festival it has largely go).

They believe the events celebrated at such festivals (e.m. the resurrection and the incarnation) should be kept in mind throughout the year.

Although Quaker meetings for worship generally take place on a Sunday, this is purely for convenience and not because Sunday is the Sabbath or a particularly holy 24-hour interval.

Ethics

Quaker ethics

Take heed, beloved Friends, to the promptings of love and truth in your hearts. Trust them as the leadings of God whose Light shows the states our darkness and brings us to new life.

Advices and Queries

Personal integrity

Quakers try to live upwardly to high standards of honesty, as prepare out in this series of questions:

Are yous honest and truthful in all you say and do? Do you maintain strict integrity in business concern transactions and in your dealings with individuals and organisations? Do you utilize money and data entrusted to yous with discretion and responsibility?

Advices and Queries

Work and business

Quakers avert working for companies that manufacture weapons or other harmful products (nor volition they invest in such companies). They prefer to choose work that has positive benefits for the community.

They maintain strict integrity in business organisation transactions and in workplace dealings with individuals.

Gender issues

Quakers have always treated men and women as equals, and were pioneers in the movement for female equality.

Animal rights

Quakers oppose blood sports, and do non approve of businesses that exploit animals, such as circuses or zoos, or the fur trade.

They object to experiments on animals for footling purposes such as cosmetics, and are divided every bit to whether animal experimentation should be allowed for medical research.

...as by his breath the flame of life was kindled in all animal and sensitive creatures, to say we dear God ... and at the same time exercise cruelty toward the least creature ... was a contradiction in itself.

John Woolman, 1772

Gambling

Quakers do not gamble.

Alcohol and tobacco are non forbidden

Booze and tobacco

Quakers are not forbidden from using alcohol or tobacco (although these substances are banned from Quaker Coming together Houses), but most Quakers avert them, or consume them moderately.

Many Quakers took an active role in the Temperance Movement of Victorian times.

Sex

Quakers are non-judgemental almost sexual practice, which they encounter equally a gift of God. Their attention is focused on the way in which information technology is used in human relationships.

Sex is essentially neither proficient nor evil; information technology is a normal biological activity which, similar about other human activities, tin can be indulged in destructively or creatively.

Towards a Quaker view of sexual practice, 1963

No human relationship tin be a right one which makes use of another person through selfish want.

Advices, 1964

Homosexuality

The aforementioned thinking applies to the Quaker attitude to homosexuality.

An human activity which (for instance) expresses true affection between two individuals and gives pleasure to them both, does not seem to us to exist sinful by reason solitary of the fact that it is homosexual.

Towards a Quaker view of sex, 1963

Quakers were ane of the offset churches to talk openly about sexuality. Since nosotros attempt to live our lives respecting 'that of God' in everyone nosotros would want to care for all people equally. We experience that the quality and depth of feeling between two people is the most important role of a loving relationship, not their gender or sexual orientation.

Britain Yearly Meeting

Abortion

Quakers don't have a united view on abortion but regard information technology as a thing of individual conscience. Philosophically at that place is no Quaker doctrine of when a person becomes a person.

The motion has difficulty reconciling the principle of non-violence, which could contend against abortion, and the wish that women should be able to play a full part in society, which might sometimes justify ballgame.

Contraception

Quakers don't accept a collective view on the rightness or wrongness of contraception. Many Quakers do use artificial methods of nascence control.

Euthanasia

Quakers don't take a united view on euthanasia. Some Quakers make 'living wills', requesting that if they go ill to the indicate of being incapable of living without artificial life back up systems or inappropriate medical intervention, they be allowed to die naturally and with dignity.

Quakers at a peace march ©

Justice, politics and order

Quakers are agile in politics and in working for justice in the globe.

This comes partly from their conventionalities that there is something of God in every human being, and that they should respect the worth and dignity of each person, and partly from following Christ'southward own case of social activism.

At the heart of Friends' religious experience is the repeatedly and consistently expressed conventionalities in the key equality of all members of the human being race. Our common humanity transcends our differences.

Coming together for Sufferings' Statement of Intent on Racism, 1988

The duty of the Society of Friends is to exist the voice of the oppressed merely [also] to be conscious that we ourselves are part of that oppression.

Quaker Faith and Exercise

Quakers have played a office in:

• criminal law reform
• prison house reform - specially through the work of Elizabeth Fry (1780-1845)
• reducing poverty
• ending the slave trade
• ending the opium merchandise
• women's rights
• anti-racism
• human rights

and many other campaigns. Quakers are active in many charities.

Oaths

Quakers will not swear oaths in court (or elsewhere) just will only affirm.

Pacifism and violence

Quakers believe that war and conflict are confronting God's wishes so they are dedicated to pacifism and non-violence. And from a practical point of view they think that force nearly always creates more than problems than information technology solves.

We utterly deny all outward wars and strife and fightings with outward weapons, for any terminate or under any pretence any, and this is our testimony to the whole earth.

Quaker argument to King Charles II, 1660

A good end cannot sanctify evil means; nor must we e'er do evil, that good may come of it.

William Penn, 1693

State of war, in our view, involves the surrender of the Christian ideal and the deprival of homo brotherhood.

London Yearly Meeting, 1916

Christ demands of us that we adhere, without swerving, to the methods of dearest, and therefore, if a seeming disharmonize should arise between the claims of His service and those of the State, it is to Christ that our supreme loyalty must be given, whatever the consequences.

London Yearly Meeting, 1915

Many conscientious objectors (those who refuse to join the military) are Quakers, but Quaker pacifism is non merely the refusal to fight: it includes working actively to bring nigh or preserve peace, by removing the causes of disharmonize.

Quakers, similar other pacifists, are sometimes accused of beingness willing to requite in to evil regimes rather than fight against them. They disagree, and say that they fight past non-fierce means.

All forms of non-violent resistance are certainly much better than appeasement, which has come to mean the avoidance of violence by a surrender to injustice at the expense of the sufferings of others and not of one's self, past the giving abroad of something that is not ours to requite.

Kathleen Lonsdale, 1953

Quakers are not just opposed to war, just to all forms of violence. George Pull a fast one on was personally opposed to the use of violence. He refused to defend himself when he was attacked and frequently, when the violence was over, had kind words or actions for his attackers.

Environs

Quakers believe in protecting the environs ©

Quakers believe that human beings are stewards of the earth, and should treat it to ensure that each generation passes on to the next generation a earth every bit good as or better than it received.

Quakers think that the ecology crisis is a spiritual and religious crisis as well every bit a practical ane.

Quakers say that environmental issues are likewise a matter of social justice: they acknowledge that those living in U.k. or the The states are largely insulated from the effects of environmental bug and that such issues have a much more than serious result on the world's poor.

The produce of the globe is a gift from our gracious creator to the inhabitants, and to impoverish the earth to support outward greatness appears to exist an injury to the succeeding historic period.

John Woolman (1720-1772)

Try to live simply. A elementary lifestyle freely called is a source of great forcefulness. Do non be persuaded into buying what you do not demand or cannot afford. Practice you keep yourself informed about the effect your style of living is having on the global economic system and surround?

Advices and Queries

Richard J Foster set down some principles that Quakers tin can follow to live simple lives:

• Purchase things for their usefulness rather than their status
• Reject anything that is producing an addiction in you
• Develop a addiction of giving things away - de-accumulate
• Pass up to be propagandised by the custodians of modern gadgetry
• Learn to savor things without owning them
• Develop a deeper appreciation for the creation
• Expect with a healthy scepticism at all 'purchase now, pay later' schemes
• Obey Jesus' injunction about plain, honest speech
• Decline anything that will breed the oppression of others
• Shun whatever would distract you from your main goal

Marriage

Quaker matrimony

Quakers strongly believe in the sanctity of matrimony but also recognise the value of non-marital relationships and the single life.

Their weddings are very breezy compared to those from other traditions and there is no priest or minister to atomic number 82 the couple as they make their vows.

When a Quaker couple determine to marry, they make a commitment to each other in the presence of God, their family and friends.

Quakers believe that no one but God can join a couple in matrimony. They come across marriage as more than a legal contract - it is a religious delivery.

The right joining in matrimony is the work of the Lord only, and not the priest's or magistrate'due south; for it is God's ordinance and not man'southward...nosotros marry none; it is the Lord'south work, and nosotros are but witnesses.

George Fox, 1669

The couple promise to exist loving companions and take each other every bit lifelong partners in a spirit of freedom and equality.

Quaker weddings

Quaker weddings exercise not have to take place in registered buildings but they must be held indoors.

Nigh couples will volume their local Quaker meeting house although some may choose to concur their wedding at home or another alternative venue.

A Quaker marriage is a customs celebration and not just a anniversary for the couple. Therefore the style of worship at the wedding service must exist acceptable to the wider community.

The wedding ceremony is ordinarily held within a simple meeting for worship. It has no set society of service or sermon.

In most cases, the finer details of the ceremony are decided through discussion with the marriage registering officers and community elders.

A couple may determine to include readings and even a hymn. But music is, on the whole, rare.

If both parties are Quakers or regularly attend monthly meetings, they may marry in a Quaker marriage anniversary.

Couples who are registered every bit 'attenders' but not yet members of the Religious Society of Friends would be expected to have attended meetings for a number of months before making an awarding for matrimony.

Where one member of the couple is not a Quaker, or divorced, two developed members of the Gild must give written permission before the marriage tin take place.

Spousal relationship preparation

The first stride in the official process is a coming together for clearness. (Clearness in this context means helping the couple affirm their decision to marry.)

The coming together gives them the chance to discuss their relationship with other members of the community.

At least half dozen weeks before the wedding engagement, the couple must make an application to the registering officeholder of the monthly coming together where the wedlock ceremony is due to be held.

The monthly meeting must corroborate the application before the registering officer, who is recognised past law, makes arrangements for the public notices and other legal requirements.

The monthly meeting then holds a Meeting for Worship for the Solemnisation of Marriage to confirm that the wedding can go ahead.

Quaker marriages can be held at any time of 24-hour interval. Public notice of the nuptials is posted on the door of the venue a week before the wedding ceremony.

The nuptials mean solar day

Guests are greeted by a door keeper when they arrive for the marriage ceremony.

The bride is not commonly given away past her father. Neither is it customary to have a best homo or bridesmaids.

The bride and groom will normally enter the coming together room together with friends and and then quietly take their seats.

Sometimes they may come in when everyone else is seated. In the past, guests used to stand as the couple entered merely these days this rarely happens.

The couple will sit down next to a tabular array with the Quaker wedding certificate and a pen.

Nuptials attire

Quaker worship and ceremonies are relaxed so the bride, groom and their guests volition ordinarily dress smartly only informally.

Some brides may cull to vesture white but, in near cases, the outfit is kept uncomplicated.

Guests demand to be careful to strike the correct balance too.

Men, for case, may wear a jacket or tie, but will frequently dress more than informally. Women may choose a skirt or other reasonably smart clothes.

The anniversary

Like other Quaker meetings, the wedding service is mostly held in silence simply anyone who feels moved by the Spirit can speak or pray.

Most ceremonies will follow the basic structure below:

• A volunteer, usually a Quaker elder, will stand to explain how the service will keep.
• After an initial flow of silence of about ten to 15 minutes, the couple volition rise and exchange their vows. The vows are handed down from the Quaker tradition and can be modified.
• Holding hands, the couple take it in turns to make declarations based on the post-obit: "Friends, I take this my friend...to be my wife/husband, promising divine assistance to be unto her/him a loving and true-blue husband/married woman so long as we both on earth shall alive." Information technology does not matter which order the bride and groom speak.
• The Registering Officer calls upon the couple to sign the Quaker Marriage Certificate which records their vows. Ii witnesses also sign.
• The Registering Officeholder reads the certificate aloud.
• In that location is a farther period of silence.
• The coming together is terminated by two elders who shake hands, inviting the rest of the congregation to practice the same.
• Members of the congregation sign the Quaker Union Certificate as a witness to both their presence and support for the marriage. The certificate, in the class of a curlicue or a volume, has no legal standing but it reminds the couple of their friends' happiness and hopes for the success of their spousal relationship.
• After the meeting the couple and the two witnesses sign the civil register. Rings are often exchanged at this bespeak.

Divorce and remarriage

Divorced people may be immune to remarry at the discretion of the members of the monthly meeting.

Quakers believe that those who are divorced need to exist given the chance of a new offset.

Blessings for same-sexual activity couples

The Quakers have welcomed aforementioned-sex unions for more than 2 decades, allowing local groups to gloat same-sex commitments through special acts of worship.

In July 2009, at the United kingdom Yearly Meeting, Quakers agreed to bear out same-sex marriages on the aforementioned ground as marriages for opposite-sex couples.

...22 years after the prospect was outset raised at Coming together for Sufferings nosotros are being led to treat same sex committed relationships in the same way as reverse sex marriages, reaffirming our central insight that union is the Lord'south work and we are but witnesses. The question of legal recognition past the country is secondary.

Minute 25, Britain Yearly Coming together 31 July 2009

They volition also formally enquire the government to change the police force to let gay people to marry.

Funerals

Quaker funerals

A Quaker funeral has ii detail aims: to thank God for the life that has been lived, and to help the mourners feel a deep sense of God's presence.

Considering they are thankful for having known the dead person, Quaker mourners tend not to habiliment black.

The funeral can follow the normal silent pattern of Quaker worship, or information technology can include programmed elements. At a coming together following the silent pattern the contributions are likely to include memories as well every bit prayers or readings. A senior person will normally begin the meeting with a brief explanation of Quaker worship if in that location are many not-Quakers nowadays.

In addition to the funeral there can be a "coming together for worship on the occasion of the death of our Friend".

Quakers can be buried or cremated.

Structure and clergy

Structure of the Quaker move

The Quakers are organised through a series of meetings. While there are actual meetings the word is used here to refer to the groups of people who meet to look after item functions. The meetings are named after the frequency with which a group meets.

The structure is organised at local level (Preparative Meetings), smaller and larger district levels (Monthly and General Meetings) and national level (Yearly Coming together).

Most local Quaker communities hold monthly business organization meetings.

The Britain Yearly Meeting is the body that represents the interests of the xxx m Quakers in the Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends in Britain.

In that location is no organisation that has worldwide authority over the movement.

Meetings for business concern

Individual Quaker Meetings behave out matters of business and administration at "Meetings for Worship with a Business organization for Business". The whole of such a meeting, fifty-fifty the nearly nit-pickingly detailed section, is regarded as worship.

These meetings begin with silence. When the Clerk judges the time is correct, he or she summarises the calendar before the meeting, provides any necessary background information, and lays the outset particular before the meeting.

People stand up upward to evidence they wish to speak, and are chosen past the Clerk. The traditional formula for raising an issue is to begin "I have a Concern..." When everything is said the meeting agrees a 'infinitesimal' (a paragraph or two) setting out the decision.

The decision is non based on a majority or a consensus, but on the "sense of the coming together". Once a minute has been drafted and read out members can suggest modifications.

Meetings try non to take decisions past a bulk vote, or even by reaching a consensus; they look until "the correct way will open up and we shall be led into unity."

The Clerk records the decisions and helps those taking role discern the volition of God in the coming together, but he/she does non chair or lead the meeting.

Clergy

Our own feel leads usa to affirm that the church building tin can be and then ordered that the guidance of the Holy Spirit can be known and followed without the need for a separated clergy.

London Yearly Meeting, 1986

Quakers don't have any clergy.

Some members may be appointed equally elders because a meeting recognises that they have the power to serve in a particular manner. Appointment as an elder doesn't mean that the person is in any mode superior to anyone else. Such appointments are for three years and tin be renewed.

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Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/subdivisions/quakers_1.shtml

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