Q: What do you know about the Quakers? Are they a cult? I do not know their beliefs. —Beverly
A: The Quakers, also known as “Friends,” are members of a Christian movement that began in England in the 1650s. The movement started as a response to the formalism and coldness of the church of that time. It is said that the movement became known as “Quakers” when the founder, George Fox, once told a judge to tremble (quake) at the name of God. After that time, the name “Quakers” stuck.
Seeking a closer and deeper experience with God, Quakers emphasize the inner witness of the Holy Spirit. They emphasize direct experience of God rather than ritual and ceremony. They believe that priests and rituals are an unnecessary because every believer is a priest before God. Quakers seek to integrate their faith with everyday life. They’re particularly concerned with human rights, based on their belief in equality of all human beings, and so they pursue social justice and peace and community life.
Today, there are about 87,000 Quakers in the US. Many Quakers still consider themselves Christian, but some do not. You might want to find out more about the Quakers by visiting their website: http://www.fgcquaker.org/explore/faqs-about-quakers —K.T. Sim
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Mike Wittmer on September 2, 2014 at 10:50 am
As K.T. said, there is a broad range among Quakers. There are several Quaker churches, called “Friends” churches, where I grew up, and they were typical, evangelical churches. For some reason, each of them had a gym, and a thriving sports ministry (probably just a quirk).