A Quaker and a Christian

[The following is a response to a query on our meeting listserv, "what is the spiritual glue that holds us together in the absence of a creed?" Much of what I have written here is unoriginal, and I acknowledge my debt to Quaker bloggers whose writings I have absorbed over the past few years. My time, energy and memory do not permit me to give proper attribution or links. Hopefully it will suffice to simply express my unflagging appreciation].


In response to the query, I would answer:

1) The principle that God's presence and guidance is experienced
directly as the Christ within through worship and is available to
everyone at all times
2) Our practice of making decisions by seeking unity in the Spirit.

Understanding that some Friends are not comfortable with the words "God" and "Christ" and although that is an ahistorical approach to Quakerism, I would note that I use the terms in a descriptive, rather than prescriptive sense. Several Friends (myself included) have come to "believe in God" through Quaker worship, although that phrase may not mean to them what it would have prior to convincement.

[The inquirer's] question about Christian identity implicates the "refugee"
problem: that a number of seekers have been so beat up in the "Christian" tradition of their past, that references to God, the Bible, and Jesus are painful to them. While this a plight that is deserving of care and tenderness, refugees sometimes go further and demand or expect meeting to function as "Christianity-free" in order
to protect them. After decades of sensitivity to such seekers,Christian Quakers may sometimes find themselves being treated with contempt and anger. This leads to a further reluctance to express oneself in Christian terms, leading more weight to the impression that Quakerism is obligated to provide a "comfort zone" for those who wish
to avoid any reminder of their painful histories.

This problem is compounded by another one: that those Christians new to Quakerism will understandably be tempted to simply overlay much of their preexisting understanding of Christianity onto their Quakerism. Much of that understanding may well contain elements that other Friends found painful in the first place.

So it seems to me that the question of our Christian identity is a delicate one. We (both Christians and non-) need to be mature about this. I think we need to understand and accept that Quakerism is a form of Christianity. That was nquestioned by Quakers themselves for over 300 years. If that gives you the jitters, then it would be well to examine exactly why that is. If, for example, it is because you believe that Christianity is oppressive to women, you might reflect on the Quaker-Christian arguments for equality of the sexes. If you are wounded over having been taught Christianity as a top-down hierarchically imposed theology, you might reflect on the experiential nature of Quaker worship, which encourages us to each listen for the still small voice within. If you can't believe that a loving God would require his son to suffer and die to pay for our sins, then you might ask yourself who, exactly, at your Quaker meeting told you that you must believe that in order to worship here. (Remember that no-creed thing. I have some book references for anyone who'd like to explore that topic further, BTW).

Perhaps I will be asked, can that still be Christianity? I say yes. The "Christian" tent is a much wider one than is often portrayed by both its adherents and detractors. Quakers right from the start were accused of being unchristian and stoutly defended themselves against that charge. They knew they were taking a much different tack from the status quo, and so can we.

On the other hand, Friends who identify as Christian do need to be tender with those Friends who have suffered in other churches. We don't need to impose "groupthink." I believe Jesus would understand the suffering of those who have been wounded by what has gone on in his name. As the bumper sticker says, "Jesus called. He wants his religion back." I believe Friends are in a position to respond to that call.

A common reaction to hearing that "Quakers is Christians" is fear of exclusion. "I'm not a Christian, so they'll throw me out!" I went through this stage myself (albeit through online discussions -- I'm more likely to get thrown out of my meeting for entirely different reasons!) For me, however, being a Quaker Christian by definition means NOT excluding anyone because of where they are on
their spiritual path. I believe God works with people through Quaker worship in God's own time and manner. Trying to force belief on anyone through pressure or coercive tactics, even subtly, is not the way of Christ.

Postscript: Marshall Massey sent me a note on facebook about this post. Although he seemed mostly in accord with its tenor, he asked that I disclaim that conservative and pastoral Friends have the sorts of issues discussed here. I personally have little experience with those groups, though I am happy to convey his thoughts and have little reason to doubt their accuracy. Moreover, I am planning a trip to the Iowa Yearly Meeting (Conservative)session coming up shortly, so perhaps I'll soon see for myself.

Not Without Reason

A Friend e-mailed that she was about to embark on some spiritual exercises including fasting. She said she expected that her fast, undertaken in the spirit of Christ, would have a different quality from a fast previously undertaken in connection with another religious tradition. She questioned the rationality of this expectation, and I replied that perhaps whe was being "suprarational." She asked what this meant, so I went to Merriam Webster's online and found this definition:

"transcending the rational : based on or involving factors not to be comprehended by reason alone "

This definition was very close to what I was trying to express (I love it when that happens): it implies something that isn't without rationality, but that draws on other faculties such as intuition, "leadings of the spirit," etc. Thus I try to be careful about words like "irrational" -- just as "All God's critters have a place in the choir," and all Friends in Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business will be heard, so all inner "phenomena" (as the Buddha put it) get their hearing in the presence of the attentive and affectionate Christ within. This does not imply that every inner "nudge" will lead to action or expression, or even ultimate acceptance, but it will get (on my better days at least) an opportunity to be examined "in the light" where the wheat may be discerned from the chaff.

Experience God Through Meditation

I found this interview very interesting. What I like about it is that a lot of things many of us have ventured off to other traditions and teachings to find is actually at the heart of our own "western"/middle-eastern derived tradition as well. I like that. I like the feeling that we are not strangers to these truths who have to go on exotic jaunts to find them. I do feel blessed to have had access to other traditions and do not wish to close myself off to their wisdom, -- I don't experience religion as a competitive sport -- but it feels like a homecoming to me to find the seeds of truth in my own heritage.

Experiencing God Through Meditation
Former Trappist monk James Finley talks about the spiritual benefits of contemplative practice for Christians.

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/150/story_15042_1.html

From my Guide

If you accept all that I bring into your life,
whether it seems pleasing to you or not
and even if you do not agree with it,
but are willing to accept its reality
and to be with and simply experience that reality
for a period of time
then I will show you how what I have brought you
contains the seeds of growth and change
and I will give you the wisdom and the power
to live into my reign of heaven
on this earth through you.

Virtual Bumper Sticker

Jesus was earthy!

Wednesday Worship Musings

Endlessly deep
Endlessly wide
Endlessly high
God without end

Endlessly deep
Endlessly wide
Endlessly high
Christ without end

Endlessly deep
Endlessly wide
Endlessly high
Spirit without end,
Love without end

What Canst Thou Sing?

Robin M discusses how music fits into unprogrammed quaker worship on her blog, What Canst Thou Say.

As much as I treasure the whole concept of unprogrammed worship,
the expectation of spirit-led spontaneity doesn't necessarily fit with the realities of musical performance.

In my Unitarian days, I performed in Church regularly. I knew when I was going to play, and it motivated me to learn a new tune, practice it, come up with interesting guitar parts, perhaps rehearse with a musical partner, etc. But other than that I'm not a regular performer. So I don't have a "stock" of songs just ready to "spontaneously" burst into when led by the spirit. If I were going to pick up my guitar and sing or play something, it would have to have been pretty intentionally planned and prepared before hand.

I suppose one solution to that dilemma is to prepare (but is that even kosher?) and then see if the spirit leads me to actually follow through. But the cards would be pretty stacked by that time, I think. "If the flesh is ready, the spirit will be willing?"

Innies and Outies

Our meeting held an "open dialog" Sunday. I referred to the following quote of Wm. Penn, particularly the first line:

"They were changed men themselves before they went about to change others. Their hearts were rent as well as their garments, and they knew the power and work of God upon them...And as they freely received what they had to say from the Lord, so they freely administered it to others. The bent and stress of their ministry was conversion to God, regeneration and holiness, not schemes of doctrines and verbal creeds or new forms of worship, but a leaving off in religion the superfluous and reducing the ceremonious and formal part, and pressing earnestly the substantial, the necessary and profitable part, as all upon a serious reflection must and do acknowledge."

Preface to Fox's Journal (1694), As quoted in London Yearly Meeting Faith and Practice

Another Friend referred to a divide over activism versus quietism (my words). I did not intend to set up a dichotomy between the two. Neither would Penn, who also said:

"True religion does not draw men out of the world but enables them to live better in it and excites their endeavors to mend it." No Cross, No Crown.

So if I have a critique, it would not be of "action" per se. But I would ask, echoing the old song, "There's a Hole in the Bucket," "with what shall we do it?" Can we notice when we are rushing into heady conversations that we are merely "getting something done" without drawing on our spiritual source? Might we not then pause and ask ourselves, how is the Light guiding us with respect to the action proposed?