Christian History and Denominations: The Anabaptists
The History of Islam: The Umayyad (First Dynasty)
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The Quakers are a body with Christian foundations, originally called “Children of the Light”, “Friends in (or of) the Truth”, or ‘Friends’.

Founder George Fox

The Quaker movement emerged in the mid-17th century through its founder and leader, George Fox (1624–1691), an individual of puritan upbringing who began preaching in 1647 and rejected organized authority and contemporary social convention.

Fox was an apprentice shoemaker who had religious experiences but found no church satisfying. He asserted that ordained ministers and consecrated buildings were irrelevant and instead stressed the immediacy of Christ’s teaching within each person. The movement had no formal ministry or service.

William Penn

By 1655, the Quakers had expanded throughout Britain, Ireland, and Continental Europe. The movement became pacifist and non-political after 1660.

William Pen (1644–1718), the founder of Pennsylvania, purposed for being a “Holy Experiment” based on Quaker principles, had strong religious sensibilities, causing him to reject a conventional career to join the Quakers, and authored No Cross, No Crown (1669) during his imprisonment for the defense of his beliefs.

Persecution

The Quakers experienced significant persecution in Britain before the Toleration Act of 1688 was passed. Their persecutory treatment was based on a refusal to take oaths, pay tithes, and remove their hats to authority. Their reputation for extravagant behavior by some of their members shocked a hierarchical society, no doubt leading to suspicion and maltreatment.

Elias Hicks

Much later in the United States, a split occurred in 1827, a consequence of the teachings of Elias Hicks (1748–1830), a preacher and abolitionist.

Hicks opposed the creation of any creedal basis for Quakerism, notably in his Doctrinal Epistle (1824), and undervalued the authority of Scripture and the historic Jesus Christ.

Inner Light

Quakers continue to affirm belief in the Inner Light and the direct experience of God’s Spirit. The movement’s official website states:

“The image was that of a divine light, powerful enough to illuminate the deepest corners of our souls; it was a light that shone on us and penetrated into us. A little over a century ago, Quakers, most notably Rufus Jones, rethought that image by speaking of an inner light, “something of God” that could be found within every human soul” (Quaker.org 2023).

Further, the Holy Spirit has maintained an important role in Quaker theology:

“You may have heard about Quakers sitting in silence, waiting for a message from the Holy Spirit. That’s a crucial part of how Friends worship—but each Quaker community can, and often does, have its own way of doing things” (Quaker.org 2023).

Today and Quaker Reputation

The movement has no ordained ministers, set liturgy, or creeds. There are no sacraments as such, although they believe in a spiritual baptism and communion.

In some areas of the United States, silent worship with spontaneous ministry has been replaced by prepared forms, often led by a pastor. The Quaker organization is founded on a system of interrelated “Meetings for Church Affairs”, which in Britain takes the form of a Yearly Meeting, Area Meetings, and a Meeting for Sufferings. During these occasions, Quakers seek to discern the will of God.

The Quakers are reputable for their passionate practice of pacifism and refusal of military service, although they can often be found in the ambulance and medical corps. They commit themselves to social and educational progress, penal reform, the promotion of peace, justice, and international relief, all of which have garnered them respect.

The movement received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1947 for the social work conducted by its members during the two World Wars, as well as for their relief work in areas across Europe immediately after World War II (1939-1945).

Today, there are around 380,000 Quakers, with a large number living in Africa. In Kenya, there are roughly 146,000, 16,000 in the United Kingdom, and 20% living in the United States.

References

Cannon, John., and Crowcroft, Robert. 2015. A Dictionary of British History. Oxford University Press.

Livingstone, E. A. 2013. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (3 ed.). Oxford University Press.

Riches, Christopher., and Palmowski, Jan. 2016. A Dictionary of Contemporary World History (4 ed.). Oxford University Press.