Related Terms • Puritan • Protestant

Definition:
The Quakers are a form of Protestant Christianity which was started by George Fox in 1652 and which emphasizes the spiritual aspect of Christain faith and experience. The label Quakers was a derogatory term given to the Society of Friends because of their habit of "quaking" during services.

According to tradition, George Fox was standing on Pendle Hill in northwest England when he received a vision from God directing him that instead of simply obeying doctrines and rules he should instead focus upon the "Inner Light," or ability of every person to directly perceive the glory and love of God. All religious truth derives from this immediate perception of God, but some aspects become lost in the translation to dogma and doctrine.

Fox began to preach this new, experiential form of Christianity throughout England. He also added the ideas of pacifism and the rejection of sworn oaths, two things which drew suspicion from political authorities. Officials hounded his followers and threw them in jail for their refusal to take oaths and for not supporting the Church of England like they were supposed to.

Religious authorities, of course, were also not happy with this new movement - Puritans in particular were harsh in their condemnation of Quaker preaching. Quakers were unusual in that women played an important role in spreading the group's message, and four of them were put to death by the magistrates in Boston in 1659 and 1661. This did not halt the spread of the Quaker message, however, and it grew in popularity not only in the Massachussetts Bay Colony, but also in the other colonies.

Quakers were, however, most numerous in the Pennsylvania Colony, founded by William Penn as a "Holy Experiment." Penn wanted to find out to just what exent a civil government could be run according to the moral standards set forth by the Society of Friends without having to compromise. This also provided an important refuge for Friends both in Britain and through the colonies where they continued to suffer periodic bouts of persecution.

Quite a few Quakers originally settled in the southern colonies, but their opposition to slavery tended to make them unwelcome. Quakers voluntarily emancipated all of their own slaves by 1800 and became active in efforts to have all other slaves freed as well.

Today, the Quakers can be differentiated into three distinct groups. The first and largest is the Friends United Meeting. This organization is most conservative and considers itself the most orthodox continuation of George Fox's original vision.

The second is the called the Friends General Meeting, a group which split off from the main body of Friends in the 1820s due to teachings of Elias Hicks, a Quaker minister who objected to the increasing worldliness and formalism of the Quakers. Hicks placed a great deal of emphasis on the importance of the Inward Light and much less on doctrinal questions.

The third and final is the Evangelical Friends Alliance, a group which was formed in 1965 in Friends meetinghouses which had been influenced by Protestant evangelicals. There are also other various Friends meetinghouses which are independent and not affiliated with any larger movement.

Also Known As: Religious Society of Friends

Alternate Spellings: none

Common Misspellings: none

Related Resources:

What is Christianity?
What are the various Christian groups, denominations, sects and heresies? What are some key concepts in Christian theology? What are some of the most important events in Christian history? All of this and more are covered in the Christianity FAQ.

What is the Philosophy of Religion?
Sometimes confused with theology, the Philosophy of Religion is the philosophical study of religious beliefs, religious doctrines, religious arguments and religious history. The line between theology and the philosophy of religion isn't always sharp, but the primary difference is that theology tends to be apologetical in nature, committed to the defense of particular religious positions, whereas Philosophy of Religion is committed to the investigation of religion itself, rather than the truth of any particular religion.

What is Theism?
What is the difference between monotheism and monolatry? Between pantheism and panentheism? How about between animism and shamanism? Or theism and deism? What the heck is henotheism?

What is Religion?
A system of human beliefs, ideals and practices which is harder to define than it may at first appear. Read more about how dictionaries, scholars and others have tried to define and explain religion.

Further Reading:

Daughters of Light: Quaker Women Preaching
What role and influence did Christian women have in 17th and 18th century America? Most people's answer to this question would be heavily colored by the image of Puritan women, who practiced a religion which idealized female submission to men in both this world and the next. These were not, however, the only Christian women in America - there were also many Quaker women, and they lead dramatically different lives. Read Review... | Compare Prices