The books of discipline may consist of a single authorised document, or two separate parts church government, and faith and practice, which may be revised at different times. Two volumes, which together make up the book of discipline. In former years a book expressing the faith and practice of a friends yearly meeting would probably have been entitled book of discipline. They are general guidelines for living and include quaker history, excerpts from the journals of old and weighty friends and poetry. They should be used in conjunction with the book of extracts from the minutes of london yearly meeting 1802 edition and the book of discipline of new york yearly meeting primitive, 1859 edition. Recommended the quakers or our neighbors, the friends, william j. Quakers in conversation about religious difference edited by helen rowlands is well worth reading if this area interests you. At each session, we have heard readings from books of discipline from other times or other yearly meetings. Some register books were created long after the births took place. The book of christian discipline of the yearly meeting of the religious society of friends quakers in britain 3rd revised edition. The book of christian discipline of the yearly meeting of the religious society of. But a spokeswoman denied reports the denomination was removing any reference to god in favour of terms such as spirit or the. Church government dealing with organisation, structure and government of the yearly meeting.
In quaker usage, the word discipline, which is related to disciple, has grown from the root meaning of learning. These books generally describe the practices and procedures used in the yearly meeting, offer inspirational extracts from quaker literature, and contain advices and queries guidance and questions to help friends examine themselves and their lives as they strive to live more fully in the light. Viewed from a distance, our quaker community may seem like a single body. While friends traditionally do not have creeds, most yearly meetings regional bodies of likeminded friends do adopt a book of discipline, often called faith and practice. The common name for this book varies from one yearly meeting to another and includes book of discipline, faith and practice, christian faith and practice, quaker faith and practice, church.
Quakers in britain have a book, or sometimes books, of discipline, which are the collected wisdom of the community and are revised in full roughly every. Society of friends quakers in britain at the yearly meeting held in london at friends house 47 may 2018 discipline that reflects more closely who we are now, and explains how and why we do what we do. Members of the various quaker movements are all generally united by their belief in the ability of each human being to experientially access the light within, or that of god in every one some may profess the priesthood of all believers, a. The present book of faith and practice is the work of this committee, with some changes and adaptations made by north carolina in 1947. British quakers have denied they are dropping god as they voted for an adventurous change to their teachings. At yearly meeting in 2018 quakers in britain will be considering whether to revise quaker faith and practice the book of discipline. In british quaker tradition, the community has a book of discipline which.
For the majority of the more than 350 years of the society of friends, quakers regularly denounced imaginative literature and the arts as at best frivolous and at worst morally depraved. In our first volume, quaker perspectives in higher education edited by donn weinholtz, jeff dudiak, and donald smith, some threedozen quaker. Whatever happens, and however long it takes, if you are a quaker you will be touched by the revision process. Taken from a view of the education and discipline, social manners, civil and political economy, religious principles and character, of the society of friends vol. A quaker guide to christian discipline, pacific yearly meeting of the religious society of friends. The book of christian discipline of the yearly meeting of the religious society of friends quakers in britain quakers in britain on. The book of discipline of the new york yearly meeting of the religious society of friends quakers, approved the 31st july 1998 by. In 1715 a book was published entitled a charge of error, here. The book of christian discipline of the yearly meeting of the religious society of friends quakers in britain paperback 4. Some of the yearly meetings publish a book of discipline or a book on faith and practice. Online books of faith and practice quaker information center. Rules of discipline of the yearly meeting of friends held in philadelphia 1806. The book of christian discipline of the yearly meeting of the religious society of friends quakers.
Quakers, or the religious society of friends, was founded in england in the 17th century by george fox and played a key role in abolition and womens suffrage. Manuscript book of discipline, drawn by joseph hagger of chishill, england, in 1773. Look for the parents in older registers or meeting minutes. These publications present information that is agreed on by seeking unity among members of the authoring yearly meeting. Looking forward to revision of the book of discipline. The 1811 edition was succeeded every few generations by further editions. Book of discipline reimagining a true social order. This is the book of discipline that has guided their work and worship across the centuries. Adopting an amended book of discipline for quakers for the first time in thirtyeight years, the religious society of friends decreed at its new tork yearly meeting yesterday that it was. Quakers, also called friends, are a historically christian denomination whose formal name is the religious society of friends or friends church. A book of discipline may refer to one of the various books issued by a yearly meeting of the religious society of friends, setting out what it means to be a.
Book of discipline revision committee home quakers. While some friends meetings have adopted a programmed worship service, others like dayton meeting continue to meet in silent worship which prepares us for service in the world. Indeed, discipline is the generic term that is still used. The book of christian discipline of the yearly meeting of the religious society of friends quakers in britain. The roots of this movement are with some 17th century christian english dissenters, but today the movement has branched out into many independent organizations, called yearly meetings, which, while sharing the same historical origins, have a variety of names, beliefs and. The book of discipline revision preparation group bodrpg, tasked with laying ground work for the next revision whenever it might occur and preparing quakers in britain for taking any decision. A group of quakers has been tasked to revise the book of discipline that has guided quaker witness, community and worship across the centuries. Quakers in britain have a book, or sometimes books, of discipline, which are the collected wisdom of the community and are revised in full roughly every generation. Christian discipline, currently available in the form, organisation and christian discipline and christian experience, now revised and published as this book, quaker life and practice. Read the fulltext online edition of a portraiture of quakerism. Quakers today continue to challenge one another to live out these testimonies. Quakers to rewrite their rulebook but are not about to. Quaker books 85 books meet your next favorite book.
Current quaker books of discipline in print and online, with. One called either church government or handbook of practice and procedure which deals with how the yearly meeting is organised and governed. Unlike the printed edition, which contains the disciplines of eight yearly meetings with footnotes showing how they changed through the 19th century, this online edition contains only the 1806 philadelphia yearly meeting book of discipline. Fahe draws quaker educators together from multiple disciplines, and our book series featuring quakers and the disciplines is already making a difference. For quakers, the quakercurious, and everyone else, as well. Current quaker books of discipline in print and online. This book of quaker faith and practice is an attempt to express truth through. In may, when britain yearly meeting gathers to consider whether or not the time is right for a revision of the book of discipline, we should be ready.
Paul parker outlines what happens next and how you can get involved. A book of discipline may refer to one of the various books issued by a yearly meeting of the religious society of friends, setting out what it means to be a quaker in that yearly meeting. Some yearly meetings update their book of discipline frequently, while others. To quakers, the visible mark of being a church is not conformity to a. This book of quaker faith and practice is an attempt to express truth through the vital. Quakers yearly meeting may plan to revise book of discipline. Each new generation of quakers has revised the book. Like other quaker books of discipline, the text is arranged alphabetically with one letter per page, here elaborately drawn in a celtic style featuring human figures, animals, birds and mystical beasts. The current book of discipline was first issued in its present form as quaker faith and practice in 1995 a decade after friends had decided on a complete revision, recognising the need to reflect changes in society, language and belief. They listen and reflect on the experience of quakers, from 1600s to the recent years. The book of discipline contains explanations about how we conduct ourselves as friends, how we understand the nature of our community, and the beliefs that undergird our practical christian faith. The book of discipline of the religious society of friends. Many quakers have worked for reform of the criminal justice systems of their day. Full text of the carolina quaker experience, 16651985.
A book of discipline, issued by the 1927 philadelphia yearly meeting of the religious society of friends, setting out what it means to be a quaker in that year. At the time of the foundations, the book of christian discipline was published as three volumes, christian. Documents this is a centralized collection of documents approved by. Friends quakers have books of discipline, most commonly called faith and practice but sometimes by other names. Unlike the printed edition, which contains the disciplines of eight yearly. The ohio valley yearly meeting book of discipline says of quaker worship. Religious society of friends quakers quaker beliefs and practices. In the stillness of worship, quakers often read from this anthology of spiritual wisdom. More than a thousand quakers met in london this weekend and agreed to rewrite their book of discipline, the quaker faith and practice. Yearly meeting of the religious society of friends. Renewing the quaker communitys story quakers in britain. The other book called either faith and practice or faith, life and thought or similar title. Quakers started keeping records from their earliest years. A big decision was made by quakers at yearly meeting 2018, one with farreaching consequences.
Instead of voting or seeking an earthly consensus, the meeting. In a bid to include voices, experiences and identities that reflect the full breadth and depth of quakers in britain today, the revision committee draws on quakers across a range of occupations. This may have happened because the old book was lost, or, in the case of the separation of 1827, when quakers split. These are usually adopted by yearly meetings, which are regional bodies including a number of local meetingschurches. These are the queries and advices of friends in christ, being the guidelines for conduct of meetings and members belonging to that body. This volume, found in every quaker meeting and freely available online, is referred to for guidance on both church affairs and personal life, and drawn on as a source of spiritual inspiration the earliest antecedent of our current book of discipline is the. Reformers in criminal justice quakers in the world. Quaker books by quakers, for quakers, about quakers. The book of christian discipline of the yearly meeting of the religious society of friends quakers in britain on.
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