About Quakers

The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) is a group that practices a form of spirituality which emphasizes the personal experience of God in one’s life over any specific doctrine or belief. While it has its roots in Christianity, it is open to the Light where it may be found. Quakers understand the necessity of first listening to God before working in the world. They affirm the equality of all people before God, regardless of race, station in life, or gender, and this belief leads them into a range of social concerns.

One of the foundational quotes of Quakerism came from the convincement of Margaret Fell by George Fox, who in 1652 spoke to those in the steeplehouse: "You will say, Christ saith this, and the apostles say this; but what canst thou say? Art thou a child of Light and hast walked in the Light, and what thou speakest is it inwardly from God?" The rejection of a mediator (scripture, preachers) between the Divine and one's inner light of Spirit led Friends to value experiential testimonies of fellow seekers.

Since our branch of Quakerism has a core practice of silent meeting for worship, we can forget how challenging it can be to learn about Quakers in the local Meeting when "osmosis" just doesn't work. When we speak from our experience to answer a simple query about our faith, the answers can be like pulling on single threads embedded in an enormous tapestry. Below we offer a curated selection of QuakerSpeak video interviews -- testimonies -- focused on topics you might be wondering about.