on the 2012 proposed faith and practice of the baltimore yearly meeting of the religious society of...

7/30/2019 On the 2012 proposed Faith and Practice of the Baltimore Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends

1/5

The 2012 proposed F&P is chock full of traditional, clear,lovely Quaker statements and sentiments. I dont have timenow to repeat them.

Addressing Some of the Concerns Raised aboutthat Document--

On Seekers, Etc.

The 88 F&P mentions seekers at least 8 times.

The 2012 F&P never does mention perpetual seekers. It doesmention seeking the light(p.31), seeking the inner lighttogether(p.24), seeking the spirit(p.86), seeking the essence oftruth(p.19), seeking truth(p.20), searching and listening(p24),seekers of treasure(p.19)(this is implied), seek for ourselvesand our children the full development of Gods gifts(p.59),inward searching for truth, for light, for meaning(p.21).

Being a Seeker is not a negative thing. It means that ourminds, our spirits, are alive.

That Quakers repeatedly ask themselves queries implies thatthey are seekers--seeking to live up to the queries.

That Quakers try to speak well in meeting implies that theyare seekers--seekers of words fit to the situation.

That Quakers have no creed or dogma implies that they areseekers--seekers of what to believe, of what to think.

That Quakers try to understand implies that they are seekers--seekers of understanding.


2/5

That Quakers try to be good to one another, and to all people,implies that they are seekers--seekers of goodness.

That Quakers try to stay in the light, in this shadowed world,

implies that they are seekers--seekers of the light.That Quakers try to act rightly implies that they are seekers--seekers of right behavior.

Searching for meaning is not a negative thing. Meaning canmean coherence, perceptible order, harmony, purpose, value.In this world, where so many live destructive lives, searching

for meaning, for integrity, is a positive step.The idea that we are united in being guided by that spirit thatwas in Jesus is problematic. People do not once find thatspirit, and henceforth are constantly guided by it. We lose it,we fail, we miss the mark, we make mistakes, wemisunderstand... again and again. That is the nature of humanlife. Sure, this problem effects different people to different

degrees at different times--but it affects all of us, to somedegree. Even Jesus, as recorded in the Gospels, arguably lostthat spirit--when he overturned the money-changers tables.And when we lose touch with that spirit, we have to seek--forthe good. And even when we are in the light, we have toseek--for fuller light. For more light. To overcome thedarkness, which presses around us--unhampered by our punylight.

So recognizing that we are seekers is a positive thing--especially when facile misunderstandings, lies, propaganda,weak-mindedness, small-mindedness, and mental ruts are allhyper-abundant--as they are in our time.


3/5

On Individualism

Each Friend must, as always, work out for himself his ownunderstanding of religion,... We not only tolerate diversity,we encourage and cherish it. Statement on Spiritual Unity,1964

Certainly each of us is encouraged to follow our individualspiritual path, our inward search for the Light, our deeplistening to God within. p.19, 2012F&P----is there a problemwith this?

Is there much difference between Each Friend must, asalways, work out for himself his own understanding ofreligion,... and Certainly each of us is encouraged to followour individual spiritual path.

Individual Spiritual Path is but a recognition that everyones

life is unique, and that spirits striving does not end.

I strongly feel that the 2012 F&P does not redefine Quakerismin an ultimately individualistic way. What it does, to meappropriately and importantly, is attempt to consciouslyacknowledge, accept, and embrace the wide range of thought,belief, approach, and practice that in fact already exists among

Quakers.

Today, someone at meeting said SOMETHING about--Quakers should be clear what Quakers believe. I think thatcould be a great topic for discussion--but there is no way we


4/5

could substantially and largely agree about specifics--exceptby leaving very much room for different understandings. Thatis, in effect, what the 2012 F&P does.

This diversity of Friends not only already does exist, but Istrongly feel that no attempt should be made to change that.

The problem that deserves attention, it seems to me, is howFriends can feel spiritual unity despite their clear diversity--aproblem which the earth as a whole also experiences--in a

much more pressing way.The 2012 F&P is a step in that direction.

On Personal Truth

Do not be hung up on this. The phrase to speak their truthjust means a person speaks what they feel to be true, in a

situation at a time--they do not speak what is THE TRUTH,which everyone should or could recognize to be THE TRUTHat that time and place.

On Length

It is not clear that shorter is better. People are growingincreasingly adept at processing words. The 2012F&P has

several wholly added sections, which could be excised. Justfour added sections: Queries, Advices, and Voices; QuakerOrganizations; Glossary; and References, add in sum 109pages. And the 2012 F&P is over one-third longer, just due toits format(Like 3:4). Comparable sections are only roughly


5/5

12% longer (when both in same format.) That is not a largeincrease.

On QuotationsOn p.24 of the 1988F&P, is written, Our belief in theuniversality of the Inner Light requires us to walk cheerfullyover the world, answering that of God in everyone as GeorgeFox urged. That is quotation butchery.

On p.5 of 2012 F&P, that quote is much better presented, andit is much clarified on pp.78-79 of that document. Its use onthe back cover is, I think, fair--there are no quote marks, andit is almost a quote. (As far as I know.) Or it could be edited.

On the Testimonies

Using acronyms is not a childish thing--it is a human thing.

We can not very well have a testimony for every class ofsituation deserving our attention.

* * * * *

In sum, there is very much good in this proposed Faith andPractice. Edit it! Substantially, if need be. But throwing it outaltogether is wasting many thousands of hours of work--andpeoples hearts and spirits (Of those who labored on it for 10years, during which time they were in communication.)

on the 2012 proposed faith and practice of the baltimore yearly meeting of the religious society of...

Documents