Quakers, or Society of Friends — a comparison of the doctrine of 17 current religions
Prepared by and presented by Rex Bennett
An overview of the beliefs of the Quakers, or the Religious Society of Friends
- Quakers:
- Atonement — The atonement was not legalistic sacrifice, but spiritual growth. It was Christ’s way of showing his compassion for others. Likewise, we must find our own way of identifying with the suffering of others.
- Baptism — They do not believe in the outward ritual of baptism with water. The ongoing spiritual process should not be treated as an event. Inward baptism and communion are most important to spiritual life. They believe in ‘baptism by the spirit’.
- Did Christ organize a church while on earth? — Christ had disciples who followed his examples of compassion and concern for others. They believe in following Jesus rather than believing in a religion about Jesus.
- Ecclesiastical authority — Some groups have pastors, others do not. There is no pattern of ecclesiastical authority. Many meetings consist of ‘worship in silence’. They may pray vocally, read the Bible, or worship in silence as the spirit directs.
- God — What is known about God is experimentally known. God is experienced through the ‘inward light’ which is the spirit of ‘Christ within’. They believe in the Imminence of God rather than his Transcendence.
- Heaven and Hell — Most believe that ‘the Kingdom is now’, and there is no specific or future place for good or evil. Such is just speculation. What you experience in life (happiness or sadness) is your own self-created heaven or hell.
- Holy Bible — It was written with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and can only be understood by the power of the Spirit. It is a central part of the religious life of virtually all Friends.
- Holy Ghost — The Spirit is the source of all religious truth and authority. The Spirit makes God accessible to all men. They do not believe in the Trinity.
- Holy Trinity — The Quakers are a faith of ‘experience’, rather than accepted dogma. What is known about God, dchrist, or the Holy Spirit is know ‘experientially’ and is the true guide to truth. Belief in a ‘Trinity’ is an example of speculation.
- Is membership in a church needed for salvation? — The Word of God has been offered to all men of every generation. The Society does not require the acceptance of a certain pattern of belief. Love of God and man in the spirit of Jesus Christ is most important of all.
- Life after death — They believe that the Kingdom is now. All questions about life after death are not necessary due to ‘realized eschatology’. Life after death is a deceptive basis for religious belief, fruitlessly speculative.
- Marriage — Bride and groom submit a proposal of marriage at a church meeting. When found “clear” to marry, they are married. There is no accompanying music or ritual. Divorce is permitted although it is discouraged. There is a very low divorce rate amongst the Friends.
- Miracles — Most Friends believe in the miracles recorded in the Bible. There is a wide variety of personal belief with regards to whether or not there are miracles today.
- Future status of non-believers in Christ — It is considered speculation that there is any future place for either believers or non-believers in Christ. Belief in life after death or heaven or hell is only speculative. ‘Realized eschatology’ is the standard.
- Pre-existence of man — This topic is left to the individual to interpret for his or her self. It is not generally a topic of discussion in meetings or teachings.
- Purpose of life — Our purpose is to hear and obey the Lord, as the original disciples did. It is to bring the world to do that which conforms to the mind of Christ.
- Resurrection — The majority of members do not believe in a physical resurrection of the body. As concerning the resurrection of Christ, most believe in his divinity, but some do not.
- Revelation — Revelation is both immediate and continuous to all who seek sincerely. All other sources of religious authority are second to that of revelation.
- Sacrament — They do not perform any outward sacraments in church meetings. Sacrament rituals are apostasies because they lead man to mistake outward form for inward substance.
- Satan — Evil is destroyed by true concern. Man is inherently good, and the term “original sin” overemphasizes the power of evil. There is no heaven or hell, so there is little chance of there being a Satan.
- Second Coming of Christ — Most would not agree with the concept of a physical Second Coming. The only members who might accept this would have to have a Christocentric theology, and there are some members who do not.
- Vicarious work for the dead — The most important thing for us to do is to follow the example of Christ. Performance of outward rituals is not a part of the Quaker faith. Very few if any would believe in this sort of thing.
- Virgin birth, immaculate conception — Most members believe that to argue or speculate about this subject is highly inappropriate. Christianity should accept Jesus as their leader and example and stop speculating about his metaphysical nature.
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