 |
| My first book dealt with the history of Western unprogrammed Friends and was published in 2000. It's a compilation of articles from Friends Bulletin, the magazine I edited. It is out of print, but available through Amazon and other publishers. |
History helps us to discover and forge our identity as Quakers
Our discussion
began with a Friend pointing out that our Quaker identity depends in great
measure on knowledge of our history, and I agree. I once heard James Baldwin say,
“To know where we are going, we need to know who we are. To know who we are, we
have to know where we have been.” These words ring true. History helps us to know
where we came from, who we are, and how we can chart our future. Several
Friends spoke about how studying Quaker history was important for their
spiritual formation as Friends. Knowing our history also helps us collectively
to be a faith-based community sharing a common vision and goals.
We need to know everyone’s
story, not just the dominant narrative
Jim Summers
reminded us that we need to know not just one but multiple histories—the
stories told by marginalized people are just as important as the stories told
by dominant groups. Privileged Quakers have prided themselves on treating
Indian fairly, opposing slavery, championing the rights of women, etc. All of
this is true, up to a point. But African American Friends have helped us to
realize that Quaker history is also rife with racism (not to mention, sexism and homophobia). That’s why we need to
read and take to heart books like Fit for
Freedom, Not for Friendship. The same is true of our history with Native
Americans; we need to hear what First People think of Friends, and that means
reaching out and including them in historical conferences, as Jim tried to do.
To have a complete history, everyone involved must be at the table, sharing
their stories.
I must add
that we need to hear the multiple perspectives on Quaker history representing
the broad theological spectrum of Quaker thought and action. We need, for example, Howard Brinton’s take
on liberal Quakerism, which I once thought was “true Quakerism” and now realize
is just one facet of a multifaceted gem. We also need English Christocentric
Friend John Punshon’s Portrait in Grey,
Wilmer Cooper’s A Living Faith
(written from a Wilburite, FUM perspective), Walter Williams’ The Rich Heritage of Quakerism (the
perspective of what Elton Trueblood calls a ‘majority’ of Quakers, i.e.
Evangelicals), and finally, Ben Pink Dandelion, an English Friend who tries to
be inclusive and comprehensive of all the branches of Quakerism. In addition to
reading these different takes on Quaker history, we can also benefit from going
back to original sources and struggling to understand what they are saying.
Know Nothings Vs. Know-It-Alls
Eric Moon
pointed out the misuses of history among some Friends. He observed that some Friends
think they are superior because they know Quaker history. They believe that
just because they read about Quakerism, they understand the spirit that
inspired early Quakers and how to be a Quaker in today’s world. They are like
some birthright Friend who (as Brinton pointed out with some irritation) “think
they know when they do not.” At the other extreme are Friends who are proud of
knowing nothing about Quaker history, perhaps because Quakerism is a mystical
and Spirit-led religion and being a mystic means living in the Eternal Now. A
Friend who had mystical experiences observed that these extraordinary experiences
tend to come very rarely and we need to talk about them later and put them into
perspective. As Brinton notes, Quakerism encourages us to come together in
“that which is Eternal,” but we also need to have an intellectual understanding
of our faith. Knowing our history helps us to know each other in “that which is
temporal,” i.e. in our humanity.
Prophets and Heretics Are
Revered…Only After They Are Safely Dead and Written Up in History Books
Joe Magruder
pointed out that many of the great achievements of Friends, like the
Underground Railroad, were undertaken in opposition to mainstream Quakers. “You
could get read out of Meeting for being involved in the Underground Railroad,”
Magruder noted. “Especially in Hicksite Meetings.”
I pointed out
the debt that Quakers owe to “heretics” like Elias Hicks and Lucretia Mott. This
is a topic I wrote about in a blog you can read.
The gist of
what I say is an old, old story: prophets aren’t usually appreciated in their
home towns or home meetings.
The Need for Sacred and
Secular History
Quakers need to
know our history because we are human and human beings are storytelling
animals. In prehistoric times, we sat around campfires and shared
stories—stories of spirits, of ancestors, of tribal triumphs and defeats. These
stories were handed down uncritically from generation to generation and were accepted
as true. History as we know it began when Greek historians like Herodotus
questioned the stories told to him and trying to piece together a narrative of
what “really happened.” Herodotus’ histories were colored and shaped by his
value system and culture, of course, but his effort to be “objective” was an
important step forward in human development. The Greek word “history” means an
“investigation,” usually of written documents. Investigating and trying to create a reliable
written record of the past is the origin of secular history.
People also
need sacred stories. Scriptures may or
may not be factual but they contain wisdom and insights that inspire and
challenge. Scholars ask of scripture, “Is this factual,” and “What is the
socio-economic background of this story? Who is telling it and why?” but people of faith ask equally important
questions, “What can I learn from this story that will make a difference in my
life and in the world?”
As Quakers, we
need inspirational stories about our past achievements, but we also need
factual accounts of our struggles and failings.
Brinton wrote history from a theological perspective that sometimes fails
the test of objective history. He was interested in facts, but he was more
interested in how these facts inform, and are informed by, our faith and our spiritual experiences. Larry Ingle, on the other hand,
is an academic historian who is interested in the facts whether or not they
help us in our faith journey as Friends. The same is true for Chuck Fager, who
enjoys debunking Quaker myths and making us question hagiographies posing as
biographies. Friends like Fox and Woolman and Lucretia Mott were amazing people
and role models, but they had shortcomings and flaws just like us. We need
history that helps us understand not only great men and women, but the social
and economic forces that influenced and shaped them.
We also need to
know the stories of people who are more like us. Not just the spiritual giants,
but what Henry Cadbury called “common folk.” That's why I love to hear the spiritual
journeys of my fellow Quakers since they, too, are doing Important work to
“build a better peaceful world,” as Henry Cadbury said when the Society of
Friends received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1947:
"Common folk, not statesmen, nor generals, nor great men of affairs, but just simple men and women, if they devote themselves … can do something to build a better peaceful world."
These oral histories are invaluable to social historians who interested not only in notable people but in how "common folk" lived their lives. Brinton's study of Quaker Journals is a good example of using these primary sources to create a picture of the broader society of Friends.
"Common folk, not statesmen, nor generals, nor great men of affairs, but just simple men and women, if they devote themselves … can do something to build a better peaceful world."
These oral histories are invaluable to social historians who interested not only in notable people but in how "common folk" lived their lives. Brinton's study of Quaker Journals is a good example of using these primary sources to create a picture of the broader society of Friends.
We talked
mainly about biographical history, not social, religious and economic history.
These kind of historical accounts help us to place events in a larger
intellectual perspective. Much of it is not easy reading, like Doug Gwyn’s Seekers Found and Apocalypse of the Word. But we need such histories to understand
the larger context and trajectory of our Quaker movement.
History as a Way to Build
Community
Arthur pointed
out another, more down-to-earth use of history: to bring us together around
shared stories. He told us about how he enjoyed learning about the history of Orange
Grove Meeting, including the story about how various Meetings had donated the
benches. Learning these stories helps us to feel connected with our Quaker
past, and with each other.
My Personal Story as a Non-Academic, Spirit-led Quaker Historian
Let me close by
sharing my personal investment in Quaker history. Each of the books I edited or
wrote arose out of a deeply felt personal need. That’s not unusual, even among
historians. My pastor wife Kathleen used to say that pastors preach what they
themselves need to hear. Historians study what they themselves feel a burning need
to know. Herodotus, for example, wrote his famous book about the Persians and
the Persian war because the Greeks had just defeated the Persian empire and
“saved Greece.” This was a defining moment for the Athenians, and Herodotus
wanted to know more about who the Persians were, and what actually happened. So
did his contemporaries.
When I became
editor of Friends Bulletin, I wanted
to know more about Western Quakers. I had arrived in California in 1988, and
became editor of Friends Bulletin ten
years later, but I still felt like a newcomer. I decided to put together a
collection of writings from Friends
Bulletin that would provide a documentary history of unprogrammed Friends
in the West and help Friends like me understand the story of unprogrammed
Friends in the Western USA. David La Shana, an Evangelical Friend, had written
an excellent book about Quakers in
California but there was nothing comparable written from Beanite Quaker
viewpoint. That’s what A Western Quaker
Reader tried to do.
After completing
this book, I grew increasingly interested in the intersection between mysticism
and activism—a subject that continues to fascinate and inspire me. Brinton
called Quakers “activist mystics” and I began to research Quakers who fit that
description. I was attracted to Gene Hoffman, who became my mentor and friend.
A deeply spiritual woman, she was in many ways a mystic as well as an activist
because of all the inner as well as outer work she has done. I began collecting
material to write her biography when the World Trade Center was attacked—a
moment that changed everything. I realized that Gene’s work perspective was
extremely relevant and needed. While our leaders were calling for a perpetual
war on terrorism, Gene reminded us that terrorists were people we needed to understand.
“I recognized
that terrorists were people who had grievances, who thought their grievances
would never be heard and certainly never addressed,” wrote Gene. “Later, I saw
that all parties to every conflict were wounded, and that at the heart of every
act of violence were unhealed wounds. I began to search for ways we peace
people might help to heal these unhealed wounds.”
Her words had a
profound influence on me, and many others. Editing a collection of Gene’s
writings led to go to Israel/Palestine as part of the Compassionate Listening
Project with Leah Green. Listening to the many sides of the Palestinian/Israeli
conflict was a profoundly moving, life-changing experience.
One discovery I made in my research was that Howard Brinton "invented" our Quaker Testimonies. How he did it is important. Instead of focusing on what Quakers believed (as in a creed), he focused on what Quakers do. Trained as a scientist, he was using the scientific method--observing behavior and making generalizations. I also realized that many Friends misunderstand Brinton's intention. He was not trying to create a set of dogmas or principles to live by. He was trying to describe how Quakers lived their faith. Eric Moon has rightly pointed out that Friends who use the Testimonies as a kind of dogma or guiding principles are missing the point. Quakers are supposed to be guided by the Inward Light, not by outward principles. The Testimonies are about what we do. Studying history can help us to put into our perspective our current beliefs and practices. See https://laquaker.blogspot.com/2013/06/seeing-light-through-prismreflections.html
My most recent
venture into history was a slim collection of short biographies called Transformative Friends. This book came
about when I was given the opportunity to facilitate a series of talks about
important Quakers at Pacific Yearly Meeting, I thought: Why not focus on
Quakers from the previous generation who have had an influence on the current
generation of Quakers? I felt these close-to-home stories could help inspire
and challenge us to become better Quakers.
Right now I am
being drawn to George Fox in part because of his prophetic witness and his ability to launch a movement. Fox is a
challenging figure—one Friend described him as “crazy” and he definitely
suffered from depression and manic episodes, as Larry Ingle suggests. But he
was also the founder of a powerful movement that continues to exert a profound
influence to this day. As I studied Fox’s life, I realized that he was not only
prophetic, he was a master organizer. I became increasingly enthusiastic about
sharing this understanding of Fox with Quakers who are trying to figure out how
to respond to the Trump regime. How do we create a movement that will transform
our American society the way that early Quakers transformed their society (I am thinking particularly of Pennsylvania, Quakerism's "holy experiment") and
left a lasting imprint on history?
For me, history
has many uses, but the most important one for me personally is to help me to figure out my place
in an ongoing saga that is sacred as well as secular. As a person of faith, I
believe that history is not just a series of random or predetermined events (or as Toynbee said facetiously, "one damned thing after another"). To me, it is an unfolding story in which a Divine intention is being revealed through our
human choices and actions, guided by the Spirit, and also through Divine interventions like the death and resurrection of Christ. I feel as if the work I do, modest as it is,
contributes to the redemptive story that we see revealed in the Bible and in
the lives of people like George Fox, John Woolman, Lucretia Mott, Gandhi, and
Martin Luther King. I hope to continue studying, writing (and making) Quaker history for as long
as God sees fit to let me do so.
You can order my books at Amazon, and also at:
