Why Quaker "Minutes of Social Concern" Are Important

 I was thrilled that Pacific Yearly Meeting adopted a strong statement explaining the importance of "minutes of social concern," statements about peace and social judgment issues. Here’s what it says about minutes of social concern on the Pacific Yearly Meeting website:

Minutes of Social Concern

Social Concern Minutes are one way our voice of conscience can be made public. They are also a way in which we can express our ideals, witness and narrate the struggles of our time, and can hold ourselves more accountable. Providing hope and moral vision is never to be underestimated.

A Minute of Social Concern expresses the unity of a Meeting around an issue of social justice, usually with a call to action. Meetings are encouraged to share their Minutes of Social Concern so that others may also consider them.

Nonetheless, some Friends do not feel that we should consider minutes of social concern. Here is my response to their objections. My hope is that Friends will speak out and act boldly and collectively to defend democracy and support those who are working for peace and justice. 

1.     “Minutes of social concern are controversial and divisive.” This implies that Friends should refrain from discussing anything when there might be disagreement or conflict. Such an attitude suggests a profound lack of trust in Quaker process and in the commitment that Friends have for one another. Even the most loving couples have conflicts, and their bonds of love grow stronger when they figure out how to resolve their conflicts lovingly and honestly. The same is true of groups. There will always be conflicts in a group. In fact, when Pacific Yearly Meeting decided not to consider minutes of social concern, a dispute arose about the name of Worship and Oversight Committee. Some Friends were uncomfortable with the word “oversight” since it sounded like overseers from the slavery period. The discussion over the name of this committee became heated and lasted at least as long as any discussion regarding minutes of social concern. Budget items and even nominations can be controversial, yet we don’t refrain from considering these matters during meeting for worship on the occasion of business.

2.     “Minutes of social concern are a waste of time, mere words, not action.” As the Pacific Yearly Meeting statement on minutes of social concern makes clear (see below), authentic minutes require accountability and action. Evidence shows that public statements on peace and justice issues can have an impact, especially when many different groups join together in a common cause. Alex Hopkins observes:  “Civil society is a key deterrent to an authoritarian power grab. Civil society is made up of universities, non-profits, and churches. These are the institutions that we hoped would stand up to Trump. Instead, some of them caved with alacrity. Even if they didn't give something to Trump, many are silent. We need to be among the institutions that stand up.”

3.     Minutes of concern aren’t “spiritual” and don’t matter. As an activist, I can testify that when I have the support of my Meeting or of Quaker institutions like FCNL and AFSC, it matters. I can feel it in my heart. It can be lonely to stand on the front line of the peace and justice movement. Because minutes of social concern are approved during a meeting for worship on the occasion of business, they have a spiritual and moral power that should not be underestimated, as PYM statement makes clear.

Here's what PacYM’s Faith and Practice says about the process of approving Minutes of Social Concern. Note that when we gather for meeting for worship on the occasion of business, we are engaging in a corporate, not an individual, search for moral clarity and truth:

The Meeting’s work of discernment is a corporate search. The Clerk does not direct the communication toward certain predetermined goals, but keeps dialogue open, promoting free and full exploration of the matter under consideration, while fostering a sense of the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Clerk is responsible for discerning and stating the sense of the Meeting and presenting a minute when unity has been reached. Members of the Meeting may sometimes assist the Clerk in this. If a member believes that the Clerk has incorrectly discerned the sense of the Meeting, it is appropriate to speak up. Similarly, someone may propose that unity actually has been reached and suggest that a minute should be recorded.

When the wording appears satisfactory, the Clerk asks Friends if they approve the minute. If Friends approve the minute without objection, it is recorded as an action of the Meeting. If, after careful consideration, minor editorial changes appear to be needed, the Clerk should have authority to make them. Those changes should be noted at the next Business Meeting, when the minutes of the previous session are read.

If the business before the Meeting is difficult, anyone may request a pause for silent worship. This can often lead to finding a way forward. Sometimes a member with doubts about a minute favored by most of those present will voice his or her reservations but release the Meeting to move forward.† This will be recorded in the minutes as “one Friend standing aside.” In rare cases a member may ask to be recorded as standing aside; however this practice is best limited to occasions when that member’s professional or legal status might be jeopardized by implied consent to a minute.

Another way of avoiding a deadlock is for the Clerk or another member to suggest that a matter be held over for consideration at a later time. It may be helpful for the Clerk to ask a small committee, including Friends of diverse leadings, to revise the proposal in the light of the concerns and objections, and report to the next Meeting. If the matter is urgent, the committee may retire from a given session to return to it with a revised proposal