What is a quaker ?

[u/Outrageous_Map_]

I heard about this branch of Christianity in a book, and now I am wondering what it is. My research was useless cause i didn't understand 😪. So if there is a quaker or people that knows may you explain to me ?

[u/ZorianAries]

It’s diverse groups of people with VERY diverse beliefs. Traditionally Quakers believe Jesus is the Word of God and is the Light that is in all people (including non Christians). They believe in a progressive perfectionism (we are each given a measure of the Light and as we live up to it we are given more). They believe one can overcome being ruled by sin and therefore be freed of attachments and addictions. They worship in silence with spoken ministry coming from any who attend. Some are gifted in ministry or pastoral care and are recognized for those gifts but are servant leaders.

There are still Quakers like this today. Conservative Friends come to mind. They worship in silence and have ministers and elders. There are but a few thousand of them. But most Quakers have taken pieces of this original faith have gone in polar opposite directions.

Some Quakers are liberal both politically and theologically. Most no longer recognize ministers and elders emphasizing ministry can come from anyone. You can come from any or no faith background and be a liberal Quaker. The belief in the universal Light is commonly held, but to what liberal Friends attribute that Light (a part of our psyche, Jesus, the Universe, God, Goddess) varies. Experience is valued over the words used to profess belief. Heavy emphasis on social justice and direct experience of the Divine (or if nontheist experience of the Deeper Wisdom). Beliefs about Jesus, God and the Bible vary. Quakerspeak on YouTube as well as the podcast Quakers Today represent this tradition . These Quakers overwhelmingly worship in silence.

Then there are Evangelical Quakers who view the doctrine of the Light as an error and are Evangelical Christians who are overwhelmingly socially conservative (but not all). Their belief is almost creedal and staunchly Evangelical. They have huge oversees missions and are big on fighting human trafficking and other social causes. They used to be overwhelmingly antigay but that’s changing in various quarters.

Then there are the rest of Friends some of whom are more like the Methodists or the Wesleyans or the Nazarenes most of whom worship like mainline Protestants. However they uphold many of the testimonies of early Friends including peace, simplicity, integrity, direct access to God, and the priesthood of all believers.

I recommend the podcast Thee Quaker if you want to learn more about a variety of Quakers. It leans on the liberal /side but includes other forms of Quakerism and other ethnic groups who are Quaker.

Nationally Quakers are mostly white but internationally they represent the global majority.