Quakers

Quakerism is a religious movement born in seventeenth-century England. Though it originated alongside Puritanism, Quakerism has very important theological differences. Like the Puritans , Quakers were persecuted by English authorities, and eventually members sought religious freedom in the New World. Under the leadership of William Penn (1644–1718), the colony of Pennsylvania was established in 1682 as the Quakers’ “Holy Experiment.”

Religious radicals

The English generally considered the Quaker religion to be radical. Like members of the Puritan sects, Quakers challenged the traditions and hierarchies of the Anglican Church (the Church of England). What was most important to Quakers was each individual's spiritual experience and the goal of remaking the world according to God's plan. They tried to lead moral lives and took every opportunity to share their religion with others.

The key distinction of Quaker beliefs is the concept of the “inner light,” or inner presence of God. Believing that every individual has this inner light, Quakers see individuals as vessels of God's will. This concept angered both Anglicans and Puritans, who feared that if every individual holds the light of God, then rules, ministers, and even the church as an institution might become unnecessary.

Quakers rejected the Puritan notion that Christian biblical scriptures alone contain enough divine guidance for leading a pious, or devoted, religious life. Although Quakers considered scriptures helpful for guidance, they rejected the restraint scriptures placed on inner spiritual experience.

Quakers also rejected the Puritan concepts of predestination and social stratification. Predestination is the belief that a person's fate has already been decided by God. Social stratification is the division of society into roles of greater and lesser importance. Such concepts conflict with the inner light Quakers believe to be within every person. To Quakers, the inner light makes everyone equally able to lead a pious and Godly life that will lead to Heaven.

Contemporary friends

The Quakers were terribly persecuted in England during the late 1600s. Though they were being imprisoned at the whim of officials, Quakers were not deterred. To fight back, they organized into a group called the Society of Friends. Under the leadership of George Fox (1624–1691), regular meetings and group discipline replaced spontaneous self-expression. Legal and political efforts to win acceptance replaced efforts to convert the world to righteousness.

In 1681, a wealthy Quaker, William Penn, resolved to establish a refuge in the New World for his fellow believers. Collecting on a debt owed to his late father, Penn received a grant of land from King Charles II (1630–1685), and with the king's approval the land was called Pennsylvania. Nearly eight thousand people had migrated there by 1685. Quaker ideals, which had been mystical and individual in experience, were applied in new ways as they guided the formation of a government and community.

Over time, Quaker ideals were tested in the New World. The American Revolution (1775–83) challenged their pacifism, and slavery challenged their views of equality in society. Though splits have occurred, the movement has retained much of its unity. There are now seven denominations of Friends in the United States with just under 150,000 members.