Jan 25 2009
Pagan Quakers: Possible?
The other day, I came across a post from last year, written by Albert Mohler. Mohler explores how pagans have allegedly infiltrated the Religious Society of Friends due to the Friends’ policies of tolerance. Mohler seems to believe that this can indicate a paganization of Christian organizations.
While I don’t fundamentally agree with many of the things posted on Mohler’s site, I agree that he does of course have the right to examine this supposed trend. It is a truth that Quakers are openly non-judgmental whenever possible, which technically goes along well with mainstream Christian doctrine.
The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship is not exclusively or in any part affiliated with Christianity unlike the Religious Society of Friends, though both openly exhibit a moral obligation to embrace diversity. Because of this, it is possible for those of virtually any non-harm-doing belief system to be accepted by members of both the Fellowship and the Friends–my personal experience certainly provides me with a strong agreement.
The Christian criticism tends to remind me of politics–the way in which John McCain, a moderate affiliated with the GOP, initially lacked support of many far right supporters who leaned more towards politicians like Bush and Huckabee. Similarly, it would seem that more conservative Christian groups might be interested in pulling Christians away from the more liberal Quakers.
There certainly seems to be more than a bit of information to support Mohler’s assertion that there are in fact pagan Quakers out there. Here are some links to help you examine the situation.
- Quaker Pagan Reflections
- The Wild Hunt: Looking at Quaker Pagans
- Great Waters Pagan Friends Gathering
- Christianity Today: Are the Quakers Going Pagan?
- Musings of a Quaker Witch [a blog]
What do you think? Is it possible to be both pagan and Quaker? Should Quakers direct a pagan interested in community worship to the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship instead? Is it right for other Christians to judge this wave of acceptance? Why or why not?
Thank you, Cat, for leaving your excellent comment. I really appreciate the explanation. It helps to know that there are different Quaker branches.
I agree with your personal connection with the Quaker style of worship. I feel like my connection with nature/the world around me/the Goddess/God (all the same to me) can be realized in a Friends meeting, and I don’t feel silly getting up and saying what comes to me. I’m energy-sensitive, so the ability to communicate/respond/relay is very important to me spiritually.
David, I agree with what you are saying also. I’m far from objective in this blog (!), but I do try to present multiple viewpoints. I do not want to bash Christianity or lead anyone to think that is okay to do so. In fact, I’m pretty fond of the religion, it’s just some of the extreme followers (like you mention) that freak me out. Hopefully they will remain in the minority.
During the election, I supported Hillary Clinton and then stuck with my party when she threw her support behind Obama after losing the nomination. I’m proud that I did that, and I would have been proud even if Obama had lost (goodness knows I’m proud to have stood against W both times). Between supporting a woman and a black man I heard a lot of comments that honestly don’t even belong in this century. People have a right to say it, but it’s horrible that people do still think that way.
thanks for such insightful comments!
~Tara
Also, for those who did not catch it, Cat’s Blog is at http://quakerpagan.blogspot.com/ [the first link in my list]
Hi
I was in that CHristianity today article, and I know the author (became friendly during the interview process). Cat’s explanation accurately describes liberal Quakerism, the smaller of the many branches of the Quaker tree (the smallest being Conservatives, those who “conserve” the Christian AND the unprogrammed Quaker way of worship, and some wear plain clothes). 78% of American Quakers go to a meeting or church, and the vast majority of them share a theology that resembles Methodists (all over), Evangelicals (West, South and Midwest), Wesleyans (Western, IN) or Nazarene (Eastern, IN). Part of the great bit of diversity is also due to a deliberate movement to start Quaker meetings in university towns. As higher education has become more progressive, you’ll find the Quaker meetings have followed suit. Homewood, where I am a member in Baltimore, used to be the Orthodox Meeting (VERY Christian). As the population changed, as Hopkins has become more liberal (as has much of middle class white Baltimore) so has the meeting.
Without going into the long story of my life, there is one clear reason why I’m still Quaker. God calls me to stay. I’ve tried leaving to the Episcopalians a couple of times. I was already in touch with the Spirit world before Quakers and I actively studied paganism for a time in 2004-2005 or 6. The problem was that I felt called away from outward forms and rituals, Christian or pagan. And, while I really can’t honestly say I know what God is, the only God that made sense to me was one that was revealed in the testimony of the Christian Bible, mostly in the gospels. I can’t tell you what God can do or is, but I can tell you that there is a part of me that responds affirmatively, strongly to the testimony of the Christian scriptures. It’s as if a part of me says ‘this is true’ (even though it may not actually be what Jesus said). And, I know the dead live on, I’ve already had one dead person speak to me, so it makes perfect sense that Jesus lived on too, and that he can be experienced. I think that Christianity rests on its own without getting into theology (which is where orthodox Christians would have a fit). THe mythology of Jesus, the Gospel ethics, the frankly powerful and relevant testimony of the New Testament and those who truly submit to that Light of Christ in their hearts are sufficient to make Christianity relevant. Yes, there are the vast majority of so-called Christians who are quite Orthodox but have no Life. I have nothing against paganism. It has informed me and broadened my perspective. I think that a person can frankly be “pagan” and Christian too (though perhaps not orthodox). The Church is the one who limits how we can experience Jesus, but thankfully we aren’t confined to the Church, now, are we?
Pitch - Thanks for your comment. I agree that this topic does diversify spirituality, which is a good thing on all fronts.
KD - Thanks so much for your insight. I agree that God/The Mother Goddess/The Spirit can definitely give us a calling. I personally identify this in a sense more defined as metaphysical, i. e. Paulo Coelho’s “personal legend.” I think it makes sense to different people in different ways, and that in terms of Christianity, Jesus speaks to different people in different ways.
I greatly appreciate your comments and discourse. You seem so in touch with your spiritual self, and I really admire that!