| | by admin | | posted on 12th December 2023 in Quakers in 100 Objects & Seeking Faith & Practice | | views 1889 | |
Quaker Faith & Practice is published by British Yearly Meeting, which is a gathering for Friends from across the Britain.
The first British Yearly Meeting was in 1668 and in America (New England) the first Yearly Meeting was earlier, in 1661. Yearly Meetings publish guiding principles, organisational processes and collected expressions of faith from the Friends present. These periodically updated publications are called Faith & Practice and/or Book of Discipline.
The origins of Quaker Faith & Practice (QF&P) can be traced back to a 1738 manuscript that set out 'brotherly advices given forth from time to time'. A printed edition was published in 1783. Today, the modern British version is in its fifth edition and can be read online at qfp.quaker.org.uk (opens in a new tab).
With the Quaker faith finding its way across the oceans of the globe, several countries produce their own versions of QF&P to make them locally relevant.
Countries that have their own books include Australia, Denmark, Germany, Central & Southern Africa, Switzerland and New Zealand.
In America, because of its size and number of Quakers, many different states and communities have their own versions.
The first chapter of the British QF&P is entitled Advices & Queries and a version of this chapter has found its way into many worldwide editions. This opening chapter introduces what it means to be a Friend and is one of the best starting places for exploring the faith.
An undeniable strength of QF&P is that it is continually revised and updated to reflect the faith as it is now, what it has been in the past and how it may shape the future. The current fifth edition is being revised for a new edition.
QF&P is a living, breathing document.
Friends are seekers who hold “a precious heritage of discoveries,” and it is for every generation to find “the Light and Life again for ourselves,” as “we must humbly acknowledge that our vision of the truth will, again and again, be amended.”
Here are a few lines from the introduction of the British QF&P to give a flavour:
“There will also be diversity of experience, of belief and of language. Friends maintain that expressions of faith must be related to personal experience.”
“Some find traditional Christian language full of meaning; some do not. Our understanding of our own religious tradition may sometimes be enhanced by insights of other faiths.”
“The deeper realities of our faith are beyond precise verbal formulation.”
“Our diversity invites us both to speak what we know to be true in our lives and learn from others.”
“As Quakers, we often pride ourselves on being 'seekers', who are continually open to new light, from whatever source it may come.”
YQN recommends QF&P as an excellent starting point for learning more about the Quaker faith and the Society of Friends in general. However, if you're going to read the British version, YQN would argue that it is not necessarily written in the best order for newcomers. This is because most chapters in the first half of the book deal with the structure of the Society and its governance — required but quite dry, especially for newcomers not used to Quaker terminology.
Rather, YQN suggests reading the book in this order:
If you're a British Quaker, do you agree with this ordering? If you're a Quaker from elsewhere in the world with a different version of QF&P, would you recommend a chapter order to newcomers?
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