Stuart Masters

To put one's hope in Jesus, then, is to believe, despite all the evidence to the contrary, Jesus' way of peace, justice, mercy and compassion will ultimately prevail over the empire's ways of violence, exploitation, oppression and fear.

Rachel Held Evans

The image just contains the quotation shared in the main post.

The cross is the eternal reminder that evil always goes too far, and because it goes too far it contains within itself the seeds of its own destruction.

Raphael Warnock

The image includes the quotation set out below, along with a picture of David Bentley Hart (a middle-aged white man with dark hair and beard, wearing a dark blue jacket): The gospel of a God found in broken flesh, humility, and measureless charity has defeated all the old lies, rendered the ancient order visibly insufficient and even slightly absurd, and instilled in us a longing for transcendent love so deep that-if once yielded to-it will never grant us rest anywhere but in Christ. David Bentley Hart

The gospel of a God found in broken flesh, humility, and measureless charity has...instilled in us a longing for transcendent love so deep that-if once yielded to-it will never grant us rest anywhere but in Christ.

David Bentley Hart

Whoever has received God’s new covenant, that is, whoever has had the law written into his heart by the Holy Spirit is truly righteous. Whoever thinks that he can observe the law by means of the Book ascribes to the dead letter what belongs to the living Spirit.

Hans Denck

The image includes the quotation shared in the main post, along with a background image of pink tree blossom against a blue sky.

Our life is love, and peace, and tenderness; and bearing one with another, and forgiving one another, and not laying accusations one against another; but praying one for another, and helping one another up with a tender hand.

Isaac Penington, 1667

The image includes the quote from Margery Post Abbott shared in the main post, on a design with yellow and white flowers and the logo of New England Quakers.

Everyday prophets are already part of our communities. We all might be such people. Everyday prophets are at once ordinary and radical, both humble and bold. They act out of a weave of mercy and justice, valuing each being on this earth. Might we cherish those among us who are so faithful.

The Feminine Divine: Lessons from Julian of Norwich and Margery Kempe Julian of Norwich and Margery Kempe were influential female mystics of Christianity in the late medieval period. The late medieval period occurred from AD 1300 to 1500 and is characterized by a cul…

Hi Micah, I am not an expert on Julian, but I think that her words represent an interpretation of her earlier mystical visions. There seems to be quite a bit of scholarship on this but often behind paywalls. This is accessible - oldorchardmedia.wordpress.com/2025/04/03/t...

The image includes the quotation shared in the main post along with a picture of a young woman in a cream coloured medieval monastic head dress.

As truly as God is our Father, so truly God is our Mother.

Julian of Norwich

The image includes the quote set out below along with a picture of Thomas F. Torrance (an older white man with white hair wearing academic dress): Christ was so one with us that when he died, we died, for he did not die for himself but for us, and he did not die alone, but we died in him as those whom he had bound to himself inseparably by his incarnation. Therefore, when he rose again, we rose in him and with him, and when he presented himself before the face of the Father, he presented us also before God, so that we are already accepted of God in him one and for all. Thomas F. Torrance

Christ was so one with us that when he died, we died, for he did not die for himself but for us, and he did not die alone, but we died in him as those whom he had bound to himself inseparably by his incarnation.

Thomas F. Torrance

Sorry - 2026!

Probably Saturday 2nd May 2025.

Yes, and the Gospels are full of warnings about these temptations.

The image includes the quote shared in the main post, along with a picture depicting Jesus being tempted by the devil.

What makes the temptation of power so seemingly irresistible? Maybe it is that power offers an easy substitute for the hard task of love. It seems easier to be God than to love God, easier to control people, than to love people, easier to own life than to love life.

Henri Nouwen

Thanks Mark. I’ve put a link to your page on the ‘Resources’ page.

Explore the Quaker faith with Stuart Masters | Stuart Masters: Author and Teacher Explore the Quaker faith with Stuart Masters, who offers learning opportunities that cover the history, theology, and spirituality of Friends, through accessible and engaging teaching, speaking, and w...

This website contains information and resources relating to my writing, teaching, and speaking activities.

www.stuartkmasters.com

Worship is a vigorous act of reordering our desires in the light of God's burning desire for the wellness of all creation.

Ellen F. Davis

The image includes the quotation shared in the main post plus a stylized picture of a human with bright light shining from the heart).

This day of the Lord, which is eternal brightness, appears in the heart; and the dawning and breaking forth of it is to be waited for there; and as it is witnessed, it manifests evil, and brings it to light, and declares against what is contrary to its own nature.

Francis Howgill (1618-1688)

The image includes the quotation shared in the main post, along with a picture of Christine Lee (a younger Korean-American woman, with black hair, wearing a dog collar).

If the church followed the example of Jesus in how he treated women, it could heal the world.

Rev. Christine Lee

Thanks Betsy!

Stuart Masters to give 2026 Swarthmore Lecture - Woodbrooke Woodbrooke is delighted to announce that Stuart Masters will give the 2026 Swarthmore Lecture. Stuart’s lecture will focus on the faith and practice of

Please uphold me as I discern this prepared ministry.

Thanks Mark (quaking!).

The image includes the quotation shared in the main post along with a picture of Leonardo Boff (an older white man with long white hair and beard, wearing glasses).

The eternal destiny of human beings will be measured by how much or how little solidarity we have displayed withe the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, and the oppressed. In the end we will be judged in terms of love.

Leonardo Boff.

Our truth is an ancient one: that love endures and overcomes; that hatred destroys; that what is obtained by love is retained, but what is obtained by hatred proves a burden.

Bayard Rustin.

Non-cooperation with evil is as much a duty as cooperation with good.

Gandhi

The image includes the quotation shared in the main post along with a picture of Marcelle Martin (a smiling middle-aged white woman with long dark hair, wearing glasses).

Many people only look within when crisis or despair leaves no alternative source of help. Troubling experiences can be an invitation or pathway to discovering God’s inward Presence and activity.

Marcelle Martin – Our Life is Love

Thanks Harlin!

The whole idea of compassion is based on a keen awareness of the interdependence of all these living beings, which are all part of one another, and all involved in one another.

Thomas Merton

The image includes the quotation shared in the main post along with a picture of Dietrich Bonhoeffer (a younger white man with short brown hair, wearing round glasses).

Wonder of all wonders, God loves the lowly… God is near to lowliness; he loves the lost, the neglected, the unseemly, the excluded, the weak and the broken.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

The depth of Quaker worship, its richness, its power and its ability to meet the needs of each worshipper as well as the gathered group, depends on the commitment of every participant, and on the way we all come to our meetings with hearts and minds prepared.

Jack Dobbs, 1982 (QF&P 2.77)

The image includes the Bible passage shared in the main post, along with an artistic representation of the prophet Isaiah (an older man with a white beard with arms outstretched).

Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.

Isaiah 1:16-17