Stuart Masters

The image includes the quotation below over a picture of M. Shawn Copeland (a middle-aged African American woman): "The blues demand a theology of prophetic criticism that contests all arbitrary uses of power or coercion, that challenges individual acquisitive materialism, that repudiates any and every attempt to undermine humanity's very humanness, and that cherishes the lives of ordinary everyday children, women and men of all cultures and races." M. Shawn Copeland

"The blues demand a theology of prophetic criticism that contests all arbitrary uses of power or coercion... and that cherishes the lives of ordinary everyday children, women and men of all cultures and races."

M. Shawn Copeland

The image includes the quotation below on a black background, along with a photograph of Henri Nouwen (an older white man wearing glasses): When we refuse to see the image of God in others, we prepare our hearts for violence. Racism and genocide begin not with weapons, but with a failure to love. Henri Nouwen

When we refuse to see the image of God in others, we prepare our hearts for violence. Racism and genocide begin not with weapons, but with a failure to love.

Henri Nouwen

Yes agreed. I think it's helpful to experience something dynamic and empowering (the catalyst) that can then be maintained over time, even if the fire has died down.

One big operation or a series of small procedures?

The image includes the quotation below on a light green background, along with a picture of "The Quaker Faith" book cover: Quaker worship might also be compared to a group of people sitting in a room, waiting to be called to see a doctor or surgeon. The Spirit is like a divine physician, whose work within identifies the sickness, prescribes the remedy, and restores the patient to health. The Light shines within us like an X-ray, revealing what is wrong. The Quaker Faith: Friends of Love and Truth, p.74.

The Spirit is like a divine physician, whose work within identifies the sickness, prescribes the remedy, and restores the patient to health. The Light shines within us like an X-ray, revealing what is wrong.

The Quaker Faith: Friends of Love and Truth, p.74.

The image includes the quotation below on a light blue background, along with a picture of "The Rule of Christ" book cover: “In order to participate in the new humanity, people need to lay down their human will and yield themselves to the will of God. This requires an attitude of meekness. The arrogance of Adam gives way to the meekness of Christ, and people no longer attend to “the fleshly man…but to the spiritual seed, which is meek and lowly.” The Rule of Christ: Themes in the Theology of James Nayler, p.44.

“In order to participate in the new humanity, people need to lay down their human will and yield themselves to the will of God. This requires an attitude of meekness.

The Rule of Christ: Themes in the Theology of James Nayler, p.44.

The image includes the quotation below on a cream background: Forgiveness is not forgetting. It is about letting go of another person's throat. Wm. Paul Young (The Shack)

Forgiveness is not forgetting. It is about letting go of another person's throat.

Wm. Paul Young

A good book to look for is Perry Yoder’s “Shalom: The Bible’s Word for Salvation, Justice and Peace.”

The image includes the Bible passage below on a painted background including a dove of peace picture: Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God. Matthew 5:9

I wonder whether this should be interpreted as "shalom-maker" in the Hebrew sense (i.e. those who foster peace, justice, well-being and right relationship)?

The image includes the quotation below on a light green background, along with a picture of "The Quaker Faith" book cover: Radical movements of the Spirit like the Quakers may be the Braxton-Hicks of the kingdom of God. In pregnancy, Braxton-Hicks are the initial testing contractions that help prepare the body for full labor and birth. To date, such movements have not succeeded in giving birth to heaven on earth. However, they have anticipated the coming of the kingdom and prepared the world for the birth of a new creation. The Quaker Faith: Friends of Love and Truth, p.173

Movements of the Spirit may be the Braxton-Hicks of a new creation.

The image includes the quotation below on a black background, along with a picture of Peter Maurin (an older white man waring a hat, shirt and tie): “If we are crazy, then it is because we refuse to be crazy in the same way that the world has gone crazy.” Peter Maurin

“If we are crazy, then it is because we refuse to be crazy in the same way that the world has gone crazy.”

Peter Maurin

The image includes the quotation below over a background picture of a park with trees, grass, a pathway and a bench: Emptiness is only a disguise for an intimacy of God's silence, the eerie stillness, is filled by the Word without words, by Him who is all in all. And His silence is telling us that he is here. Karl Rahner

Emptiness is only a disguise for an intimacy of God's silence, the eerie stillness, is filled by the Word without words, by Him who is all in all. And His silence is telling us that he is here.

Karl Rahner

The image includes the quotation below on a light green background, along with a picture of "The Quaker Faith" book cover: Conflict among early Quakers tended to emerge around issues of religious authority, because, if everyone has Christ as their inward teacher, how could one individual or group tell others what to do? This prompted Friends to give greater emphasis to the communal testing of individual leadings. The Quaker Faith: Friends of Love and Truth, pp.38-39.

Conflict among early Quakers tended to emerge around issues of religious authority, because, if everyone has Christ as their inward teacher, how could one individual or group tell others what to do?

The Quaker Faith: Friends of Love and Truth, pp.38-39.

The image includes the quotation below on a background picture of a sunrise: In the dark night of the soul, bright flows the river of God. St. John of the Cross

In the dark night of the soul, bright flows the river of God.

St. John of the Cross

Yes indeed, it treats the good creation as merely something to be owned and exploited. The very antithesis of gospel order.

I have noted a query for myself today - In what ways am I lusting after the earth and making it my god?

The image includes the following quotation in white on a black background: The first man…lusts after the earth, covets, contends and sues for it; for his treasure is in the earth and his heart is with it; for it is his portion; and his thoughts, words and wisdom are all employed about it, plotting and forecasting how to compass it and fetch it out of the hands of others, to heap up; but is never satisfied…and would have all to worship him because of the abundance of it that he has got together… James Nayler – A Discovery of the First Wisdom (1653)

The greed and idolatry of life in Adam, according to James Nayler.

Yes, I’ve heard that. Interesting!

That’s great Jay. I met up with Peter Blood last November, while he was in the UK.

Yes, I am sure you are right Julie. I think the Kelly comment was probably made “tongue in cheek.”

The image includes the quotation below on a light blue background, with the "Daily Quaker Message" logo in the bottom right corner: I'd rather be a jolly St. Francis, singing his canticle to the sun, than a dour, old sober-sides Quaker whose diet would appear to have been spiritual persimmons. Thomas Kelly

I'd rather be a jolly St. Francis, singing his canticle to the sun, than a dour, old sober-sides Quaker whose diet would appear to have been spiritual persimmons.

Thomas Kelly

The image includes the quotation below on a light green background, along with a picture of "The Quaker Faith" book cover: If someone enquires about the Quaker faith and what it means, Friends are inclined to describe the version they know best. However, a full and truthful answer will not be simple or straight-forward. This is because, within the world today Friends exist in several quite distinct and divergent forms: Conservative, Evangelical, Pastoral, Liberal, and Pluralist. The Quaker Faith: Friends of Love and Truth, p.168.

If someone enquires about the Quaker faith...Friends are inclined to describe the version they know best. However, a full and truthful answer will not be simple...because, within the world today Friends exist in several...divergent forms: Conservative, Evangelical, Pastoral, Liberal, and Pluralist.

The image includes the Bible passage below on a dark green background: Look at the proud! Their spirit is not right in them, but the righteous live by their faith. Moreover, wealth is treacherous; the arrogant do not endure. They open their throats wide as Sheol; like Death they never have enough. They gather all nations for themselves, and collect all peoples as their own. Habbakkuk 2:4-5

I opened the Bible at random this morning and came upon this passage, which seems prescient.

The image includes the quotation below on a dark green background: "The love of our neighbor is the only door out of the dungeon of self." George MacDonald

"The love of our neighbor is the only door out of the dungeon of self."

George MacDonald

The image includes the text below in white letters on a dark red background: When you are preoccupied and distracted in meeting let wayward and disturbing thoughts give way quietly to your awareness of God’s presence among us and in the world. Receive the vocal ministry of others in a tender and creative spirit. Reach for the meaning deep within it, recognising that even if it is not God’s word for you, it may be so for others. Remember that we all share responsibility for the meeting for worship whether our ministry is in silence or through the spoken word. Advices and Queries 12 (Britain Yearly Meeting)

When you are preoccupied and distracted in meeting let wayward and disturbing thoughts give way quietly to your awareness of God’s presence among us and in the world. Receive the vocal ministry of others in a tender and creative spirit...

Advices and Queries 12 (Britain Yearly Meeting)

The image includes the quotation below on a light green background, along with a picture of "The Quaker Faith" book cover: A meeting for worship for church affairs is not a debate. There should be no lobbying, and decisions are not made by a majority vote. The central concern is to ensure that a spirit of worship is maintained, which allows God to lead the process. This demands a serious commitment to prayerful listening and a willingness to exercise patience. The Quaker Faith: Friends of Love and Truth, p.99.

A meeting for worship for church affairs is not a debate. There should be no lobbying, and decisions are not made by a majority vote. The central concern is to ensure that a spirit of worship is maintained, which allows God to lead the process.

The Quaker Faith: Friends of Love and Truth, p.99.

The image includes the quotation below on a background picture of the Holy Spirit descending on the apostles: At Pentecost, ecstatic utterance means the emancipation of human beings from the bonds of nation, culture, race, language, and ethnicity. William Stringfellow

At Pentecost, ecstatic utterance means the emancipation of human beings from the bonds of nation, culture, race, language, and ethnicity.

William Stringfellow

The image includes the quotation below on a light blue background, along with a picture of "The Rule of Christ" book cover: “The way of Christ is characterised by surrender, meekness, self-emptying, and obedience. This is the power of God. All the evil in the world is overcome, not by fighting and killing it physically, but by “wearying it out” through patient suffering. In the new birth, the regenerated human is ruled by Christ and reveals the way of Christ in their outward life.” The Rule of Christ: Themes in the Theology of James Nayler, p.84.

“The way of Christ is characterised by surrender, meekness, self-emptying, and obedience. This is the power of God. All the evil in the world is overcome, not by fighting and killing it physically, but by “wearying it out” through patient suffering.

The image includes the quotation below on a simple black background: "We do not draw people to Christ by loudly discrediting what they believe, by telling them how wrong they are and how right we are, but by showing them a light that is so lovely that they want with all their hearts to know the source of it." Madeleine L'Engle

"We do not draw people to Christ by loudly discrediting what they believe, by telling them how wrong they are and how right we are, but by showing them a light that is so lovely that they want with all their hearts to know the source of it."

Madeleine L'Engle

The image includes the quotation below on a pink background, with the "Daily Quaker Message" logo in the bottom right corner: The love I bear to the soul of all men makes me willing to undergo whatever can be inflicted on me. Elizabeth Hooton

The love I bear to the soul of all men makes me willing to undergo whatever can be inflicted on me.

Elizabeth Hooton