Women's Interfaith Network

Quakers in Australia (Religious Society of Friends).

In the mid 17 th century questions were being asked about the beliefs of the day and in England , George Fox taught that each person can know God from personal experience and that this spiritual experience is a source of enlightenment and love. From this grew the Religious Society of Friends, later known as Quakers. They believe that God is always revealing new truths to us or showing us truths and wisdoms in other faiths.

Quakers believe that there is That which is of God in all beings. They often speak of the 'Inner Light' and the 'Spirit'. By these terms they mean the Divine promptings within each of us, which illuminate our lives and lead us to make wise, loving choices.

The Meeting for Worship is central to Quaker life and is usually held on Sundays for about an hour, but Quakers may gather for worship at any time. In the Meeting people sit together in silence. They settle into a time of quiet worship in which preoccupations
fall away and stillness gathers as people open themselves to the spirit. There are no hymns, prayers or sermons during the meeting. Sometimes an individual feels guided to speak in order to share an insight or experience. Words are spoken in a sense of worship, not debate or lecture. Each Meeting is unique and may be experienced as strengthening, enlightening, joyful or searching.

Quakers in Australia do not ordain ministers. Instead responsibility for the quality of worship and pastoral care is shared by members of the group.

Each local Meeting runs its own affairs with regular Business Meetings in which all members are encouraged to participate. A Business Meeting is a spiritual exercise to find the will of God in the process of decision making. The group seeks unity and no votes are taken. Each Australian state also has a regular Regional Meeting and there is an annual Yearly Meeting which gathers Friends from around Australia .

Women and men take an equal role in worship and business as they have done from the beginning of the Society; equality of all human kind is a fundamental truth.

Simplicity has always been an important concept to Quakers. In times past they were recognised for their plain dress and lifestyle. These days Quakers are open to all aspects of the joy of life and they practise simplicity by moderation in the use of the world's resources.
Quakers are known for pacifism. The belief that all people embody ’That which is of God’ means that other people cannot be treated as enemies and killed. There are many Quaker projects, world wide, working to create the conditions of peace: freedom, justice,
cooperation and the right sharing of the world's resources.

Individually, Quakers feel that their work should be the outward expression of their belief ,not only for one day of the week, but for every day. Not everyone is a world leader, but each of us can be honest in our daily activities.

Everyone has a unique gift to offer the world.