MYSTICISM AMONG QUAKERS
(c) by Marge Abbott
(E-mail: 102447.431@compuserve.com)
(For more about Quaker mysticism, theology and spirituality, see Friends
Bulletin.)
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The British Friend, Val Ferguson, explained mysticism and the
Society of Friends to me this way. When a Danish friend of hers, testing his
understanding of Quakers, asserted "You are a peace church," she replied, "No,
the peace testimony is the fruit, not the root." He then exclaimed, "Ah, you are
mystics." She responded, "No, we are a peace church." She uses this to explain
the inexorable linking of inward mystical experience and outward action. Like a
work by Escher, the moment you focus one way--perhaps on the birds--the focus
changes and the picture is full of fish. The dual images of Friends as a peace
church and a group of mystics are inexorably linked within the Society of
Friends. While we might focus on one, we only have to blink and the other is
still present.
What follows are some perspectives on one dimension of the Escher drawing that
is the Religious Society of Friends starting with the mystical as liberal
Friends see it today and a brief historical perspective. Next I consider some of
the expectations Friends hold about the practice of mysticism and ways of
discerning what is of God and what is not. Then I propose a model for liberal
Quaker mysticism and conclude with a personal perspective
Recently, I interviewed Friends for a book I am writing on
liberal Friends in the twentieth century. These are articulate Friends from
Britain, Philadelphia, and North Pacific Yearly Meetings. Many have taken on
major positions in their monthly or yearly meetings. They overwhelmingly
consider Quakerism to be a mystical religion. The Friends I interviewed are
clear: we can know the mystical presence of God both individually and
corporately. A few people do not describe Quakerism as a mystical religion,
choosing instead to emphasize its nature as a peace church. These Friends
consider equating Quakerism with mysticism as placing too much emphasis on
ecstatic experience. They prefer to focus on the prophetic (outward and
service-oriented) or the Divine elements essential to Friends.
The sixty-plus Friends I spoke with convey a deep understanding of what we mean
by "mysticism" even as some express great discomfort with the word. Most have a
specific definition, which is sharper than the dictionary concept of mysticism
which includes the occult, obscure speculation and esoteric rites. Friends'
definitions circle around knowing God or the Spirit, the Transforming Power, a
personal relationship with the Divine, a search for Truth, the reality of God's
love, and a sense of guidance focused on discernment and waiting in the silence.
All but a few (mostly those who have been trained in theology) echo Rufus Jones
who in the early part of this century, described mystical experience as "an
immediate, intuitive knowledge of God...or consciousness of a Beyond or of a
Divine Presence." Several quickly and emphatically spoke then of the "practical"
or "ethical" nature of Quaker mysticism -- the way the Inward Light leads us in
our actions.
Among the Friends I interviewed, two definitions stand out. A Philadelphia
Friend describes mysticism as "the breaking through of God into every aspect of
everyday life." Another with a slightly different bent defines Quaker mysticism
as "a gradually transforming process, putting one's self in God's hand and
letting God work on you."
A central aspect of our faith is knowing it is possible to be directly touched
by divine power, to directly experience and be guided by God, the Inward Light,
the Christ Within. Mysticism, for these Friends, is not limited to the
miraculous, or "ecstatic" aspects such as visions, voices, or bright lights or
with spontaneous healings. Rather mysticism within the Society of Friends is our
awareness of (or belief in) God's presence, individually and in the corporate
meeting for worship, an awareness which results in a changed perception of the
world and a consequent knowing that we want our actions to match that
understanding.
Various Friends I interviewed point out that ecstatic mystical experience purely
for its own sake, no matter how exciting, is not what is essential to Quakerism.
For Friends, the importance of numinous spiritual experience is in its power to
strengthen faith, to transform our lives, or to provide clear leadings for
service when properly discerned by the individual, or in conjunction with the
larger group.
Spiritual experiences can be powerful and integrate many aspects of our life.
But I also hear a real caution from several Friends that spiritual experiences
also can lead people into what one called a "self-indulgent retreat into
uplifting experiences" or can lead to action inconsistent with Friends' core
testimonies. Discernment, mutual accountability, and testing of leadings within
the group are distinctive aspects of Quaker mysticism. Others remind us firmly
of our role as a peace church and that while numinous experience is very
seductive, like chocolate, alone it is not a good diet. Ecstatic experiences are
NOT a sign of holiness. We come to meeting for worship because of our hunger for
God's presence and because of our desire to know what God asks of us and how we
might best respond. Quakerism is strongly prophetic: it is about hearing God and
bringing God's word to the world. We cannot forget that living out the will of
God is the core of our faith.
The presence of God is most often in the still, small voice, the quiet leadings
which are easily overlooked in the throes of daily life. One Friend notes that
"God comes to us in everyday struggles and disciplines. These are more reliable
than the peak experiences which are only discerned afterwards. Corporate
mysticism allows for the engagement of the intellect as well as the emotions.
Quakerism is not a religion of pure feelings." A British Friend states that
"stillness is at the heart of peace work, social justice, etc, not the heights
of mystical experience." She goes on to bring this into a story of Friends who
were asked to walk next to the Anarchists in a peace march, and bring their
inner stillness to witness to the reality of peace.
In many ways the current understanding of mysticism in the Religious Society of
Friends still reflects the interpretation of Rufus Jones in the early part of
this century. Even though some of his work has been challenged, his influence
still echoes strongly through the variety of influences which have shaped
Friends in the decades since he first offered this vision.
Friends' Perspectives Over Time
I do not know if George Fox would have considered himself a mystic--that was
probably not a relevant question for him, although it has been a matter of
debate in this century. Fox's language is full of the visionary and poetic. One
of my favorite phrases from Fox is "I came up through the flaming sword into the
paradise of God." Fox, without a doubt, knew of the direct presence of the
Inward Christ in his life, inspiring his words in worship, transforming him, and
guiding his daily actions. Fox so integrated the Bible into his life that it is
almost impossible to separate his words from the biblical expression which
permeates his language. He addressed questions of sin and evil head on and
believed that humanity could live out the kingdom of heaven on earth if they
heard and followed the voice of the Light of Christ within their hearts.
Fox's language and experiences have become familiar to me in the past few years
as I have had strong, transforming mystical experiences. Images come to me full
of life: images of communion wine glasses in the heart of a gathered meeting,
images of neon spirals which mark my path toward God in community. These vivid
images express the brilliance, the joy and glory of God's work in us, but I have
also struggled against the change they imply and come to know the work involved
if I am to live out more fully the love God has shown me.
Many early Friends experienced strong visions and dreams which expressed not
only this joy, but also the deep pain, struggle and transformation which may
accompany opening into the Light Within. The Cross was very present in their
lives. Accepting the work of Christ within them often required a reaming out, a
stripping, a tormented facing of their own sinful nature. This kind of
conversion is not just a relic of the past, but is a vital path today, for some
of us as we accept the power of God in guiding our lives. The process of being
transformed from a life centered on human will to a life centered in the Light
can be sudden and full of struggle as it was for a number of early Friends, but
from my interviews it is more often experienced as a slow, gentle process.
I don't know for sure how most Friends experience the presence of God since we
talk about this so little. From those I have spoken with, the reading I have
done, and the interviews I have conducted, I believe these more spectacular,
catchy, vivid mystical experiences -- the visual images or words spoken by God
-- are fairly rare, and are the exception, not the typical experience of the
Light among Friends. The Light guides us, comforts us, opens our hearts.
For most people the experience of the Spirit is gentle. We may sense a "coming
home" upon entering Meeting for Worship. This awareness may also come in knowing
God's power and mystery as we hike in the mountains, or the glory in a sunset,
or the perfect beauty of dew forming on a rose. All of us know this. We often
know God's guidance in the "still, small, voice," in the gentle nudges in our
hearts or in the seemingly fortuitous phone call. Many gentle guides appear
along our path if we will stop to notice them. This would be in accord with the
thinking of those who separate the workings of the Inward Light from the
numinous and remind us that God's guidance in our lives is more central than
ecstatic moments or visions.
In the early part of this century Rufus Jones made Friends conscious of
mysticism and popularized the use of that term among Friends. Jones had a clear
vision of a positive mysticism which inevitably led to service. His
understanding was that Quakers were inheritors of the mysticism of the early
Christians, John and Paul in particular, and not in the tradition of the "via
negativa" of St. John of the Cross and other Catholic mystics [see below].
Jones' work is full of optimism about the possibility of changing the world and
delight in his relationship with God. He looks to "at-one-ment" with God, more
than the sacrificial atoning death of Christ Jesus. While many students of
Quaker history disagree with Jones, his influence on contemporary liberal
Quakerism is quite real and strong.
Jones was adamant that mystical experience is not an end in itself and does not
lead us to a quietist stage, but rather into a genuine mission in the world--the
voice of Christ within does not bring a plan, but rather a vital urge to life.
Rather than detailed instructions, guidance is a slowly ripening fruit. He
mentions yoga, Zen Buddhism and other disciplines, but they do not appeal to him
-- "too doctrinaire and too remote from life to be satisfactory ways into the
heart of divine reality." Jones is more interested in preparation through
appreciation of beauty, learning how to love, and cultivation of the fruits of
the spirit. "What counts most is the fellowship and influence of spiritually
contagious persons who, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord,
unconsciously transmit that Life." He describes "expectation" as another name
for faith and proposes several steps in the progress of the soul:
(1) concentration is an essential discipline;
(2) active meditation or 'recollection';
(3) contemplation where the soul is no longer focused on an object but
experiences a quickening and 'unification of all the powers of the spirit',
which he also spoke of as "activity fused with the peace and serenity of
receptivity."
Jones goes on to emphasize that "[The mystics] say with almost one accord that
no vision of God is adequate which remains private and is not translated into
life and action. The true test of an inner vision, they all insist, is the
impact it gives toward pushing back the skirts of darkness and making the area
of the Kingdom of God wider."
During the course of this century, mysticism has struggled to find its place
within the growing scientific and rationalist emphasis of modern thought. In the
1920s, this was an important issue among Friends. In 1924 the Swarthmore Lecture
at London Yearly Meeting was on the topic "The Inner Light and Modern Thought."
Gerald Hibbert sought to place Quakerism in the evolutionary perspective of
Darwin and asserted that George Fox's "evolutionary outlook has proved
revolutionary." In 1929, the topic was "Science and the Unseen World" in which
the physicist Arthur Eddington sought to weave together the scientific and
mystical approaches, seeing them both "involved in the problem of existence."
Throughout this century, much of the discussion of mysticism has come under
titles such as "Rational Mysticism" and "Ethical Mysticism."
The blending of mysticism and scientific thought has taken many turns through
Darwinism, modern physics, and, particularly, depth psychology. Pierre Teilhard
de Chardin and C.G. Jung have been inter-woven into Quaker perceptions. Into
this mix has also come an infusion of the meditation practices of Buddhism and
Hinduism. At times, though, it seems that the inclination towards scientific and
rational thinking has left Friends silent about the workings of the Spirit
within them outside carefully considered theoretical contexts.
In the broader society, particularly in mid-century, strong pressures acted to
downplay the emotional and spiritual aspects of life in favor of the rational.
The dismissal of mysticism is one aspect of mid-century societal trends in the
United States and Britain. For instance, A Handbook of Theological Terms
authored in 1964 by a professor of religious thought at the University of
Pennsylvania included "myth" but not "mysticism" in his list of terms. Through
the latter half of the twentieth century, some Friends have dismissed mysticism
as well. One Friend, when asked about Quakers and mysticism, commented in an
off-hand way that Rufus Jones was disproved long ago. Jack Mongar asks in a 1989
pamphlet, "Have some of us uncritically accepted the popular notion of
'mystical' used in a derogatory way to indicate woolly thought...?"
Many reasons underlie our current sense that mysticism has been a hidden element
within the Society of Friends for perhaps two generations. It was in the
mid-nineteen-fifties that Rufus Jones became discredited in the eyes of many
Friends as the source of a misleading interpretation of Quakerism as a mystical
religion.
To some degree the silence about the mystical element of Friends has been a
result of the influx of individuals who joined the Religious Society of Friends
primarily because of the testimonies and their desire to work on peace and
justice issues. This has brought the focus very much on our image as a "peace
church" -- half of Val Ferguson's image I mentioned at the start.
Another aspect is that we are very much a "do it yourself" religion where the
desire to avoid proselytizing spills over into a tendency not to explain
anything about the Society of Friends to newcomers, except perhaps a little
history. We also reflect our culture where "Progress" and scientific
understanding in the Sputnik era made both the emotional and the spiritual
suspect. Quakers are not immune to trends in our culture and surroundings and it
is only in the 1990s that there is wider, public discussion of the
spiritual--the nature of our inward experiences of God and the process of
discernment. Mysticism has always been part of Quakerism, but at times the
spiritual life has been part of an almost unspoken tradition. Some Friends today
are also becoming conscious that Rufus Jones' positive mysticism describes only
part of our relationship with God and that Friends have always known of a more
complex encounter with the Light within.
Is Quakerism a Mystical Religion?
In speaking of mystical experience, language becomes quite slippery. The absence
of an easily understood vocabulary and the natural hesitation to speak about
spiritual experiences make this topic especially difficult. Taken as a whole
interviewees convey a reality that God speaks to humanity in multiple ways and
touches each person in a manner unique to that individual.
The nature of mysticism is a live question among Liberal Friends. The 1990s have
brought discussions of mysticism and sharing of mystical experiences to the
fore. In part this reflects a shift in societal awareness of the spiritual. The
interest among Friends in many ways matches a similar trend in the United
States. Books with a strong spiritual message like Cloister Walk and The
Celestine Prophecy are national bestsellers, Life Magazine runs features on
prayer, and angels of all sorts are hot items. The nineties look very different
from the sixties and seventies, when political activism made headlines and
Friends in the United States experienced an influx of civil rights workers and
anti-Vietnam war activists.
While North American Friends in the mid-nineteen-nineties are quite clear that
Quakerism is mystical at its core, British Friends are much more cautious about
mysticism. In fact, some British Friends are quite clear that Quakerism is not
inherently mystical. Some British Friends start with a very broad definition of
mysticism--that it is about nurturing and fostering the potential of entering
into states of consciousness very different from the everyday. The ability of
some drugs to induce altered states of consciousness is well known. Such states
are not in and of themselves indicative of a religious experience nor are they
essential to being a Friend. Another aspect of the British caution is a
perception that mysticism is solely inward looking and contemplative whereas for
them, Quakerism is engaged with the world.
These cautions are to some degree also acknowledged by North American Friends,
but wrapped into a positive vision of the mystical as the direct experience of
the Divine which is at the core of their faith, a faith which is visible in how
we live. Real differences, however, exist among Friends in how they value the
numinous and whether they see all paranormal experience as necessarily mystical.
Some speak as Ann Wood does of a unitary experience which was clear, confirming
and foundational to her faith. It was unexpected, unmistakable and has stayed
strongly with her all her life. Even as it is impossible to articulate, she has
never questioned the reality of God's presence to her in that moment.
For others like Jay Thatcher, the silence of the unprogrammed worship is filled
with the possibility of spiritual experience and this is part of the lure of
Quakerism. Yet he is clear that these experiences are not in isolation and do
not exist simply for our own edification. Being a Friend melds the reality of
the spiritual with obedience, service and acting out of our faith in very real
and practical ways. Mysticism is not an abstract, free-floating experience.
Friends have always looked to the Inward Teacher to help them live spirit-filled
lives. Thomas Kelly expresses this well:
The religious mind involves the whole of man, embraces his relations with time
within their true ground and setting in the Eternal Lover. It ever keeps close
to the fountains of divine creativity. In lowliness it knows joys and
stabilities, peace and assurances, that are utterly incomprehensible to the
secular mind. It lives in resources and powers that make individuals radiant and
triumphant, groups tolerant and bonded together in mutual concern, and is
bestirred to an outward life of unremitting labor.
What are the unspoken expectations among Friends about their communal practice
of mysticism and about the way individuals speak of or act in response to
mystical experiences? As can be seen from the quotations accompanying this
article, this is one of the more difficult questions for liberal Friends. The
propensity of liberal Friends to say "No" when asked if there are "boundaries"
to mystical experience makes many evangelical Quakers nervous.
The tradition of unprogrammed worship as it has evolved in the twentieth century
holds strong appeal for intellectuals and introverts as well as those who
measure as "intuitives" on the Myers-Briggs personality scales. In this Jungian
scale of psychological testing, an introvert is a person who receives energy
from ideas, concept and spirit and needs time alone to recharge. In contrast,
extroverts receive energy from being with people and involved in the world.
Introverts are a minority of the population in the United States. Myers-Briggs
contrast "intuitive" individuals who look to the inner world of ideas and spirit
with "sensory" people who learn through their physical senses. Not surprisingly,
the silence and simplicity of unprogrammed worship in plain rooms both attracts
and nurtures intuitive, introverted people.
The implicit assumptions about the way mysticism is understood and practiced in
unprogrammed meetings for worship become more visible by glimpsing the "flip
side" or an "extroverted" mysticism. Harvey Cox, a Harvard professor, describes
a form of mysticism within the charismatic movement and some of the pentecostal
churches which are experiencing explosive growth world-wide. His description of
the charismatic, outgoing, sensory oriented way of mysticism holds many features
which Friends cherish along with the practices many Friends find hard to accept.
Cox believes that "so many ordinary people . . . are no longer content with
either one-dimensional modernity or with stagnant religious practices. . . .
They are attracted to archaic and mystical modes of perception but do not want
to surrender the more inductive ways of thinking recent history has evolved."
Occasionally evoking Thomas Merton, Cox places charismatics and pentecostals
among the "new churches," Christian and non-Christian. These churches practice
experimental spirituality and turn to the mystics rather than theologians as
their primary authorities. He describes the features of this new religious
environment:
- They know that the Holy Spirit is available to all people directly, without
mediation. Seekers are looking for practical help in living their faith and
answers which "click" with their own experience.
- The Spirit gives hope to all and leads all to share what they have with those
who have less.
- They are part of what Cox calls the "experimentalist" families of world
religions in contrast to "fundamentalists."
- They attempt to make the scriptures fresh and to bypass the distortions of
formal religion, but do not always claim to be the only authoritative voice of
faith. They look to the historical religious tradition not as absolute answers
to matters of faith, but as "tool-boxes."
- The pattern of the church is more a network than a hierarchy. The traditional
authority of clergy is displaced by individual witness and spontaneous
preaching, although many churches still have paid pastoral staff.
- Their spirituality and theology are "emotional, communal, narrational,
hopeful, and radically embodied."
- It is a radical form of personal piety where individuals find physical symbols
which speak to them. In Asia and Africa, in particular, charismatic Christian
churches are incorporating many aspects of traditional religions.
- Worship is holistic and involves the mind, body, and emotions as well as the
spirit. Its expression is strongly physical in hand waving, song, kneeling,
speaking in tongues. Joy and praise are central, although the intensity of
worship may come out of the reality of suffering.
One consequence of thinking about this outwardly different, but in many ways
familiar model of mysticism, is to see the varieties of forms and expressions
which are experienced as the direct divine touch. For the charismatic, the Holy
Spirit is experienced directly in the speaking in tongues and in movement, and
in deep, personal relationship with Jesus Christ -- ways that are largely
unacceptable in the context of unprogrammed Meeting for Worship. These more
emotional, outward and concretely oriented expressions are distrusted by many
liberal Friends and listed by some as outside their understanding of mystical
experience.
By considering other expressions of the mystical, the ways in which persons may
mistake their own feelings or egos for the work of the Spirit becomes more
visible. A charismatic mystic who loses touch with the real message of Jesus
Christ will act this out externally, physically, and often flagrantly. The
television charismatic involved in sexual exploitation or fraud is a familiar
part of our culture and easy to mock. For the contemplative mystic, the risk
focuses inward. The contemplative who has lost sight of God may develop
personality problems which manifest in depression, psychosis and manipulation.
The most frequently mentioned "boundary" or danger related to mysticism is in
the area of mental illness, mental instability and psychotic episodes. Some
interviewees noted that the line between the mystical and mental instability is
difficult to define and varies with the individual, the situation, and even the
culture. Mental health requires being able to function within our own culture.
While a true mystical experience may be difficult and uncomfortable, the inward
touch of God is healing, not destructive to the individual. Early Friends often
spoke of the power of the Inward Light: while revealing Christ's way to us, the
Light also shows us our sins. This initial process of awareness of sin and
wrestling with the inner darkness took months or at times years for those
Friends. Isaac Penington, Elizabeth Ashbridge and many others wrote eloquently
of this inner struggle and of the great peace which eventually came to them as
they grew in faithfulness to the voice of Christ within. Throughout the
generations, this awareness has allowed Friends a particular compassion for the
mentally ill.
Friends do have a significant caution about mysticism, in particular when it is
seen as numinous or ecstatic experiences of visions, voices or other paranormal
expressions. It is easy to get caught up into the experience and see oneself as
"special" in some way because of having visions. As some Friends point out, when
someone starts to distinguish those who have visions as somehow better people
than others, or to dismiss the gentle, unspectacular ways in which God works in
most people's lives, they have lost the way. The fact that such experiences can
be induced by drugs is in itself a warning that discernment is needed. Deeply
experienced contemplatives from Buddhist masters to Teresa of Avila have seen
the traps in focusing on and seeking after the numinous when that is not the
true goal. Visions can never be an end in themselves. They only have value as
they speak of Truth, of God, and transform lives in the way of compassion.
Speaking of the work of the Spirit in our lives is inherently difficult.
Powerful inward experiences are beyond any possible language, although poetry
comes closest to allowing some sense of the experience to flow in a way which
resonates in the soul, as long passages of poetry in the Bible attest. Yet
verbal communication is part of what builds a community and may be part of what
God asks us to share with one another. So we use language to speak of that which
is beyond all words. And we react to one another's choice of words, sometimes
painfully. Some Friends state that only Christian language can be used to speak
of the mystical, others find Christian language painful to hear. I suspect that
all words about the touch of the Holy Spirit are difficult to use, and that
almost any words one chooses will be uncomfortable for some people.
For other people, the fear might be that when we speak of a voice offering us
comfort or instruction, we will be judged "crazy." We may fear that when we
offer what is precious to our soul it will be trampled in some way or
misinterpreted. Having caring people with the experience and sensitivity to
nurture the glimmers of the Spirit in those around them as well as provide a
container, witness, and discerning heart for more powerful experiences of God is
crucial to a healthy Meeting for Worship.
The work of the Spirit in our hearts has infinite dimensions. Profound mystical
experiences come in many forms and there is no way to say how God might touch
someone and how each of us may best be taught the way of compassion. We do, as
Friends, have clear expectations what is acceptable in the community and in our
worship together. We offer people a place to listen quietly for the still small
voice and for other manifestations of the Spirit rising out of the silence. In
paying attention to the Spirit, we find words are present to minister to the
whole. We know the Light as our Inward Teacher whose voice guides our lives and
undergirds our concerns for peace and justice. The Light is present as we do
business together with searching, open hearts. The stillness of worship nurtures
the intuitive stillness of the soul within all people and is not limited to by
personality or upbringing.
Chanting, song, physical sharing of the sacramental bread and wine, movement, or
listening to a powerful sermon can all open hearts to the work of the Spirit.
Some people find they need multiple sources and ways to open themselves to God's
work. Being aware that private or individual spiritual practices are not
necessarily the same as the community worship is part of the process of
understanding who we are as Friends. Integrity draws us to the inward state
where no contradictions exist when we are responsive to the Light. In the Spirit
we can become aware that many ways bear fruit compatible with the teachings of
Jesus.
Discerning the voice of God at times is so easy, but it can be difficult.
Discerning "What is true guidance?" is an essential question. The need for
discernment increases as we start to respond to these inner experiences and to
take action. Discernment may be individual, with a small group, or with the
Meeting, depending on whether the action is a response to a particular
situation, a leading which effects the entire Meeting or something in between.
Knowing the immediate presence of the Spirit, and knowing that this presence can
guide us, give direction to our lives--that really is the essential piece. How
do we know when it really is God there: when it is the Inward Teacher and not
Aunt Sadie who always told us we had to behave. When is it divine guidance, when
is it our desire for glory or revenge, or some other voice which distracts us
from the right path?
Many interviewees spoke about the need for discernment in understanding mystical
experiences, particularly the more vivid ones, and the resultant behavior. Like
sexual experience, no [mystical] experience can be right which demeans another
or demeans oneself." Or, as another Friend said, "Yes, there are boundaries, ie
no speaking in tongues. In Britain, most people would be expected to be decently
quiet about [mystical experiences]. Psychosomatic manifestations are wrong. It
is okay if the experience is inward and quiet, if loud, it shifts into mental
instability." Occasionally, Friends warn that these experiences can be sick or
twisted, noting that Hitler had "mystical" experiences. But these possibilities
are noted as the exception.
Discernment in the worshipping community is one of the historic and potential
great strengths of the Religious Society of Friends. Discernment is the
awareness that our egos and our past can get in the way of hearing what is truly
of God:
Discernment comes from the Latin word discernere, which means "to separate," "to
distinguish," "to determine," "to sort out." In classical spirituality,
discernment means identifying what spirit is at work in a situation: the Spirit
of God or some other spirit. Discernment is "sifting through" our interior and
exterior experiences to determine the origin. Discernment helps a person
understand the source of a call, to whom it is directed, its content, and what
response is appropriate. Discernment also involves learning if one is dodging a
call, is deaf to a call, or is rejecting a call.
The role of the community in nurturing each individual's relationship with the
Holy Spirit and in enabling those who are called to certain work or ministry has
always been central to Friends. The place of the community in discernment was
mentioned as central by most of those I interviewed. This has several aspects,
most importantly the Meeting for Worship, the Business Meeting and Clearness
Committees. Many Friends emphasize that what is important about the
mystical--the interaction of God and humanity--is not so much that it happens,
but the way in which it is expressed in individual behavior and in the
community. Hugh Barbour has written extensively on the ways that early Friends
discerned the workings of the Light. Paul Lacey's discussion of leadings and
Patricia Loring's consideration of the role of Clearness Committees as aids to
discernment show how the process of discernment as understood by Friends today
relates to Friends' tradition.
The "fruit of the Spirit' is periodically referred to in a kind of short-hand
way to describe the expectation of Friends that inward experience and outward
behavior are intimately connected. The "fruit" referred to is described in
Galatians 5:22: "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." [NRV] The
"fruit" also include living out the Sermon on the Mount. Living out the
testimonies is another way of expressing this expectation. Hugh Barbour
describes the tests early Friends applied to leadings as moral purity, the
self-consistency of the spirit, and bringing people into unity.
Early Friends were quite clear about the need for discernment to know truly
whether behavior and spoken messages were of God or not. They had a number of
tests, a number of aids for themselves in this process. Early Friends knew the
ways in which individuals can deceive themselves and regularly tested leadings,
either informally with others whose discernment they trusted, or in the larger
body of the Meeting for Worship for Business. Patricia Loring identifies the
signs used by early Friends as follows:
- Fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:23) These are the marks of a life lived
authentically in the Spirit. Their presence or absence suggests the presence or
absence of the Spirit of God.
- What early Friends called "the Cross" -- meaning an action leading which is
contrary to our own willful desire, our own greed, or own egocentricity. They
were clear that God's will does not always coincide with human desire. A true
leading stays with us and is not impatient of obstacles, hard-work or other
difficulties.
- Unity and the nature of our spiritual community together. As we "wait on the
Lord" together, we can come to know our love for one another and for the world
and we can come to know how that should be acted out. "Love, joy and unity can
be signs of grounding in the realm of the Spirit and the capacity to bear its
fruit in deeds of love." This is most visible in the Unity of the gathered
business meeting.
- Looking for consistency with the Bible. Friends have always understood that
the "Truth" --the Way of God--will not vary with different times and different
cultures. If we read in the Spirit in which it was written, the Truth will still
shine through. A true leading will be consistent with the truth revealed in its
pages
- Peace: "feeling at peace with a decision or an outcome, even if it is not what
one sought or hoped for, even if it calls for considerable hardship or change"
has long been a test for Friends. This inner peace is not a simple question of
"are Friends comfortable" with this decision--although they might coincide, but
rather a deep, inner feeling of rightness which can underlie even a very
difficult decision. "Peace" as referred to by early Friends, is generally not
related to a specific outcome, but to faithfulness in taking actions required of
us.
The multitude of differing tests used by early Friends indicates to me the fact
that none is perfect. One will be right for a given person at a given time. And
all have their limitations and can be manipulated or abused if someone so
desires. A simple limitation is the fact that when the members of a Meeting are
very much alike in terms of background, it can be relatively easy to come to
unity, but this may miss important dimensions which would come forth in a
diverse group.
Just as the Light has multiple dimensions, so does discernment. God most
frequently touches and guides us in very gentle ways, in what I refer to as
nudges on the heart. Discernment of these nudges is most often personal and
inward. Often it involves clearing the mind and heart of other concerns and
encouraging the ego to get out of the way so we might hear clearly that still
small voice.
At times we may be deeply shaken. In worship, we may find our hearts pounding
and our bodies gently quaking as words rise up in us to be spoken. This physical
measure has long been one of the tests for vocal ministry along with a more
intellectual consideration of whether the message is more truly a personal one
to be considered in the silence or for the whole group, or whether the message
is for another time and place and to be seasoned in the heart. Again, the
discernment process is inward and personal, yet occurs in the context of the
worshipping community and is nurtured by that body.
At other times when our souls are deeply touched by God we may find we are
called in some way. We may be called to change the nature of our living, to
transform our own behavior. We may be called to work among immigrants, to marry
a loved one, to stop acts of hatred, to refuse to fight, or to teach in
unexpected places. This may be experienced as a personal call or a call to
gather others into a particular work or into account for their behavior. While
sometimes discernment may be individual, recognition and understanding the
dimensions of a call from God often benefit greatly from the wisdom of the
community. Depending on the nature of the call, the advice of respected
individuals, a clearness committee or the Meeting as a whole gathered to conduct
business may be involved.
A MODEL OF QUAKER
MYSTICISM
Weaving the Strands Together
I am a Friend who is excited and entranced by the universal compass of
Friends' comprehension of the nature of human relationship with the Divine. As I
read works of other faiths, I find it easy to spot commonalities and places
where their tradition enhances my own response to God and opens up new
perspectives. I also am trained as a scientist and find that the methods of
modern science and modern thought can also inform how I know my relationship
with the people and the world around me and how that is essential to my
relationship with God. I am a person of my time, not a Jew or a Greek of two
thousand years ago, or even a Quaker of seventeenth century England. Yet these
all inform who I am. I cannot separate myself from them no matter how I might
try.
Friends have argued over the roots of Quaker mysticism and whether Friends
follow the cataphatic (via positiva) or apophatic (via negativa) way
traditionally used to describe Christian mysticism. I find Sandra Cronk most
compelling in her description of Friends' worship as a freedom for each
individual to use or blend these two ways. Brenda Clift Heales and Chris Cook
also define Quakerism as melding these ways of "images" and "silence". Many
individuals find the via positiva most helpful as it blends prayer, active
meditative thought, and the use of images to approach God and our relationship
to God. At other times, or for other people, the experience of the Spirit in
worship is that of wordless, imageless mystery. Surprising revelations may
eventually arise out of such experience, but while one is present to the
Infinite in this way, time, words, images, and the world around us hold no
meaning and all meaning.
William Johnston, a Catholic who has spent years in Japan studying the religions
of Asia, proposed "the rise of a new school of mysticism within Christianity.
Slowly but surely a new mystical contemplation is coming to birth. It is
different from traditional Buddhist or Hindu mysticism. It is a third way, a
tertium quid. It is growing year by year. . . ." His "third way" (as opposed to
the apophatic and cataphatic ways traditionally used to describe Christian
mystics) comes close to describing the reality of liberal Friends today. I have
modified his model somewhat and added a final point essential to Quakerism--that
we believe that we can find guidance from God for our daily lives. The points I
would use to describe modern liberal Quaker mysticism are as follows:
- The Light, God, Spirit, is available to all people in all times and all
places.
- The nature of the mystical, of God, of the Infinite, is ultimately
indescribable. Thus the response is often one of naked faith and trust without a
clear assurance such as that provided in scripture.
- The Unity of nature, humanity and God involves a holistic approach which
blends heart, mind, body and soul or the spiritual, the psychological, the
physical and the intellectual. Self-knowledge and emptying of the self are part
of entering into this unity.
- God reaches out and touches us each in a way we can hear, experience, know the
nature of Love. No one path is right for all.
- Listening for, and responding to, the still, small voice which can guide us,
individually and as a community, is central to a Spirit-led life.
This model is one way of considering how Friends blend the Christian and
non-Christian ways in their faith. In the silence and in the absence of the
creedal or ritual demands which accompany most churches, liberal Friends have
pursued, or brought with them in the Meetings, the insights of psychology, the
practices of Asian meditation, rituals associated with the rhythm of the seasons
and affinity with the natural world as well as the traditions and faith of
various Christian churches. In the silence and in the absence of creed, these
multiple influences are blending in complex ways that offer great potential and
openness to the possibilities of life in tune with the Infinite.
The model of Quaker mysticism described above speaks to me for several
reasons. It acknowledges that the Inward Light is available to all people and
that the Light will offer guidance for the way we live. This model also
recognizes the variety of way people experience God and the multiple kinds of
experiences one person may have over time. At times deep worship for me is full
of images, at other moments it is a contemplative silence impossible to explain.
I find that when God touches my heart, this touch affects all of who I am and
what I do, even when I find it difficult to act in accord with what I know. I
can identify with the early Friends who knew without a doubt that the Inward
Light of Christ shows us our sins as well as the way out of sin. And, I cannot
separate Quaker mysticism from its Christian roots, even as I delight in the
infinite ways God works among human kind.
The Personal Dimension
Mystical experiences for me are vivid, and I struggle with God, resisting
strongly the transformation opened to me. I come to learn that God's voice is
most often gentle and quiet as I come to understand anew the process of
discernment. I am called to vocal messages, a personal ministry, a reorienting
of my life to one centered in God. I experience nurturance of the soul. I find a
number of things are crucial to me as I am touched by these experiences which
are beyond my comprehension.
- I need others whom I can talk to. These may be others who have had such
experiences, or they may be others who simply can listen with openness and
sensitivity. Without others, I find myself drawn into circles which can easily
twist inward when what is right is to reach outward.
- I find many guides in Friends writings, in the Bible, in some Buddhist
writings. These teach me of other ways to respond and help me recognize what is
the Way for me, and what is my own selfishness or fear speaking.
- I keep asking myself, "What difference does it make?" I look for what each
internal leading or vision or gentle nudge means in terms of my relations with
other people, in how I behave, and the work I do. Sometimes this is clear and
strong and I have no question what I must do, other times I need to sort through
the mess of thoughts and impulses in my head before I am clear.
- Internal "Markers" are quite important for me. I have found a number of very
personal markers which tell me it is time to pay attention to what I am doing
and to look for ways to respond. These would not be the same for others. For me,
some "markers" which warn me of the need to change are: a tendency to withdraw
from people; the desire to hide; a feeling that the world is getting in the way
of living/anger at the small things in life; nightmares; and many other
warnings. Then there are the "markers" of God's presence: times of spontaneous
prayer; a sense of overflowing joy; a deep sureness about an action or words
even when they don't make sense; a word or phrase which jumps up at me out of a
page or a book which begs to be read--these are examples of positive signs which
all I can do is respond to and enjoy.
Worship is central to Friends' understanding of the mystical. Friends also
include the discernment process of coming to recognize true leadings and
concerns, nurturing the gifts of others, recognizing and nurturing the Spirit in
others, and ministry in its various forms. Both Meeting for Worship and the
Meeting for Business are essential to me in coming to know the mystical and
learning how I may respond to and accept the possibilities offered to me.
Meeting for Worship for Business is one place where we practice being mystics.
In the process of doing our corporate business, we are learning and practicing
ways in which we can bring a sense of the Holy into everyday life--how to live
our faith. This brings us back to the core of what we are about as Friends:
knowing that God can be present to us, that God can guide us and we can know
wholeness and holiness. Finally, living a life through which others can see God
at work is possible.
The stillness of unprogrammed worship holds a tremendous power for all those who
participate. The witness of jointly waiting on God, waiting for openings of the
Inward Light can force us singly, and as a group to step outside the ordinary
limits of culture, tradition and individual perspectives. The encounter with the
Inward Light is by its nature transforming. Whether this is a gentle chipping
away over the years or a sudden, unmistakable shock to the system, no one can
walk away from a true meeting with God unmarked. In that experience is the
grounds for Friends connection with all people of faith.
The deeper I go on this journey with God, the more I am aware of how easy it is
to be drawn in strange directions which can end in harm and the more I desire to
walk in the Light. In the confusion which is all too often there for me, I find
I need guidance from others and a structure to hold on to. Both the community of
Friends and the accounts of the past are essential to me. Friends' radical
understanding of the gospel creates a structure for me out of which I can act
more clearly and surely. The vision of early Friends is still radical as the
twenty-first century nears. It is also expansive enough to enfold multiple
aspects of modern culture, drawing from them an added richness. Yet the radical
nature of the vision -- which at its core must be continually refreshed by the
encounter with the Inward Light, with Christ, in each generation -- demands that
we remain apart from our culture and time in ways that are not always easy to
see in the moment.
The past couple of years, more than one long-time friend commented on how
amazing the very thought was that I would be travelling among Friends in the
ministry and speaking on such topics as mysticism. This work is the consequence
of a mystical experience in my mid-forties. It is also the result of a
multi-year struggle with my deep introversion and with my own internal fears.
The Holy entered my life openly, in a way I could not ignore. God comforted me
after my father died, freeing both grief and joy in me. That day, God also set
me on a path of hard work which involved a lengthy clearness process,
professional counselling and a sense of a call to ministry which has been acted
out both vocally and in writing. The last still seems so ironic, a sense of
God's humor, in that I was such an unlikely character for that. At the time I
had never spoken in my meeting for worship, and was so afraid of articulating
anything emotional, much less spiritual, I would actively avoid worship sharing
at yearly meeting. While I had written extensively, it was all technical
documents consistent with my training in science and professional work. I was a
person who disliked poetry, and then found myself writing reams of it.
These years have been a process of coming to know God, to know myself, to be
open to change and to do the hard work that is essential to deep transformation.
As I am opened to experience the presence of the Holy, I come to know the
mystical as a process of developing a relationship with God. It is also a
process of new relationship with people which reflect the nature of how I know
God. For me, these relationships with the Giver of Life and with those around me
mean several things:
- Communication: For whatever reason, I have visions: images which tell me
something of my relationship with God. Even more importantly, they give me words
to share something of what is ultimately inexpressible with others.
- Change/Transformation: In the joy and comfort that God showers on me comes an
awareness of great freedom and potential in my life and a sense of where I fall
short of what is possible. In knowing God's compassion for me, I see how I can
respond to others in a similar way and in doing so, now I can step out of the
confines of fear and the limits of old habits. The "fruit of the Spirit" are
vibrant in the light of mystical experience.
- Testing/Discernment: At the same time great possibilities open me, I become
aware of the strength of fear, pain, anger, and so much else which hold me to
old patterns and keep me from realizing those possibilities. I am developing my
own internal "markers" and creating a simple "guidebook" which helps me sort
through the confusion that often swamps my head. I find a growing circle of
individuals whose sense of compassion and integrity can help me sort through the
muck and spot what is the right direction. The third piece in this process is my
Meeting which has taught me over the years about trust, love, patience, joy,
kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control and which
continues to teach me and assist me.
- Life/Testimony: The testimonies are integral to the Society of Friends. They
speak of how we live our faith and give us an understanding of the active nature
of a life centered in God. They have always been important to me and I have
tried to live as faithfully as I could. As my relationship with God grows and
changes me, the testimonies take on richer focus and become clearer as a natural
witness of God's work in our lives and a way of sharing that witness.
The experience of the Holy may be:
- A gift of KNOWING
- A gift of love and compassion
- A gift of struggle and of transformation
- Daily guidance
- A source of significant leadings or a "concern" in the traditional sense
So I close with a prayer that we continue nurturing our souls in order to become
more vulnerable to God and to be transparent to that which is Holy. As we seek
to do that, we are open to the work of:
Prayer, meditation, and readings from the lives of Spirit-led individuals
Risk taking
Facing the shadow side
Forgiveness of ourselves and others
Allowing compassion to fill our hearts and overflow
Ongoing work to bring alive the Kindom of Godd on earth
Early Quakerism, in my reading, was undeniably and deeply mystical. Fox
admonished Friends in his letters to "be still" and "wait" for direct guidance.
People came into assemblies of Quakers to have a direct experience of God. That
is a hard condition to maintain over time -- being centered, open, and in direct
touch with God. As Quakerism has developed it has settled into being more
rational and more defined by tradition and less ecstatic and mystical. Mysticism
(which I define as a direct sense of the presence of God) is still present among
Friends and always has been, but is less of a defining factor.
Regarding discernment: my experience, what I know of the experience of
contemporary mystics, and my reading all indicate that discerning the voice of
God is difficult and confusing. Mystics are greatly aided by having a
supportive, experienced community who can assist them in discernment. And the
Society of Friends is greatly aided when we can help people from going off in
our name on what appear to be grossly misguided tangents.
On the other hand (I put this in bold type, please quote me in your book), it is
a ludicrous oxymoron to ask if there are boundaries to acceptable spiritual
EXPERIENCE in the context of Quakerism. How can we put boundaries on experience?
God comes to people in amazing and unexpected ways: A burning bush! An angel
telling a young virgin she is going to have a child! A vision of an ocean of
darkness overlaid by an ocean of light! Experience happens. Then we try to
interpret what happened and discern what we are supposed to do in the light of
what happened. If we put boundaries on what we can experience, we have to close
ourselves to the promptings of the spirit altogether lest they come to us in
ways we have a priori decided are unacceptable. Moses wasn't expecting a burning
bush, he certainly wasn't wild about going off to Egypt to confront the Pharaoh,
and his neighbors probably thought he was a crackpot. We can only imagine how
Mary's family responded to "Uh, Mom....I'm pregnant, but don't worry, God is the
father." What if Moses had, a priori, decided never to listen to talking bushes?
Or if Mary didn't believe in sitting on her window sill? What if Fox regarded
the oceans of darkness and light as hallucination to be feared and denied?
[Patricia McBee, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, 1996]
----------------
YES! Quakerism is a mystical religion. I define mysticism as an individual's
direct experience of the Divine. Sometimes these are tender leadings rather than
something which knocks us over. We need to give credence to the uplift present
in nature and to those who sense love in every cell of their body for their
family. By giving credence here we open the possibility for the transforming
bolt of lightening. If we deny the reality of lighter mystical experiences, we
close off the door to the other.
Discernment: By definition mystical experiences defy the ability to talk about
them as does orgasm. To put such experience in the form we call language is
never adequate. Attempting discernment might rob them of the mystical qualities.
There are times when it is right to put pure mystical experiences into words,
but they are incredibly difficult to express.
In terms of boundaries, unfortunately, yes they exist. We are expected to have
them (mystical experiences) quietly and alone. Even in Meeting for Worship we
are expected to be essentially alone, not singing, dancing, quaking, speaking in
tongues, there or elsewhere. The line between the mystical and being crazy is
ill-defined. Mystical experience is not supposed to draw someone else into the
experience. What is now unacceptable used to be early Christian expressions and
we as 20th century Quakers have put restrictive limits on our experiences.
[Margaret Sorrel, North Pacific Yearly Meeting, 1995]
-----------------
Yes, Quakerism is mystical because of the emphasis on direct experience which is
at the core of mysticism. Mysticism is about experiential knowledge, knowing
that is not by intellectual convincement. When experienced, it is so powerful,
and thus very attractive. When I have experienced this all intellectual debate
about the right choice vanished. I would call it the grail quest of Quakerism,
but 99.9% of the time we have to live without this, therefore the real question
is how we live.
There is lots of need for discernment around mystical experience--it is
potentially dangerous and destructive. Ken Wilbur's writings have been valuable
to me. Wilbur is a psychologist who studied Buddhist and other eastern
traditions, and puts our western mysticism into context. Some of what we see as
religious experience is considered "ghee whiz" noise in Buddhism. Para-normal
experience as religious experience--"I had a vision, thus I am a mystic" is not
what is central. The cornerstone of discernment is the Fruit of the Spirit. In
North Pacific Yearly Meeting, people talk about these experiences with no
discernable change in how they behave towards one another, thus, this falls into
"ghee whiz" experience.
Since we don't recognize the authority of the Bible, etc, group discernment is
essential. Clearness committees are a primary way in which we test leadings in
practice. This [mysticism] is so central and potentially vitalizing, but is also
has much potential for distraction and wrong-headedness. One sign of the latter
is when people us it as a way of seeing their "specialness." We are sometimes
reluctant to speak about mystical experiences because of the difficulty of
communicating them, or out of fear of negative judgements. When someone does
speak of their experience I remain unconvinced if it carries this flavor of "I
am special because I have had this experience." What I eagerly listen for is
sharing as testimony--"this has had a galvanizing effect upon my life. I saw
things differently and could naught but act." Sharing of this sort is witnessing
to our faith. [Maurice Warner, North Pacific Yearly Meeting, 1995]
----------------
[I broke Janet's quote into two pieces because of its length, but if it can be
consolidated, that would be best. M.A.]
Is Quakerism mystical? My answer is probably 'Yes' rather than 'No', but it is
misleading to say 'Yes'. However, it is also misleading to say 'No'. Partly it
is 'What do you mean by 'mystical'?' Partly I am very aware of a passage by
Wilfred Littleboy which has not appeared in our new book of Discipline, but was
in the old one, when he speaks about not having these wonderful experiences that
others talks about. He says, " To be a Christian consists not feeling but in
following, not in ecstacy but in obedience."
It seems that we equate mysticism with the numinous experiences. The research
that has been done in Britain indicates that about 60% of the population have
had such numinous experiences. Quakerism is universal, it doesn't exclude those
who have not had that sort of experience, thus it is not mystical. However, that
is by defining mysticism as numinous experience. If you define the mystical as a
gradual transforming process, putting one self in the hands of God hand and
letting God work on you, if you define mysticism that way, then Yes, Quakerism
is mystical. But I don't really know. I have the feeling it is a rather grand
word, it is such a shut-out word. [Janet Scott, Britain Yearly Meeting, January
1995]
What about discernment? Julian of Norwich says that her visions are not
important. I understand her as meaning that, actually, that sort of experience
is not important unless it becomes part of the transformation. The discernment
is by the fruits. The means of communication is not important; what is important
is the recognition that God is communicating with you, then acting on it. When
God communicates with me in pictures, they are always pictures of Jesus. This
tends to affect my understanding of Christ. When I was trying to decide whether
to apply for the job at Homerton, the job that I now hold, I was not about to
jump in.
My guidance had been incredibly weak on this matter. So I said to God "These
promptings have been incredibly weak. I think you mean me to go ahead, but I
quite realize I could have got it wrong, so it really is your responsibility as
well as my responsibility that I get it right." So what I decided was that I
would go ahead and apply, but I said to God, ' if I get it wrong, I will kill
you.' So what does God do but flash up a picture of the cross, saying "you've
already done that". . . .
One day I was rushing late to get train to a meeting, praying to God that "if
you really love me there will be a parking space" and at the station there was a
parking place right in front, and a message in my head "NOW, do you believe it!"
OK, God.
I don't pray for parking spaces, I try to go where God wants me to go. And if
God wants me to be there God makes it possible.
It is probably wrong for Friends to seek out mystical experiences because they
are seeking for the wrong thing. What experience they have should be within the
context of the Discipline, our Meetings' belief in right ordering and our lives
lived according to the testimonies. If some sort of religious experience leads
us to believe we should do something not in accord with our testimonies, then
perhaps we need to think again, come back again and again to this, look it up in
the Scriptures. [Janet Scott, Britain Yearly Meeting, January 1995]
Would I call Quakerism a mystical religion? No, this in not a term I use.
Mysticism is a really hard word. It is intangible. The mystical for me is not
about action, it is about contemplation. Quakerism is about contemplation AND
action, that's the mixture that is actually necessary. Therefore it is not
mystical. That is not to say that some Quakers are not mystical. There are those
who are totally into action and think nothing about reflection, and those
totally into reflection and care nothing about action. That is the sort of span
from the mystic to the activist. That is the good thing of about Quakerism, it
can cope with some of each of those. Meetings which are all activists are a pain
in the neck and have no spiritual grounding. . . . but it is the word
"mystical", what you define by mystical which is the question. Divine
revelations of all sorts are mystical, by definition, they are about reflection.
So we should all being saying "yes", we have all had those. Mystical
experiences, intimations of that Power, they are all mystical.
Boundaries? -- there seem to be some from what I can tell. There are language
boundaries and words I would feel very uncomfortable with. If you start talking
about "vibes from crystals" that would be very uncomfortable for me, going into
the "new age" stuff. Although I am tolerant, I am not tolerant of that sort of
thing. (I'm not actually very tolerant, but I do like to pretend I am tolerant
like every other Quaker.) That is one extreme. Also the ones who had the sudden
urge to go and convert everybody--the sudden drive to action (particularly in
Britain. This is also a question of culture.). In this you need the discernment
of Friends. This is one reason we are going back to the use of clearness
committees as one of the aids for that. [Andrew Backhouse, Britain Yearly
Meeting, 1995]
How do I define "mysticism"? I don't. I do see Quakerism as mystical. The
mystical is rooted in individual or corporate experience of God, not particular
belief. This raises the question: How do you recognize a true mystical
experience? It comes back to authority and the role of the meeting. If the
individual experience is so at variance from the meeting, it is somehow
unacceptable......There should be echoes in the community and in reading. There
are boundaries, which means some people are outside the boundaries, but I have
no experience to draw on here.
Alongside showings of the (British) Quaker Tapestry, Barry and Jill Wilsher (who
founded the Quaker Peace Caravan) did a show around Britain which included a
quote from Will Warren who worked in Northern Ireland - that he hoped that he
would have been able to love the Commandant at Auschwitz. When we hosted the
show, a Friend in my local Meeting who had lost many family members in the
holocaust felt that she could not do this, and found the quote unacceptable. Her
experience is not mine and I cannot blame her for this, but I do see this love
of the individual as essential. We British Friends can be so sheltered from the
violence and horror so that seeking God in others is just sweetness and light.
We NEED to understand what startling and powerful things we are about - but that
what we are asking of people and saying is possible. [Peter Eccles, Britain
Yearly Meeting, 1995]
Isaac Penington
How often did I say, Oh Lord, why hast thou forsaken me? Why hast thou broken me
to pieces? I had no delight but thee. My heart was bent wholly to serve thee,
and thou hast even fitted me, as appeared to my sense, by many deep exercises
and experiences for thy services. Why dost thou make me thus miserable?...At
other times, I would desire to pray to my God as I had formerly done; but I
found I knew him not, and I could not tell how to pray, or in any wise to come
near him, as I had formerly done. In this condition, I wandered up and down,
from mountain to hill, from one sort to another, with a cry in my spirit, Can ye
tell news of my beloved? Where doth he dwell? Where doth he appear? But their
voices were still strange to me; and I would retire sad and oppressed, and bowed
down in spirit from them.
The Lord opened my spirit. The Lord gave me the certain and sensible feeling of
the pure seed which had been with me from the beginning. The Lord caused his
holy power to fall upon me, and gave me such an inward demonstration and feeling
of the seed of life, that I cried out in my spirit, This is he, this is he,
there is not another, there never was another. he was always near me though I
knew him not, not so sensibly, not so distinctly, as now he was revealed in me,
and to me by the Father. O that I might now be joined to him, and he alone might
live in me!
About the author: In the spring of 1999,
Marge Abbott was a Friend-in-Residence at Woodbrooke, a Quaker study center in
England, where she wrote this article and taught a class called “Modern Mystics
and Hidden Christian: Liberal Friends in the 20th Century” (which is also the
title of her latest book-in-progress). She has authored a Pendle Hill pamphlet
called An Experiment in Faith: Quaker Women Transcending Differences (1995) as
well as an anthology of liberal and evangelical writings called A Certain Kind
of Perfection (1997). Her article “In the Belly of the Whale: Meditations on
Jonah” is due to appear in an upcoming anthology, God the Trickster? (editor
Pink Dadelion, publisher Quaker Home Service). In the spring, she will give a
series of talks at Earlham School of Religion about the differences and
commonalities among the various branches of Friends.
How do you see relations between Christ-centered and universalist Friends right
now?
Marge: Individuals are making connections and doing interesting things, but as a
body, it’s not clear. Prejudice flourishes in many forms. The question is, how
do we get to the point where we can have reconciliation and forgiveness?
What do you see as the biggest challenge to Liberal Friends at the beginning of
this century?
Marge: Articulating a positive theology is something that Liberal Friends find
very difficult because of the huge diversity of theological thought among
us—it’s been a long time since we have demanded any articulation of theology as
a basis for membership—and also because many Friends have been hurt by past
experiences with organized religion. For these reason, we can grow from
theological discussions, painful though they may be at times, if we are tender
and gentle towards one another.
(Copyright: This material may not be re-published without the author's
permission. It may be used only for personal study and reflection. It originally
appeared in The Woodbrooke Journal, autumn, 1998, vol. 3.)