The first session on Quaker History met today. One thought we had during the session is that there is a tension between the charismatic, dynamic activism of the first generation of Friends and the quiet, well organized nature of Friends who founded successful institutions and businesses. I believe that the tension between responsive activists who follow spiritual leadings and the competent, organizationally-oriented people is often present in many modern Friends meetings today. Is there is similar tension in our school community between spiritual innovation and centered grounded-ness?
We will meet again in a month. Here are the readings for the next session:
There are some additional readings if you are interested. The first includes some excerpts from John Woolman’s Journal.
The second reading is from Margaret Hope Bacon’s book called The Mothers of Feminism.
What questions or comments did the first set of readings raise in your mind? Feel free to post a response to this blog post and feel free to respond to others. I will send another doodle poll to find the best date for the next meeting.