Faith and Practice
Select one of the following sections to go to
Part I: Friends History, Belief, and Practice
Chapter 1—Historical Summary
B. The Developing Church
Friends emphasized the importance of the visible community of faith. They reserved the word “church” for “the people of God.” Thus the church gathered in meetinghouses for worship or for business. About 1800, a century and a half after the founding of the movement, the term Society of Friends came into usage. This term has become traditional with some Friends groups. Others prefer The Friends Church.
Friends’ emphasis on the real Presence of Christ with His people, and its concomitant victory over sin resulted in strong ethical testimonies. Topics of concern included:
religious freedom;
opposition to slavery and civil bondage;
just treatment of American Indians and other minority peoples;
humane and remedial treatment of offenders;
compassionate care of the mentally ill; and,
aid to war victims and those in physical distress.
Like early Christians, Friends have opposed war and have taught and practiced subordinate nonviolence. They called upon Christians to utilize the weapons of the Spirit (truth, faith, the gospel of peace, and others listed in Ephesians 6) rather than those of violence, and to pursue alternative methods for conflict resolution. As a result of their testimonies:
churches worldwide enjoy a much greater measure of freedom;
the affirmation rather than the legal oath is accepted in many countries; and,
the rights of those with religious conscientious objection to war are honored widely.
Early Friends felt that specific doctrinal details of interpretation were not as important as the individual’s relationship with God. Individuals were accepted into the community in love. Because of the genuineness of their fellowship in Christ, thousands joined the Friends Movement within the span of a few years.
Select one of the following sections to go to