The Mistake People Make About Quaker Theology

Quakers often have a wary relationship with the concept of theology, even though our faith is grounded in a belief in the ongoing presence of a Divine that speaks to us and guides us. “That’s a fundamentally theological statement,” says Christy Randazzo, the author of Divine Ecosystem. The problem, they continue, is that Friends, relying on the example set by other spiritual traditions, often conflate theology with dogma.

“As a theologian,” they tell us, “I’m sometimes a little annoyed at that assumption, particularly because… [Friends] end up thinking that theology is something that is rigid.” But Christy insists that it doesn’t have to be complicated: “What we’re talking about is developing theology from living.”

“We’re actually incredibly deep theological thinkers,” Christy suggests, though we may not use the same vocabulary as other faith traditions. Because Quakers trust in continuing revelation, our faith is grounded in a constantly evolving understanding of our individual experiences of the Divine… including what other people tell us about their experiences, and how those experiences transformed their lives.