Why do Quakers care about politics? We asked Marge Abbott and Noah Baker Merrill.
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Discussion Questions:
- Do you feel like Quakers should be involved in politics? What are the risks and opportunities for us being involved?
- Noah Baker Merrill says that “it’s not our power that we’re bringing to these conversations.” What does he mean? Have you experienced a powerful conversation where the power you experienced was not your own?
Transcript:
Noah Baker Merrill: We’re a small group. We’re politically insignificant in so many ways, but it’s not our power that we’re bringing to these conversations. We’re being as faithful as we can be to the truth that’s being revealed to us, and we’re trusting that if we follow that through, that that will speak in others as well, you know, that that same power that we’re encountering is also at work in every heart.
Why Do Quakers Care About Politics?
Marge Abbott: Friends always been very active in addressing our government and its rule. They had started out in the earliest days having to try and change laws that were affecting them directly. As time went by a century later they were among the most active lobbyists to end slavery, active in women’s suffrage, in temperance movements… many, many places where they were lobbying over the centuries.
The Story of Paul and the Jail Cell
Noah: There’s a story in the Book of Acts that I really love where these two traveling ministers, Paul and Silas, are in this jail…
Marge: …and in the middle the night there was an earthquake or something that broke open his jail cell…
Noah: …and everybody’s chains come off. So they’re sitting in this broken prison…
Marge: …and he could have easily walked away, and never been seen again, and never have to deal with the consequences…
Noah: …and the jailer comes in and he says he starts to kill himself, because he’s afraid to get executed because his prisoners have escaped, and Paul and Silas call out and say, “Don’t harm yourself. We are all still here.”
Marge: He stayed and faced his jailers and said, “You guys are doing it wrong. You can’t be imprisoning me. You’re taking away my rights as a Roman citizen.”
Noah: So that image is really important in terms of understanding what it means for Quakers to be engaged in prophetic work, that we can touch that experience of everybody’s chains coming off and then we stand and we wait in the broken prison and we bring that message to others, and invite others to live in that reality as well.
Creating the Kingdom of God,
Waiting in the Broken Prison
Marge: Friends have always had this sense that the Kingdom of God can be realized here on earth, and so for early Friends, sometimes that vision was taken from Isaiah with the image of the lion and the lamb living side by side without doing damage to the other, this sense that we can all share this Earth together if we treat each other with respect.
They really wanted to prick the consciences of the magistrates, the soldiers, whoever was around, and get them to change the laws so other people would not have to suffer. So it was not just about themselves, it was about concern for the whole of the community and that unjust laws should be changed.
Noah: So it’s not like maybe in some churches where people are looking for a ticket out of this world, or it’s not like some places where they’re trying to just benefit themselves or disengage from the connection with the world.
The Quaker call to prophetic work is about having that experience of that transforming love and then seeking to live it in the world, in all relationships.
Transformation Through Relationship
Noah: The systems that we create as people, the systems of government and systems of power and the way that we distribute resources are all inhabited by people, and at its most powerful, this prophetic work is about relationships. And so when we reach out to people across the political divide, people can feel that if it’s coming from a real place. Getting out of that sense of, “We are going to force you to do something,” but offering that invitation that it could be different. That we could we could together build a world that is so much more whole, so much more alive than the one that we live in today.
The views expressed in this video are of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Friends Journal or its collaborators.
I recently attended a Silent Worship gathering after decades of reading about Quakers and then finding Quaker roots in my family. I’m 72 and believe the Quakers have added much to humanity of justice, goodness and brotherly love. I’ve supported FCNL and the Service Co. To the best of my ability. Planning to be present at the next SW.
He certainly does go on and on and on. . . but never really answers the question. Reaching across the divide? She basically talks about social activism, not politics. Politics is people, and a process to get people involved in their government. Not just social change. Sorry – was not impressed by this. Would not recommend it. But, maybe that’s just me. I used to teach communications. This was just talking heads (in my opinion). Nice people, committed Friends, but probably have never volunteered to work for a candidates.
I would like to know more about the quakers please.
This election season we hear committed Christians say they are trying to change laws to be more in accord with their deeply held beliefs yet come out on the opposite side of FCNL and most Quakers politically. How do we explain that? Does God speak differently to Godly people? And, how do we claim to be an inclusive community if everyone has to be a Democrat?
Hi Signe,
I work in communications for FCNL and wanted to respond to your questions. In my experience, Quakers can be found in every corner of the political spectrum, not just in the Democratic party.
FCNL is a nonpartisan organization and has good relationships with members and individuals who identify with all (or no) parties. Our positions come out of the input of Friends across the country – and we are actively reaching out to as many Friends meetings and churches as possible to participate in setting our priorities for the upcoming Congress (see http://fcnl.org/priorities2016 for more information).
It is challenging to be inclusive, and I know that as an organization we are not always as inclusive as we would like, but an important part of our ministry is to be open to new points of view. We try not to fall into the assumption that one side is “right” and the other “wrong” – and through conversation we try and find the values that we share that can help us move forward. If you haven’t seen it, the QuakerSpeak video on “A Quaker Lobbyist on Capitol Hill” gives more depth on how FCNL approaches lobbying : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcqpE628Z1E
You raise some important points about the motivation people have to change laws, and how it’s not just Quakers that feel called to act on their deepest convictions. In some cases I think the underlying beliefs that motivate other Christians to act politically are not that far removed from many Quakers’, but people propose to carry out those beliefs in different and divergent ways. That’s why conversations that get beyond the specific policy proposals are important, and why focusing on “that of God” in the person who has different political points of view matters. I also think that fear is a huge motivator right now in the policies people propose, which can make acting on those beliefs difficult. So much of the political debate is about how it’s a dangerous world and we need to be protecting ourselves and building higher walls, which goes against the kind of listening that’s necessary for compromise.
Thank you for your comments.
The story of standing in the Prison, brought tears to my eyes, and joy to my heart to see Noah and Marge telling it. I’m a wannabe Quaker of 40 years, and a convinced Quaker of four years, and member at Multnomah Friends Meeting. I also worship often with convergent Friends, evangelical and liberal together. I’m quite sure there are various party/no party affiliations among us. When first hearing the words, convergent Friends, I said, “Of course. If we can’t keep peace among ourselves, how can we keep peace in the world?” I have worked on political campaigns since I was 13 years old and now I am 72. When I volunteer during this presidential campaign for whomever gets the Democratic nod, my work will be grounded in the Spirit, so undoubtedly, my actions will be different. And this will be a first.
The image of ‘waiting in the broken prison’ cited in this video speaks to me very deeply. Isn’t that where we are …?