Chester Quarterly Meeting (Quakers)

Quaker Testimonies

 

Quaker testimonies are not merely words or values that we espouse. Testimonies are the concrete expression in our lives of our spirituality. They exist in spiritually-led actions rather than in rigid written forms. They are reaffirmed by continuing spiritual experience and are not imposed in any way by our society. Our book of Faith & Practice avoids rigidly defining our ever-evolving Quaker testimonies because they may take many forms. They serve as guides to action, and they strengthen our resolve to do the right thing. We will all be challenged in different ways to live out Quaker testimonies such as equality, peace, simplicity, stewardship, and integrity.

Here are a few words outlining some traditional Quaker testimonies:

Truth

We strive to put truth, honesty and integrity into practice in our daily living, in our dealings with others, and in the internal conversations we have with ourselves.

Equality

We recognise that every person is equal before God. Some of our efforts aim to change systems that promote injustice, and some support those suffering from injustice. Equality before the law promotes justice and builds unity in the community. Our testimony of equality leads us to welcome lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered men and women, and to have a fundamental commitment to equality and inclusion. We affirm the love of God for all people, whatever their sexuality.

Simplicity

We try to live simply to give space to the things that matter - the people we love, our natural world, and our spiritual life. We try not to get drawn into the excesses of consumerism. We strive to be good stewards and not waste the world's resources on things that have little inherent value.

Peace

The Quaker Peace Testimony comes from believing that we must live in a way that reflects our love for each other and for that of God that is in every person in the world. While individual Friends may vary in their response to events in the world, there is general agreement that the answers to our problems do not lie in violence and war.

You can find out more about Quaker beliefs and attitudes by reading our Faith & Practice which gives a flavor of the Quaker approach to life. Visit our Document Library, as well.

 

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