Quaker Quicks--Hope and Witness in Dangerous Times by J. Brent Bill

Author:J. Brent Bill
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: John Hunt Publishing
Published: 2021-05-24T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Four

Being For

“I don’t want to be an anti, against anybody. I simply want to be the builder of a great affirmation: the affirmation of God, who loves us and who wants to save us.”1 So said the martyr priest Oscar Romero. Romero, though he was not a Quaker, expresses Friends’ hope and witness when it’s at its best. Especially in a time when so much activism is framed as what people are against. We are against this president or prime minister. We are against this policy or that action.

I’m not denying that there are things that are in opposition to deep faith and the gospel. They are legion. But in the Quaker tradition, true spiritual activism and spirituality are rooted, at their best, in positivity. We are for social justice. We are for clean water and good food for all people. We are for healthcare. We are for peace. Saying what we are for is an invitation to life and hope rooted in God’s goodness. It is life calling to life.

Rufus Jones, writing about Yarnall, Walton, and his trip that ended with them holding worship in Gestapo headquarters, said:

We have come to Germany at this present time to see whether there might be any service which American Quakers could render, and to use every opportunity open to us to understand the present situation. Those whom we are to consult should clearly understand that we have had close and friendly relations with the German people throughout the whole post war period. We represent no governments, no international organizations, no parties, no sects, and we have no interest in propaganda in any form.2

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