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The '''Religious Society of Friends,''' colloquially '''Quakers,''' is a religious denomination founded by [[George Fox]] in the 1650s. There are approximately 300,000 Quakers today worldwide.

The '''Religious Society of Friends,''' or '''Quakers,''' is a Protestant religious denomination founded in England by [[George Fox]] in the 1650s. They have always been a small, radical, Protestant denomination with enormous political and social influence far beyond their small numbers.  The Society formed during the religious upheaval in 17th century [[England]] seeking the recovery of original Christianity. They earned the name "Quakers" for how members shook, or "quaked", reflecting their struggle against their inner motives "under the Light."<ref>Barbour and Frost (1988) p.28</ref>  Many migrated to America, especially to Philadelphia in the colony of Pennsylvania, which was owned by Quaker leader [[William Penn]]. Others went to [[New Jersey]], [[North Carolina]] and especially [[Rhode Island]], where they controlled the colonial government for a while.  Quakers were active leaders of many American reform movements past and present, especially abolition of slavery, Indians' rights, prohibition, women's rights, civil rights, prison reform, hospital reform, and world peace.  Other famous Quakers include founder [[George Fox]], feminist [[Lucretia Mott]], and presidents [[Herbert Hoover]] and [[Richard Nixon]].

There are about 100,000 Quakers in the United States today.  Hamm (2003) identifies seven currently contested issues--the centrality of Christ, leadership, religious authority, sexuality, identity, unity, and growth. The Quakers are heavily involved with the Peace Testimony, support for "People of Color," the American Friends Service Committee, and the Friends Committee on National Legislation. They are well known for their support of liberal arts colleges including Haverford and Swarthmore (near Philadelphia) and Earlham (in Richmond, Indiana). A majority are affiliated with the Society of Friends (Five Years Meeting); others belong to the smaller Religious Society of Friends (General Conference), the Religious Society of Friends (Conservative), and the more fundamentalist Association of Evangelical Friends.

 

About 20,000 Quakers now live in Britain, and several thousand in Canada. Overseas missions, starting in 1903, were most successful in Africa, especially Kenya, which has 300,000 Quakers in 15 Yearly Meetings.<ref> See [http://fwccafrica.org/Demographics/Kenya/Kenya.html] Rasmussen, (1995) and Smuck, (1987)</ref>

==Beliefs==

==Beliefs==

Quakers believe in direct ''revelation'', often referred to as the ''inner light'' or, in Fox's words, "that of God in everyone." Traditional Quaker meetings take place mostly in silence, with individual members standing up to speak when they believe they are moved to do so by God. [[Margaret Fell]] wrote that Fox had said

George Fox described himself as [[Christian]] and so do many, but not necessarily all, Quakers. Quakers believe in direct ''revelation'', often referred to as the ''inner light'' or, in Fox's words, "that of God in everyone." Traditional Quaker meetings take place mostly in silence, with individual members standing up to speak when they believe they are moved to do so by God. [[Margaret Fell]] wrote that Fox had said

:the Scriptures were the Prophet's words, and [[Christ]]'s and the Apostle's words, and what, as they spoke, they enjoyed and possessed, and had it from the Lord and said, then what had any to do with the Scriptures, but as they came to the [[Holy Spirit|Spirit]], which gave them forth. You will say, Christ says this, and the Apostles say this but what can thou say? Are thou a child of Light, and have walked in the Light, and that thou speaks, is it inwardly from God?  

:the Scriptures were the Prophet's words, and [[Christ]]'s and the Apostle's words, and what, as they spoke, they enjoyed and possessed, and had it from the Lord and said, then what had any to do with the Scriptures, but as they came to the [[Holy Spirit|Spirit]], which gave them forth. You will say, Christ says this, and the Apostles say this but what can thou say? Are thou a child of Light, and have walked in the Light, and that thou speaks, is it inwardly from God?  

==Peace==

==Peace==

==Famous Quakers==

==Famous Quakers==

 

*[[William Penn]], founder of Pennsylvania

*[[William Penn]], founder of Pennsylvania

*[[John Brown]], abolitionist

*[[John Brown]], abolitionist