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Short Glossary of Quaker Terms and Phrases
I know some Friends who disparage or bemoan our Quaker terms and phrases as quaint or as trying to have special language that keeps non-Quakers from understanding what we are saying. They argue that the modern way of observing the "plain speech" practice would be to not use specialized words and phrases, as they see them as causing outsiders to feel uncomfortable and not welcome. I could not disagree more. When first I began to read the writings of the early Quakers, I knew I was finally on the right path because they used these strange, unique words and turns of phrase that exactly described my experience in a way no other words I knew could. It made it clear to me that the Truth I experience today is the same Truth they experienced 350 years ago. Abandon these words, abandon their import, and thee abandons Quakerism. "Christianity is not a notion, but a Way."
Comparatives
- Use of Friend versus Quaker
While functionally interchangeable, audience is probably the fundamental factor in choosing one or another of these terms to describe members of the Religious Society of Friends. Friend is invariably used when the audience to the reference are members/attenders of the Religious Society of Friends. I will say, "I am a Quaker" to a stranger on the street, but in meeting I would say "I am a convinced Friend." In the world, I would say, "As Quakers, we . . ." and within my faith community, I would say, "As Friends, we . . ."
- Use and implications of meeting versus church
Quakers did not call the places of worship "churches" and did not call their worship "church." Instead, they call their places of worship "meetinghouses" and call the worship held there "meeting" and also "meeting for worship." There is also "meeting for business." None of this is "church." Church is the people, not the building or the worship.
Evangelical Friends generally have a paid ministry, do not sit in silent waiting worship, but have a "program." They tend to call their places of worship "church." A name like "First Denver Friends Church" rather than "Denver Monthly Meeting" suggests and Evangelical Quaker worship.
- Use and implications of programmed versus unprogrammed
Programmed refers to the practice of having a plan all laid out for the worship service, including songs sung from hymnbooks and a prepared sermon delivered by a minster, usually paid. There is generally a great deal of standing up and sitting down en masse. These churches tend to resemble and emulate traditional Protestant churches in organizational structure.
Unprogrammed refers to the practice of gathering together in silence, each able to stand and speak as they feel led, and worship ends when a designated Friend shakes hands with a neighbor. There is no paid ministry. Committees and meetings for business are used to handle all meeting affairs. In both meetings, anyone make speak, and silence is expected to be observed before someone else rises to speak. Argumentation or speaking directly to what a previously speaking Friend shared is considered improper. This structure is meant to encourage Friends to wait for the Spirit to move them to speak, and to help them keep to their Inner Guide (Christ).
- "an elder" versus "to elder"
An elder is someone who is recognized by his or her meeting that they have a particular gift for "eldering" public friends, such as recorded ministers and those traveling in the ministry.
To elder is to offer someone advice, positive or negative, that a Friend feels must be shared. It is considered a form of ministry among those meetings that still name elders. Liberal Friends, existing in meetings that have no named elders, invariably and troublingly use the phrase as a verb when they feel they need to correct someone or someone's behavior. "I eldered John that he needed to pee in the restroom, not out the cabin door." (This is a actual quote of its use by a liberal Friend.) Among Conservative Friends, "elder" is a clearly named ministry, just as "overseer" and "recorded minister" are, as it has been since the founding of the Society. (see below)
- "convinced" versus "birthright"
A convinced Friend is someone who experienced a convincement (either quickly or evolving over time) and chose in adulthood to join a Friends Meeting.
A birthright Friend is someone whose parents were already members of a meeting when they were born, and the infant was named a member of that meeting at birth. I know of one Friend who described himself as a Convinced Birthright Friend. The naming of birthright Quakers is controversial or discouraged in some meetings, widely observed and encouraged in others.
Phrases
- "proper Quaker order"
When things are accomplished using the traditional unprogrammed committee structure and things are allowed to develop into unity as led by the Spirit. Doing something outside of Quaker order is considered questionable and not correct.
- "sense of the meeting"
Clerks of committees and the monthly and yearly meetings are tasked with discerning the "sense of the meeting" that develops over the course of a meeting for business. Just as in a meeting for worship, Friends are expected to speak only when they feel they are led by God to do so and silence is usually respected between Friends rising to speak.
- "to bear a burden"
I have personally experienced what this phrase tries to describe. When there is something I am Supposed to be Doing and I either don't (yet) know what it is or if I am (as is usually the case) avoiding Doing what I am Supposed to be Doing, I feel a burden. There is no other way to describe it. As I am bearing the burden, I often find that I am being "made tender" (see below). That the pain, distress that bearing the burden causes results in my being made more open to acting as God wishes and more capable of setting aside what the world is calling me to. I have also experienced this where I have had a strong opinion about something, and wanted to "stand in the way" of some proceeding, I will suddenly find that I am bearing the burden of preventing things going forward and that my opinion is not what is important in this situation. I can then choose to "step aside" and allow things to proceed. Since decisions within the Society must be made in unity, bearing these burdens and stepping aside when it is what is called for become active experiences of God guiding us all to unity.
- "speak to [someone's] condition"
From George Fox's Journal "As I had forsaken the priests, so I left the separate preachers also, and those esteemed the most experienced people, for I saw that there was none among them all that could speak to my condition. When all my hopes in them and in all men were gone, so that I had nothing outwardly to help me, nor could I tell what to do; then, O! then I heard a voice which said, 'there is one, even Christ Jesus, that can speak to thy condition'; and when I heard it, my heart did leap for joy. Then the Lord let me see why there was none upon the earth that could speak to my condition, namely, that I might give him all the glory.
"After telling of an inward manifestation of the powers of evil 'in the hearts and minds of wicked men,' he goes on:
I cried unto the Lord, saying, 'Why should I be thus, seeing I was never addicted to commit these evils?' and the Lord answered, 'That it was needful I should have a sense of all conditions, how else should I speak to all conditions?' and in this I saw the infinite love of God. I saw also that there was an ocean of darkness and death; but an infinite ocean of light and love, which flowed over the ocean of darkness. In that also I saw the infinite love of God, and I had great openings...."
This entry from George Fox's Journal is the most powerful reference to the sense of the world "condition" as Friends use it. Too often, it seems to me, Friends use it as a special way of describing their spiritual state in an extremely general and almost trivial way. "That lecture did not speak to my condition." I feel it would be more accurate for Friends to understand this phrase as having a deeper meaning and that it be used with a deeper understanding. It seems apparent to me that Friends' foundation for this phrase is from the Bible:
"The light, which light is the life in Christ,
will also show you your condition, what is in your heart;
loving it, the light will change you and purify you,
as you repent, carrying your cross.
Believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light." John 12:36
This is not a light-hearted "where I feel I am at" phrase. This is a deeper look at the self, shown in the Light of Christ, shown in Truth. Our condition is, in fact, our salvation and we can lose it if we do not keep to our Guide and our Measure of the Truth.
- "that of God in you"
On various occasions, George Fox used the expression, "That of God in you" (Journal, Friends Book Store Edition, pp. 250, 264, 299, 304, 306). It is very plain that by this phrase, he meant nothing else than the Light of Christ, for on pages 304 and 306, he uses the two expressions interchangeably: "To the Light of Christ in your consciences, which searcheth and trieth you, turn your minds; stand still and wait there to receive the righteous law, which is according to that of God in the conscience." ". . . them that are out of the obedience to the Light of Christ Jesus in the conscience, which is the Guide and Leader of all who are tender of that of God in their conscience." From Kenneth Morse's The Fundamental Principle of the People Called Quakers--and Some of its Consequences.
Some Quakers use this phrase in such a way as to imply that we should be looking to the Good that is in everyone, or to otherwise find compassion for someone that is a difficulty for thee. That was not how Fox or the early Friends used the phrase. When "answering to that of God in all persons" we are calling them to mind the Seed of Christ within that will show them their path to the Truth and the Way.
- "under the care of the meeting"
When couples wish to be married under the care of the meeting, the meeting appoints a Clearness Committee to ascertain that both are free to marry, that any difficulties or objections others might have are worked through, and to advise the meeting that the marriage can proceed with no known impediments.
- "under the weight of a concern"
I need to make some personal distinctions here. My experience is that first I will have an opening (see below), where some Truth is revealed to me. Then the waiting and listening of seasoning (see below) begins. Eventually, the opening will become a concern. I will move from knowing a piece of the Truth to seeing how it is lived out in this world and in my life. I develop a concern for something I have experienced or know others experience. This often results in a specific leading (see below). It gets particularly interesting if a Friend is under the weight of a concern but their meeting cannot unite with the Friend and allow the concern to move forward. Then it becomes the meeting's responsibility to bear the weight of the concern.
- "disorderly walker"
Phrase used for members of the meeting who were deemed to be acting contrary to the Truth and the Way. Concerned Friends would labor (see below) with such a Friend and try to help them see the error of their ways.
- "at the rise of meeting"
This phrase describes the end of worship in a silent (unprogrammed--see below), usually signalled by an elder or otherwise designated Friend shaking hands with a person next to him or her.
- "gathered meeting"
This phrase is used to describe silent meetings that feel unusually deep and spirit-filled, that God has gathered the meeting together in one Spirit through the shared experience of Christ in the midst of us all.
- "to lay down"
To set aside or cease. May be used to "lay down" or close a monthly meeting (see below), to "lay down" a committee that has fulfilled its purposes and no longer needs to meet, or to "lay down" the membership of someone who wishes to no longer be in fellowship with a meeting.
- "to be made tender"
An action of God that opens us up to his Truth, his Way, his Path for us in this world.
- "way will open"
When a certain action is felt to be necessary, but no clear path to accomplishing the task is yet known. See "seasoning" below.
Verbs
- opening
A Truth that God opens up for someone. For instance, John Woolman's opening that slavery was not part of God's Divine Will, or George Fox's opening that "There is one, even Christ Jesus, who can speak to thy condition."
- seasoning
A word used to describe a period of waiting, where action is not taken because "way" has not yet "opened" or some other "stop" is felt.
- testify
When someone witnesses to the Truth, either through word, action, or other public demonstration that is required by God.
- labor
When one Friend prays, sits in silence, speaks with, elders another Friend. One Friend will "labor with" another Friend to try to help them.
- witness
Often used to describe an public action called for by God to show the world the error of its ways. Quakers would "witness" to "the Truth."
Nouns
- Minister, Elder, Overseer
From the Minutes of Rockingham MM, Ohio YM, 11-1987: "We recognize that there are not sharp distinctions to be made among the three offices (minister, elder, overseer), but that their differences are those of emphasis. To summarize the three offices as we have considered them: ministers are called to express, especially vocally, the message of God; elders encourage the indwelling of the LordŐs Spirit; and overseers help put the LordŐs message to work in our outward lives. A blending of the three is necessary for the good functioning of the meeting in our LordŐs business."
- the Truth
The both is God, Christ and the Holy Spirit and the action of God, Christ and the Holy Spirit in the world. Quakers originally called themselves "Friends of Truth." A concept of the Universality of Christ's redeeming grace and the source of our salvation.
- concern
In Friends' experience in general, a concern is not a troubled state, but rather "It is an urgent interest, implicitly God-given, or, as a verb, to have such an interest. One might say, 'I am concerned to visit Friends west of the Mississippi. If the meeting unites with this, I hope there will be someone who can accompany me.' Or 'He had a lifelong concern for the education of our young people.'" (from private correspondence, Susan Smith, Rockingham Monthly Meeting, Ohio Yearly Meeting)
- leading
A sense that there is a specific course of action that the person with the "leading" must take per God's Divine Will.
- convincement
Quaker term for what is more widely called in Christianity a "conversion experience."
- unity
When coming to a decision, unprogrammed Friends must be in unity. This is not consensus, no vote is taken, and a single dissenter means the "motion" cannot be approved. Clerks of meetings and committees are designated to "discern" the "sense of the meeting."
- clear
After having "borne a burden" and being "under the weight of a concern" and having properly "testified," the Friend will feel that it is now time to stop, that they have fulfilled God's wishes for the moment. On his deathbed, George Fox said something about at last "being clear."
- a stop
Rather than a leading to *do* something, a stop is the sense that a Friend should not do something. "I feel a stop in my heart."
- notion
Friends speak of Christianity not being a "notion" but "a Way." Notion is a negative term for something considered worldy and human-made, not part of God's plan, most often a creation of the mind and not the Spirit. It is essentially an empty action or plan that will not be blessed by God to succeed. Notions must be set aside to ensure that God's will is done.
- Clearness Committee
Friends form Clearness Committees for a number of reasons, including membership considerations, marriage under the care of the meeting, and difficult discernments.
- opportunity
There was a time when one Friend would seek to share silent worship with another Friend in their home. This was called an opportunity.
- testimony
Quaker Testimonies among Liberal Friends have been fairly codified to include Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality . . . things like that. More Conservative Quakers will refer to the Peace Testimony, but things such a using plain speech, wearing plain dress, and refraining from the use of alcohol are all considered Testimonies. A Testimony is any act that a Friend feels impelled to do to testify to the Truth and the Way.
Here is Robert Griswold on the testimonies from his Pendle Hill Pamphlet (#377), "Creeds and Quakers: What's Belief Got to do with it?" p. 17. "Many new members are attracted to Friends because they resonate with the testimonies of peace, simplicity, equality, community and integrity. While this kind of attraction is not necessarily bad, the danger is that these testimonies come to be held as ends in themselves—and thus become creeds. Testimonies embraced as ideals are without spiritual grounding. They may be "good" notions but they remain mere notions. They will fade and be lost when brought to the test in an encounter with a world that has contrary notions. This danger is real because often Friends do not do well at making it clear to others that their testimonies are the fruits of their spiritual formation, not the foundation itself. We are not Quakers because we have embraced the idea of pacifism or simple living or equal regard for both sexes. We are Quakers because we have encountered something within that convinces us that we can be and should be at peace, live simply, be loving toward all or live any other witness that may arise from this experience."
- professor
Someone who "professes" something he or she does not "possess." George Fox used this a great deal to describe people who claimed to be Christian, professed Christianity, but did not act like Christians.
Adjectives
- to describe a Friend
- seasoned Friend
A Friend with much experience within the RSoF.
- weighty Friend
A Friend considered to have a deep spiritual life whose insight into events is highly valued and deemed "weightier" in relation to Friends who are younger in the Truth and the Way.
- ancient Friend, also ancient worthies
Terms used to describe the first generation of Friends.
Acronyms and Initialisms
- RSoF: Religious Society of Friends
- AFSC: American Friends Service Committee
- EFI: Evangelical Friends International
- FUM: Friends United Meeting
- FGC: Friends General Conference
- FCNL: Friends Committee on National Legislation
- YM: Yearly Meeting
OYM, NEYM, PYM, BYM [Ohio Yearly Meeting, New Engand Yearly Meeting, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, Britain Yearly Meeting]
- MM: Monthly Meeting
Some Other Online Quaker Glossaries
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