George Fox and Quakerism

(adapted from Portrait in Grey by John Punshon)

The Political Climate

England during the 1600s
Rising prices, hunger, unemployment, vagrancy (bad harvests, trade crises, rising industry)
The King is "Supreme Head of the Church" of England
Stuart dynasty replaces the Tudor dynasty (Elizabeth I to James I in 1603)

Puritans and other religious groups

Protestants prosecuted by Mary returned from Europe during Elizabeth’s reign, beginning the Puritan movement
"Puritans" were not satisfied that the state church was sufficiently free of Roman influences and faithful to the Bible: scripture was final authority in all religious matters
Puritans rejected church government, episcopacy; their model was presbyterianism: a hierarchy of assemblies and synods with both clerical and lay membership
Puritans placed importance on experience of divine grace, which came through the crisis of accepting one’s status as sinful and lost, and accepting forgiveness and freedom from Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross
Puritans believed they alone had found the key to salvation in Scripture: the "elect"
Puritans were disciplined (imprisoned) by the Church of England for not conforming to the Book of Common Prayer
Puritan Separatists set up independent churches of their own, many of which were to survive: Presbyterians, Congregationalists
A small group of Puritan Separatists also sailed to America in 1620 on the Mayflower
Other groups rose which looked not to Scripture but to direct experience of God
Anabaptists focused on joining the Church through free choice and regeneration: baptism; also emphasis on Christ’s scriptural teachings

The Civil War

Civil War in 1642, after King Charles dissolved Parliament and began acrimonious period of personal rule
Charles was defeated by Oliver Cromwell in 1645
Presbyterianism established as state church
Many early Quakers fought in the Civil War, but lost favor afterwards
Charles II restored to power in 1661
Declaration of the Quaker Peace Testimony was written to assure the King the Quakers would not oppose the restoration of the monarchy:

"All bloody principles and practices we…do utterly deny, with all outward wars and strife and fightings with outward weapons…the spirit of Christ which leads us into all Truth will never move us to fight and war against any man with outward weapons neither for the kingdom of Christ nor for the kingdoms of this world."

George Fox

Born in Fenny Drayton, 1624, Puritan stronghold
Left at 19, in 1643; wandered the country, in "spiritual travail", misery, isolated
In 1647, experienced:

(p.11) "…Now after I had received that opening from the Lord that to be bred at Oxford or Cambridge was not sufficient to fit a man to be a minister of Christ, I regarded the priests less, and looked more after the dissenting people. And among them I saw there was some tenderness, and many of them came afterwards to be convinced, for they had some openings. But as I had forsaken all the priests, so I left the separate preachers also, and those called the most experienced people; for I saw there was none among them all that could speak to my condition. And when all my hopes in them and in all men were gone, so that I had nothing outwardly to help me, nor could tell what to do, then, Oh 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 did let me see why there was none up on the earth that could speak to my condition, namely that I might give him all the glory; for all are concluded, under sin, and shut up in unbelief as I had been, that Jesus Christ might have the pre-eminence, who enlightens, and gives grace, faith and power. Thus, when God doth work who shall prevent it? And this I knew experimentally…For though I read the Scriptures that spoke of God and Christ alone, yet I knew him not but by revelation, as he who hath the key did open."

Began preaching:

"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. And in that also I saw the infinite love of God."

Began preaching throughout England, 1647-1650:

"Great things did the Lord lead me into, and wonderful depths were opening unto me, beyond what can by words be declared: but as people came into subjection to the spirit of God, and grow up in the image and power of the Almighty, they may receive the Word of Wisdom that opens all things, and come to know the hidden unity in the Eternal Being."

1652: vision on Pendle Hill:

"The Lord let me see atop the hill in what places he had a great people to be gathered…"

1652: Preaching at Firbank Fell for three hours, turning point in listeners lives
Margaret Fell (wife of Judge Fell) was convinced, and opened her home to George fox and the Quakers for meetings, etc., 1652
Early itinerant Quaker preachers: "publishers of Truth"
Fox’s written works: the Journal (1694), Epistles (1698), though some of what we know of the early Friends is not actually captured in his written work
Name of movement was originally "Children of Light", then "Friends of Truth"

Fox’s Teachings

Rejected ceremonies, sacraments, baptism: "pale, spiritually barren outward shadows of the inward reality of true baptism and communion"
Rejected creeds, doctrines: objected to the way they had been used by Church Councils to meet political and diplomatic needs; also used as tests of orthodoxy
Scripture:

"But I told them what it was, namely the Holy Spirit, by which the holy men of God gave forth the Scriptures, whereby opinions, religions, and judgements were to be tried; for it led into all Truth, and so gave the knowledge of all Truth."

The Universal Light:

"Now the Lord God hath opened to me by his invisible power how that every man was enlightened by the divine power of Christ; and I saw it shine through all, and that they that believed in it came out of condemnation and came to the light of life and became the children of it, but they that hated it, and did not believe in it, were condemned by it, though they made a profession of Christ."

"I was glad that I was commanded to turn people to that inward light, spirit and grace by which all might know their salvation, and their way to God; even that divine Spirit which would lead them into all Truth and which I infallibly knew would never deceive any."

Did not emphasize Scripture or the sacrifice of the Cross
Inclusion of women
Meetings were set up, 3-4 hour weekly silent meetings, punctuated by personal testimony and sermons
Adopted standards of speech and dress (dates, thee and thou, plain dress, "meetinghouse")

The Rise of Quakerism in England

Fit with sense of disillusionment over church and government
George Fox’s message: "Christ has come to teach his people himself" and is to be found within: the "Light" (powerful metaphor)
Convincement was a powerful experience of seeing the truth (the Light of Christ in man was the way to Christ) and becoming aware of one’s shortcomings (distractions)
Valiant Sixty: traveling ministers, considered troublemakers, harassed by local authorities; they interrupted services
1650: Fox alleges he is called a "Quaker" by Judge Gervase Bennet
1652-1655: Margaret Fell maintains contact with itinerant Quaker preachers, keeps open house for them at her home, Swarthmoor Hall; builds up Kendal Fund to meet cost of ministry and support Friends in prison.
1651: Nayler encounters George Fox and devotes his life to religious work
1656: Fox arrested in Cornwall and imprisoned at Launceston; Nayler assumes leadership of Friends
1656: Nayler arrested, punished, imprisoned, and tortured for blasphemy
1656: first advices published on Quaker government, ministry and worship (organizational structure emerges)
1660: first representatives meeting

Persecution and Consolidation

1656: Quakers imprisoned and deported in Boston
1660: Fox arrested as a dissenter after King returns; Peace Testimony written, Fox released after 6 weeks
1661: Corporation Act requires all mayors etc. to communicate with the Church of England
1662: Quaker Act, penalizing those who refuse to take oaths
1664: Fox refuses an oath; imprisoned for two years. Margaret Fell also imprisoned 1664-1668.
Conventicle Act, 1664: banning non-Church-of-England religious meetings. Many Friends imprisoned.
1667: after Fox released from prison: 5 monthly meetings established in London
1667-1668: Fox tours England, organizing Quakers (e.g. women’s meetings established, marriage customs, business meetings, preparative meetings)
1671: Quaker marriage recognized as lawful in England
1668: first Quaker school established in England by George Fox, by 1671 at least 15 boarding schools in place
1678: London Yearly Meeting established
1681: Penn gets land on west bank of Delaware in settlement of a debt (from Charles II); called Pennsylvania; Quakers began settling it immediately. (Penn eventually purchased the land from the Indians.) Penn a strong advocate of liberty and religious toleration. A model community:

"that an example may be set up to the nations; there may be room there, though not here, for such an Holy Experiment."

Fox died in 1691