Quakerism: A Revival of Silence
A book review of Holistic Mysticism: The Integrated Spiritual Path of the Quakers by Amos Smith (2024, AnamChara Books)
Preface
“Quaker is often mistakenly thought as oats, motor oil or the Amish. The more informed might think of peace work, women’s rights, anti-slavery work, prison reform or the business acumen of the Lloyds, Barclays, Macy’s and Cadbury. When thinking of Quakers few people, however, immediately think of mysticism.” -Dr. Max Carter
For nearly 400 years Quakerism has held silence as the centerpiece of their fellowship and worship. As you will soon discover in Amos Smith’s excellent book Quakers (aka Friends) silent worship coupled with peaceful community action may well be the shape of things to come.
According to history.com the title ‘Quaker’ first “emerged as a derisive nickname for founder George Fox and others who shared his belief in the biblical passage that people should “tremble at the Word of the Lord.” The group eventually embraced the term, although their official name became Religious Society of Friends.”
This derision of the Quaker spiritual awakening should come as a surprise to those who have studied church history. Quakers took what most people viewed as a negative identity and wore it with humility and honor.
This might be likened the early 20th century Pentecostal who accepted being called as a “holy roller” because they were happy to allow the Spirit the freedom to be able to sway to gospel music or dance down the church aisles in joy and surrender.
Imagine living in the mid-16th century, just as the Protestant Reformation is catching on and establishing “Solo Scriptura” — the Word of God as the centerpiece of Christian teaching and worship — and along comes a humble, minimalist Friends spiritual movement which boldly declares it is possible receive the Word of God by direct revelation.
No priests, pastors, pulpits, stained glass windows or special order of service is required. Just surrender to the Spirit, the Light, the Seed of Christ within. Yes, Quakerism presented the simple gospel truth which must’ve shocked the religious leaders in much the way Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount shocked the religious leaders and the crowds 2,000 years ago.
It seems every new move of God is fought the hardest by the existing leadership. Why? Because the Kingdom of God requires a willingness to go back to square one: Christ in us, the hope of glory. It seems each progressive move of the Spirit requires a new level of surrender and open-mindedness — and surrendering to enter the silence of God individually and in community may be the biggest sacrifice of all — this side of eternity.
Introduction
My first introduction to the Quaker spiritual perspective came a few years ago when I read Parker J Palmer’s latest book, On the Brink of Everything. Frankly, I was amazed at how many of Parker’s spiritual truisms resonated with me. This prompted me to visit a local Quaker, or Friends meeting in Phoenix, Arizona.
Coming from a Christian background, I was used to typical church services being led by songs, then a message, offering, etc. But when meeting with Friends, it felt more like being in a contemplative prayer circle, which I would sometimes frequented at the St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Scottsdale.
So, I felt right at home sitting in silence with chairs in a circle, only this time instead of 20 minutes sits the silent meditation meeting lasted one hour — which admittedly at first seemed like a very long hour.
The moderator explained the simple rules; if you felt led by the Spirit to say something to the group during silent prayer, simply stand up, say your piece and then sit back down and proceeded in silence.
During the meeting, there was a sense that the Lord was in charge, without need of embellishing words, Scriptures, or even songs. Indeed, this was a very different form of worship than most Christians are used to, but also very refreshing in today’s world inundated with so many words.
What is Holistic Mysticism?
Thankfully, Amos Smith — a practicing Quaker as well as writer, workshop leader and rehabilitation counselor — systematically explains why Quakerism, or as some refer to Friends meetings, may well become the shape of spirituality in the future.
This comprehensive book is divided into five parts, “Core Soul Skills, Foundational Beliefs, Tools for the Inner Work, Outer Expressions of Inner Work and Inner Fruit of Silence.” In this review I will offer a fairly detailed review/overview of part one and two.
In the forward, Margery Post Abbott asserts, “Quakerism is at times called group mysticism and Quakers are sometimes called a society of mystics, for we experience the Spirit moving among the congregation during worship or as we settle into worshipful meetings for business.”
Dr. Max Carter in his foreword says, “Many contemporary Friends, as Quakers are often officially called, do not use the term mysticism themselves in describing Quakerism. Possibly because they’re more likely to associate mysticism with crystals, tarot cards and astrology, rather than deep mystical roots of their own faith tradition. This book helpfully describes the source of Quaker mysticism is a direct encounter without a broker or mediator with the Divine in its fullness as the Real Presence of God and inward Light of Christ, a Seed.”
Mr. Smith then dives into the fundamentals of what he means by Christian mysticism, which he points out has more than doubled since the 1960s. “The Christian of the future will be a mystic or will not exist at all,” said the legendary Catholic philosopher and Benedictine priest Carl Rahner.
Richard Rohr, the bestselling author, Franciscan teacher, mystic, and founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation, defines a mystic as “One who has moved from belief systems or belonging systems to actual inner experience…one who sees things in wholes rather than in parts.”
I like that. It is simple and inclusive. Spiritual mystics trust their inner spiritual experience which provides an expanded vision to see the big picture; the sacredness of everything and everyone.
As Amos points out, today people thirst for experiential spirituality. “Christianity has seen a resurgence of contemplative arts across traditions, Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox. While many spiritual searchers have turned to insight from great Catholic mystics from the past, Quakerism offers a rooted, integrated form of mysticism that has often been overlooked.”
“Quaker mysticism is both practical, accessible, communal and integrated. It exemplifies the journey toward ultimate homecoming and wholeness in Christ, then rolls up its sleeves in service.”
Contemplation and Action
This twofold mission of inner wholeness and then outward action is a common denominator seen in much of the rise of contemplative spirituality in the last decade. “Quakers were clear from the beginning that contemplation and activism are two sides of a single coin,” writes Amos.
Similar to Celtic spirituality, Quaker mysticism believes in the encountering of the Divine that’s expressed in service to others as well as an encounter with your own soul.
“The soul whispers to us, the origins of life and consciousness. It reveals primal intimacy with our Source and tells us who we are and what we are here on earth to do.” As Rufus Jones, one of the founders of Quakerism said, “We have a type of Christianity which begins with experience rather than dogma.”
“Whereas much of centering prayer or meditation is done individually, it is the centerpiece of Quaker meetings in community. It is in silence that we can hear God speak. Silence alone offers us an opportunity to quiet our mind.”
Amos likens our mind to a car engine — which if left running continuously will deteriorate prematurely — but during times of silent meditation we are finally at rest. By turning the engine of our mind off we can more clearly hear directly from our inner Source and find a renewed heart and mind.
In part one Mr. Smith explains the value of holy silence, of settling into silence and of waiting and listening. Did you know that silences are the most natural phenomenon in the world? And yet, as he points out, few of us take the opportunities to seek silence.
According to Amos, we’re surrounded by noise which contributes to everything from high blood pressure to heart disease to stress sleep disturbances. It is in silence, he tells us, that we can counter this noise distortion and put our nervous system at ease.
As author and the leader of the modern Centering Prayer movement, Father Thomas Keating said, “Silence is God’s first language. Everything else is a poor translation.” This also resonates with Saint Francis of Assisi, who famously said, “Preach the gospel at all times, use words only when necessary.”
“Quakers yearn for the inaudible Word, that is beyond all uttered human words, rather than passively, listening to a message delivered from a pulpit.” Mr. Smith explains, “Quakers are confident that God puts divine wisdom in each human mind and writes it on each heart, as it says in Jeremiah 31: 33.”
“When you step back and think about it, silence may be just the prescription to offset the impact of the constant stream of words from radio, television and podcasts that often leave us afraid of being alone with our own thoughts or open to hearing the thoughts of God. Stillness however, breaks through the confinement of linear minutes and hours. It reaches into an exquisite dimension outside time to reveal spaciousness, freedom, profound depth, and beauty.”
I like the way Amos compares the impact that silence has upon our level of intimacy. As our relationship with a significant other or dear friend ripens, we are more capable of sitting with them in silence, no words needed. This form of wordless intimacy is available with our Creator as well.
“As we make room in our lives for silence in a disciplined way, we find it is a place to be refreshed. It’s no longer a foreign land, it becomes our homeland and a familiar refuge,” says Smith.
“True silence is the rest of the mind and is to the spirit what sleep is to the body — nourishment and refreshment,” wrote William Penn.
Settling Into Silence
In chapter two, Mr. Smith discusses how Quakers “Settle into Silence.” He offers a helpful illustration of the value of sitting still in silence: Imagine your mind is a glass of water with particles of dirt floating within, making the water opaque instead of transparent. However, if you allow the glass to sit in stillness the impurities will settle to the bottom and the water will become transparent. So it is with our mind and soul when we sit quietly in silence.
Of course, our restless mind resists this settling quieting process because it requires surrendering the self/ego. But it is in abandoning of our false-self that we discover our abundant true-self.
This process of settling could be liken to Jesus’ words in Matthew 5, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” It is this pureness, or singleness of heart which helps make space for another type of seeing, from God‘s perspective. Silence makes room for seeing with new vision.
Chapter 3, entitled “Waiting and Listening” was especially helpful in reminding us that we are called to wait for the Lord. In our culture so driven by “doing” it’s often hard to just stop and “be” present.
Amos puts it like this, “When I am part of a traditional worship service, I always know more or less what to expect, but at a Friends meeting I never know quite what lies ahead because Quaker meetings leave room for the Divine Presence.”
“In silent, waiting worship we set aside our sense of time. We resist the urge to make something happen. As 20th century Quaker author Thomas Kelly wrote, “The world of time is no longer the sole reality of which we are aware. A second reality hovers, quickens, quivers, stirs, energizes us, breaks in upon us and in love embraces us together with all things…we live our lives at two levels simultaneously, the level of time and the level of the timeless.”
Following this great overview of Friends holistic mysticism, in part 2 the reader is given a simple, clear explanation of the foundational beliefs of Quarkers, which is simply boil down to unconditional love toward God and others. “This highest form of love is both practical and persistent and creates lasting earth-moving change. Combining mysticism with love in action.”
The Seed of Christ Within All
I like the way Mr. Smith incorporates the history and background of some of Quakerism’s founders, such as George Fox and Rufus Jones who shared a foundational belief that the Light of God and the Seed of Christ is within every person. Though this Seed may lay dormant until activated by the Spirit, it has the potential to grow in each and every life.
“The Seed or Light may become obscured or distorted as life unfolds because of mistreatment, degenerate, cultural influences and social scripting, yet it always starts out pure. We can recover that through contemplative prayer.”
This notion of the Seed of Christ being in everyone is one of the Bible’s foundational assumptions in Genesis chapter 1 which says that each person is created in the image and likeness of God. This concept is further developed in the New Testament as Jesus speaks about the Spirit of Truth abiding within everyone and that His promise was to put His Spirit within all. The Apostle Paul declared that “You are the temple and God’s Spirit dwells within you.”
“It is in seeing the Seed of Christ in each person which inspires Quakers to advocate for social justice, equality opposing slavery and promoting women’s rights,’ writes Smith.
“Under the leadership of individuals like George Fox and Isaac Pennington, Quakers dispensed with all outward forms of Christian ministry such as special vestments, paid clergy, baptismal fonts, chalices, and stained glass windows, distilling ministry to Christ within us.”
“Silence is the fertile soil, where the Seed grows each day offering a new opportunity to water the Seed or neglect it, our every choice determines the Seed’s outcome.
“Quaker’s believe in the Seed of Christ changes the way we think of others, it changes how we interact, regardless of how annoying or shallow a person may be cruel or violent, the Seed of Christ still lies buried within them. We are literally seeing with new eyes the divinity within each and every person. This fills our heart with a deep compassion. That despite piles of garbage which may lie deep within a person, within that same person lies a Seed, a Light that can be cultivated.”
Foundational Beliefs
In part two, Amos systematically unpacks seven of the foundational beliefs of Quakerism. While these foundational beliefs can all be found firmly rooted in the early Church and historic Christian mysticism few of them are practiced today.
Of course, the foundation of all of Christianity is unconditional love, yet few Christians are able to see the Seed of Christ within every person, nor experience the Real Presence of Christ in their everyday life. While a growing number of believers are beginning to discover the benefits of silent contemplative practices, Quakerism alone has pioneered the power and wisdom of group silence and mysticism.
While the vast majority of the Western church embraces the doctrine of “original sin,” Quakers and other mystics believe in the truth of “original blessing.” Protestantism firmly adheres to the infallibility of the Word of God, while Quakers seek the Spirit of Scripture. Fundamentalism seeks a full understanding of God, while mystics and Quakers embraces the mystery of God, the unknownabilty of our Creator.
In chapter 6, “The Seed of Christ,” Mr. Smith helps us understand the Quaker’s believe that all humans have a measure of Christ within them and when the Seed is nurtured and allowed to grow, it can blossom into a tree which then produces more seeds.
“The Seed within us is oncoming, unadulterated, beyond words and human constructs. Just a glimpse transforms. The Seed or Light may become obscured or distorted as life unfolds because of mistreatment degenerate, cultural influences and social scripting yet it always starts out pure we can recover that through contemplative prayer,” writes Smith.
This belief in original goodness and experience-based spirituality has some similarity with the Eastern church, which emphasizes that we are “hardwired for intimacy.”
In stark contrast to modern Evangelicalism, Quakers believe the Seed of Christ is already present in our hearts, regardless of how we live our lives, by recognizing, cultivating and watering the Seed we grow inwardly and outwardly.
“Quakers affirm that cultivation of the Seed does not occur by simply talking about it or listening to sermons about it, but rather by experiencing the Seed of Christ in silence.”
This profoundly changes the way that we look out at the world and it others we see them not as inherently evil, unredeemed individuals, but rather as someone who has so far neglected to nurture that Seed of God within them. This promotes a deep sense of compassion toward others and in seeking to provide nourishment for that Seed within them, rather than passing of judgment.
“Be who you were intended to be let the Seed of Christ grow in your experience the Real Presence of God in each aspect of your life.”
As you might imagine, the traditional Evangelical protestants were taken back by the Quaker’s understanding of original goodness and of Divine Presence being available to everyone, with intermediaries such as pastors and priest no longer being required. Yes, Quakers were equal opportunity offenders to the religious class.
“As a matter of conscience Quakers thought paid clergy were unnecessary. Quakers affirm that the Real Presence turns us all into priests — accountant-priest, parent-priest, homemaker-priest, lawyer-priest, factory worker-priest, computer science-priest, and so on. No matter our profession in life, we bring the presence of Christ.”
Group Mysticism
In chapter 8 entitled “Group Mysticism, Mr. Smith explains another unique aspect of the holistic mysticism of Quakers as the “Interplay between holding sacred silences and beholding the Seed of Christ in each person as we interact in community.”
In other words, holistic mystics are not simply cloistered monks on their own individual spiritual journey, but rather an interactive spiritual family coming together to worship in silence, interdependent on one another and then reaching out to serve the greater community.
Amos offers a great example of the unique dynamic of group mysticism; When we sit in a movie theater together we all experience the movie individually, and at the same time there is a common emotional response that produces similar states of consciousness which touches us internally.
Mr. Smith, quotes fellow Quaker author, Parker J, Palmer saying, “To hold solitude and community together is a true paradox, community happens as that of God in you responds to that of God in me.”
The rise of the contemplative prayer groups within Christianity attest to the power of community in silent meditation. Amos says “We need a community of contemplative mentors. That’s a gift that Quaker tradition collectively passes down through generations.”
Conclusion: Why Visit a Friends Meeting?
Quaker meetings are uniquely refreshing because of their emphasis on silent worship, equality among participants and their belief in direct communion with the Divine. And the doors are open to one and all.
These distinctive spiritual practices draws us further into the Presence of God, introspection, community and social activism. In summary, here are five elements you will likely experience when visiting a Friends meeting:
1. Unprogrammed Worship: Quaker meetings typically do not have a pre-arranged order of service or clergy-led rituals. Instead, participants gather in silence, seeking direct communion with the Divine.
2. Silent Worship: Silence is a central aspect of Quaker worship. Participants sit quietly, focusing inwardly, and may speak only if moved by the Spirit or “inner light” to share a message.
3. Equality and Community: Quakers emphasize equality among all participants. There are no official clergy or hierarchical structures; decisions are often made through consensus in a spirit of equality and community.
4. Direct Experience of the Divine: Quakers believe in the direct experience of God or the Divine. This belief underlies their practice of silent worship, where individuals can experience spiritual revelation or guidance without intermediaries.
5. Social Witness and Action: Quakers are known for their strong commitment to social justice, peace, and equality. This stems from their belief in the inherent worth and dignity of every person, leading them to advocate for positive change in society.
Much more could and should be said about the book Holistic Mysticism. For those in search of a new (yet old) form of spiritual worship which explores the innermost part of your being, I suggest reading this book and then visiting a local Friends meeting.
That’s what I will be doing more frequently in the days and weeks ahead. FYI, Friends meetings exist in virtually every city and town in America.
In the past hundred years, spiritual revivals have largely been marked by fanfare, tent meetings, hoopla and flashy preachers (think Elmer Gantry). But in recent decades, seasoned Christians and other spiritual seekers are searching for something fresh, something deep, something real — A new way to continuously recharge their spiritual battery from within.
I believe this new hunger is driving a global contemplative prayer renewal and interspiritual awakening — which will ultimately touch every stream within the church — Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox.
Sure, I will continue to enjoy worship gatherings featuring song and teaching, but after attending and serving for a half century in these familiar forms of worship, I feel it’s time for me to invest time listening to the voice of God directly — at home and in community. How about you?
Thank you Amos Smith… for bringing us inside the amazing world of Quakers/Friends as another step in growing our relationship with God!
- For an overview of Quaker wisdom by Parker J. Palmer, see my review of “On the Brink of Everything,” which also inspired a humble song.
- Recommended documentary: Quakers: That of God in Everyone (2015)
