Conscientious Objection: Discerning and Documenting a Claim

Now that the Selective Service System (SSS) registration for the draft in most states is automatic when getting a state driver’s license, Quaker youth and other youth of faith rarely consider making a claim as a conscientious objector (CO). Youth miss the opportunity to discern and articulate their nonviolent beliefs and opposition to war. If a draft were ever reinstated, they could have as little as nine days to prepare a CO claim before having to go before a local draft board. This workshop is an opportunity for youth (both young men and young women) to consider their beliefs and to learn the process for documenting a CO claim if they feel led to do so. This workshop is also an opportunity for other people of faith (parents, grandparents, and community mentors) to learn how they can support youth to consider these important questions.

Workshop Leaders:

  • Curt Torell of Chapel Hill Friends Meeting
  • Andrew Wright of Durham Friends Meeting
  • Will Strayer of Durham Friends Meeting

Workshop Sessions:
Will include watching a film on one’s own time before December 27 and participating in 4 Sunday evening Zoom sessions from 7-8:30 pm ET on

December 27, January 3. January 10, January 24

Registration:
All participants must register by filling out this Google Form. A suggested donation of $5 (to help cover the cost of the license to watch the film Soldiers of Conscience) will be collected by PayPal once the workshop has begun.

Resources:
We will provide access for participants to watch “Soldiers of Conscience” and will provide a folder with various documents from Curt’s curriculum “Conscientious Objection: Is This for You?”.

Watch the QuakerSpeak interview with Curt to learn more.

An Introduction

The Quaker Religious Education Collaborative (QREC) is an international, cross-branch, grassroots network of Friends sharing a stewardship for lifelong Quaker faith formation through religious education. We formed in April 2014 and now serve more than 300 Friends in our network. We actively engage and support each other across languages and continents. We gather for regional and annual conferences and offer monthly Conversation Circles via an online conferencing platform. 

Steering Circle

We share leadership as part of our collaborative mission, making decisions using the Quaker ‘sense of the meeting’ process, sitting in expectant, worshipful waiting for the emergence of shared truth. Read more…

Working Circles

Hand Icon

Our work  takes place in ‘circles’ or small groups of Friends who labor on a common task, usually meeting by video conference due to the geographic diversity of the membership. Read more…

The Resource Library

Finders Guide, a sampling of the collection

The QREC Resource Library is a place to share lessons and other educational information in support of our work as Quaker religious educators. This library is a forum for curricula, articles, videos and other educational materials on Quaker themes. You will also find principles, policies and procedures to strengthen operation of your child, youth and adult religious education programs.

Children's Education

Adult Education

Family

African Quaker Library

Youth Education

Small Meetings

Young Adult Friends

Biblioteca QREC

Events

Find renewal, companionship, and help for nitty gritty issues in Quaker religious education, all the while opening spaces for Spirit to work and listening together for God’s way forward.

QREC holds an annual conference and retreat. In addition we hold online Conversation Circles and post other religious education events as we learn about them.

Conversation Circles

Online conferences for Quaker religious educators to share about their work. Conversations are scheduled for two sessions per topic to encourage international participation.  Join the conversation…

Other Events

Hand Icon

Religious education events of interest to Quakers from all parts of the world. Please let us know about upcoming online or in-person events happening in your area. See the list of upcoming events…

Love at the Heart

Spiritual Practices

Discernment

Active Caring

Quaker Family Culture

Finding the Light

Faith at Home

Home is the heart of faith formation for all families. This is especially true for Friends. As an experiential religion, Quakerism is best learned through living in loving community. Indeed, the vast majority of faith formation for our young Friends happens at home in the busy swirl of daily life.

Become a Member

Submit Resources

Get Announcements

Donate

Attend an Event

Contact Us

Get Involved

QREC depends on all of us sharing our gifts and skills as religious educators. Here are some of the ways you can get involved…