Mid-17th century England was swept by dramatic changes: sharp religious and political conflict, rising hopes, charismatic leaders and popular grassroots movements — in short, a world much like the one we live in today. Friends were born as a faith community into this world — bringing with them approaches to worship, gender and class relationships, beliefs about how Christ works within His church, and ways of making decisions that were in many ways a sharp departure from previous Christian practice.
This program walks with those Friends, sharing what we know about their fresh approaches to worship, belief, and life with others. The main intention is to reflect together on what first generation Friends have to teach us in terms of how we can live together into these same critical questions as a faith community today.
Purposes of course:
- To enrich Friends’ knowledge and understanding of the first generation of Friends
- To use this understanding to help Friends today enter a similarly radical living relationship with Christ as a faith community
- To help Friends churches to use this understanding as a springboard to talk together about key issues in the life of the church today including worship, discernment, social testimonies, and radical witness.
The course was developed by Peter Blood-Patterson of New England Yearly Meeting. Peter has been leading retreats and adult religious education courses for Friends meetings for many years. Peter’s ministry of Quaker writing and teaching is carried out under the care of Mount Toby (MA) Meeting. This is an adaptation of an earlier curriculum intended for use in unprogrammed meetings called “The Revolutionary Roots of Quakerism”. He was assisted in this adaptation by Becky Ankeny, a recorded minister in Sierra Cascade Yearly Meeting. For more information contact Peter.
Download the course materials:
1. Course Summary Birth of the Friends Church- 2. Birth of Friends — Sessions Handouts
- 3. Irreverent Quaker Quiz (for Session One)
- 4. Timeline Birth of the Friends Church (for Session One)
- 5. Birth of the Friends Church — Skits
- All course PDFs in one file
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
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
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…
Author: Peter Blood-Patterson, Becky Ankeny
Illustrator:
Publisher: Peter Blood-Patterson
Age Group: 13 to 15 years, 16 to 18 years, Adults, Young Adult Friends (YAFs)
Preparation Time: Will vary depending on the knowledge & experience of the leader.
Related File: Click to view/download file
Related Link (or File): Click to go to link
Topics: Adult Ed Beyond Intro, Adult Education, Adult Education, Essential Reading, Bible, Bible Study, Community, Curriculum, Eldership, Equality, Integrity, Journaling, Lessons & Activities, Meeting Practices, Meeting for Business, Non-violent Resistance, Peace, Peacemaking, Quaker Faith & Practice, Quaker History, Quaker Process, Quaker Values, Quakerism, Quakerism Intro, Queries, Simplicity, Stewardship, Testimonies, Theology
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
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
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…