Who are we ?
Quakers (also known as Friends) have no ‘creeds’, dogma, priests, clergy or rituals. We each bring our own experience and gifts to the meeting and we share the roles that support us as a community. We use our book "Quaker Faith and Practice" to guide us.
We meet in silence and stillness, to experience the promptings of the Spirit - who some may call God, or the Inner Light.
We listen to each other's reflections. We let our lives speak.
What do Quakers believe?
Historically Quakerism has its roots in the Christian tradition. When George Fox founded Quakers in 1652, he was "a dissenter", challenging the established church. He became an itinerant preacher, sharing the message that everyone can have a direct relationship with God, without the need of a priest or church.
Nowadays Quakerism is more about our experience than a set of beliefs. For some that still means a connection with God, but others connect to a different sense of spirituality. We hold that there is "that of God in everyone".
As Quakers we look for the good in everyone and believe that we can all act for the benefit of others if we connect to that true inner part of us. We can each find ways to help others and thereby change the world.
Quaker Values
Quaker values or 'Testimonies' underpin the way we live our lives. The testimonies of British Quakers today are: Truth, Simplicity, Peace, Sustainability and Equality. We try to "Let our lives speak" through social action and witness.
Here is a short video about Quaker faith in action. You can find other videos about Quakers at these links : Discovering Quakers and Quakers in Britain