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RELIGION LIBRARY
Society of Friends (Quaker)
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Overview
Origins
History
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Rituals and Worship
Ethics and Community
Early Developments
English Quakers were severely persecuted for refusing to attend the state church, take oaths in court, or fight in wars, insisting on freedom of speech, assembly, and worship, and condemning slavery and the treatment of prisoners and the mentally ill.
Schisms and Sects
During the revivalism of the early 19th century, Quakers seeking fresh expression of their faith split into three groups: Hicksites, Wilburites, and Gurneyites.
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Missions and Expansion
Early Friends were persecuted in the American colonies, but William Penn (1644-1718) made Pennsylvania a refuge for fellow Quakers.
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Exploration and Conquest
A historic peace church, the Society of Friends has made a significant contribution to American history and society by consistently advocating for peace, public education, temperance, democracy, women's rights, and the abolition of slavery.
Modern Age
During WWI, the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) and its British counterpart provided ways for conscientious objectors to contribute to relief and reconstruction efforts. Still highly esteemed and active, the groups were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1947.
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