(This is a part of my “Top Ten things that drive me crazy about Quakers” list. Thanks to Barclay Press for the opportunity to think about this.)
1. Living in the past
Yes, we have a heritage. Yes, we have a wonderful history. But we are the heirs of a living, breathing, present-tense vibrant experience of God! I long for us to look forward, to be radicals who listen to God and who communicate the power and love and inclusiveness of God to our broken, wounded, and exclusionary world.
God is not silent! God is not finished with us yet! If we want to be relevant to the world in which we live, we would do well to find ways to articulate a meaningful way forward…and leave behind closed doors our reminiscing with the family about the good old days.
And the antiquated typefaces and the museums some of us worship in. Idolatry of the glorious past of Quakerism is still idolatry.
But I’m glad we are able to delve into our past and resurrect some of the spiritual practices that stood us well for 300 years, because they serve us now, not just because our spiritual grandfathers liked them.