As we have been encouraged to consider faith development I have noticed a theme emerging recently. I grew up a part of a Quaker community that seemed to have two different streams intertwined.

One flow was that of the historical roots of Quakerism – affirming discernment, listening, consensus, the value of the Spirit work in all, diversity of leadership, peace, simplicity, social justice, and deep active love.

The other flow was an overlay of the evangelical and programmatic Christianity of the 1950’s and beyond – attractional ministry, measurable results, evangelism, “literal” use of scripture, hype and power, patriarchy, materialism and wealth, purity culture, right behavior, and drawing lines in the sand as to who is in and who is out.

I notice that it seems like some of the early Quaker values were suspended or rejected and replaced with efficiency, power, control, and centralized authority. The work I feel drawn to do with our community as we consider ARC (Authoritarian, Reactionary, Christianity-David Gushee) is to find ways to identify which set of values we are allowing to direct our community life? I hope we can continue to peel away some of the conservative evangelical overlay that has been weighing us down and impacting our ability to lean into social justice and love for all.

Quakers have often used a set of thoughtful questions, called queries, as a tool for reflection and evaluation. To allow Spirit to open space individually and at a community level. One of the next steps I hope we might consider at Wayside is to develop some thoughtful questions that might prompt us to consider whether we are giving into the overlay of ARC (or any other approach using power and domination). How are we staying true to the roots of peace, love, and covenantal community together?

Here are a few queries that are starting to rise to the surface:

– Are we making decisions based on reaction and anxiety or slow…breathing…peace?
– Is this action going to invite or deter diverse participation?
– How might we have open hands of love?
– How might we avoid violence of thought, words, deeds, and attitudes?
– Is this response going to “other” someone and cause harm to them?
– Do I trust that God is active and moving and is not dependent on me?
– How do we honor the vulnerable in our midst?

I hope to keep working on using reflective questions in my own life as well as our community life together. Not as a way to control or stifle, but as a way to open space and allow Spirit to flow freely with new life.