What do Nontheist Quakers believe?
Nontheist Quakers (also known as nontheist Friends or NtFs) are those who engage in Quaker practices and processes, but who do not necessarily believe in a theistic God or Supreme Being, the divine, the soul or the supernatural.
Is Nontheism the same as atheism?
Nontheism or non-theism is a range of both religious and nonreligious attitudes characterized by the absence of espoused belief in the existence of god or gods. Nontheism has generally been used to describe apathy or silence towards the subject of God and differs from atheism.
Are some Quakers atheists?
Atheist Quakers tend to be quite firm in their lack of belief, whereas Quakers who call themselves theists are often contentedly uncertain about the nature of God’s existence or character, as is noted by Mr Dandelion. He says his own personal beliefs are quite typical of Quakerism.
What is the meaning of nontheism?
Definition of nontheist : a person who does not believe that there is a god or gods : a person who is not a believer in theism Some rationalists have often assumed that all skeptics must be, like them, nontheists.
Why are Quakers called Friends?
Fox and Fell married in 1667. Meanwhile, “Quaker” emerged as a derisive nickname for Fox and others who shared his belief in the biblical passage that people should “tremble at the Word of the Lord.” The group eventually embraced the term, although their official name became Religious Society of Friends.
Which Bible do Quakers use?
| Quaker Bible | |
|---|---|
| Full name | A new and literal translation of all the books of the Old and New Testament; with notes critical and explanatory |
| Complete Bible published | 1764 |
| Copyright | Public domain |
Why do Quakers not take communion?
Quakers neither practise baptism nor celebrate the Eucharist. They don’t regard some activities as more sacred than others, nor do they believe that any particular ritual is needed to get in touch with God, so they do not believe in the sacraments practised in mainstream Christian churches.
Do Quakers wear crosses?
For instance, Quakers don’t have symbols. In a Quaker church (called a Meeting House) there are no crosses, stained glass or fish. Quakers think the Bible is important, but also recognize that the message is more important than the semantics of every word.
Do Quaker nontheists use ‘God language’?
Some Quaker nontheists have wholly abandoned ‘God language’ and hope for a progressive relinquishment of such language within the Society. Some choose not to use the word ‘God’ themselves but are happy to ‘translate’ it when it is used by other Friends in written or spoken ministry or in conversation.
What is “nontheism”?
Nontheism … is …the absence of any belief in a deity or deities, in the existence of God (where ‘existence’ is understood in a realist, objective sense), and especially belief in one God as creator and supreme ruler. (p.6, David Boulton)
Are Quaker meetings open to non-religious people?
Like all Quaker Meetings , these are open to everyone: Quaker or not, ‘theist’ or ‘nontheist’, ‘religious’ or not. So we look forward to seeing you there. ( Scroll down for recordings of past presentations ).
Are Quakers sincere in their beliefs?
In my view, however, the vast majority of believers are quite sincere in their beliefs, scamming no one, and are not particularly more pliant to the scams of others than unbelievers. In Quakerism in particular, ideas about God are far too diverse and unfocused to work as a coherent scam.