Spiritual Awareness
Is accessible to everyone of any religion or none,
and no one person
and no one faith
has the final revelation
or monopoly of truth.
Such awareness may be expressed in many different ways.
We delight in this diversity.
Ask a Quaker Universalist why Universalism? Some thoughts…
The humble, meek, merciful, just, pious, and devout souls are everywhere of one religion; and when death has taken off the mask they will know one another, though the divers liveries they wear here makes them strangers.
William Penn, 1693
The real ecumenical movement is found among people who have experienced unity, and the universal faith is found there. But this universal faith lives in a way of life, rather than a set of beliefs.
John Punshon, 1987
“Why are you a Universalist Quaker?”. Eventually the notion came to me that Universalist Quakers are Quakers without borders, who positively seek understanding with people from other faiths and beliefs. 27.5 by Robert Barclay from Faith and Practice, seems so appropriate.
Laurie Burrow
As a Quaker Universalist I believe in the equality of all people and in the value of their beliefs - put succinctly - how can I believe in Equality if I believe my God is better than yours!
True faith is not assurance, but the readiness to go forward experimentally, without assurance. It is a sensitivity to things not yet known. Quakerism should not claim to be a religion of certainty, but a religion of uncertainty; it is this which gives us our special affinity to the world of science. For what we apprehend of truth is limited and partial, and experience may set it all in a new light; if we too easily satisfy our urge for security by claiming that we have found certainty, we shall no longer be sensitive to new experiences of truth. For who seeks that which he believes that he has found? Who explores a territory which he claims already to know?
F&P Charles F Carter, 1971
Highlight presentations from previous conferences
Over the years the Quaker Universalist conferences have covered many topics. For the more recent events there are recordings of the key presentations some of which are highlighted here
Stephen Cox – 'Truth in the media' presented at the 2018 Conference 'Quaker Understandings of Truth ...'
A Quaker since 1994, Stephen has led the communications of four national organisations, including 13 years at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children covering issues as diverse as sexual misconduct, scientific breakthroughs and fundraising morality. He has been a front-line participant dealing with investigative journalism, honesty in government, hysteria and hype, journalistic and public relations ethics, and many other issues. He says – ‘If you are not worried about truth in politics and the media, you are not paying attention’. He is a member of the LGBT community, and a member of North London Area Quaker Meeting. His novel comes out in 2019.
See here for more details and other recordings from the 2018 QUG Conference
Justine Huxley presentation in 2015 ' An Exploration of Meaning and Purpose in our Lives'
Justine Huxley, a Sufi recounted something of her own history. Story and meaning are intertwined and hers was told from a Sufi perspective. Although brought up by non-believers she was always searching. Having no baggage she sampled a variety of religions but in India she had a religious experience at a Sufi shrine and converted to Islamic Sufism in Istanbul. Two years later she exchanged Islamic Sufism for Universalist Sufism. For her, Sufism has two strands which give her life meaning. The first is the practice of silence – she belongs to the ‘silent Sufis’ – and in the silence undertakes an inner journey to ‘truth’ which is a realm beyond the limitations of the ego. The second strand is service.
See here for more details and other recordings from the 2015 QUG conference
Jan Arriens presentation at the 2017 QUG Conference ‘Exploring the mystery of mysticism’
Jan Arriens has had an interest in mysticism going back 50 years to his university days in Melbourne. He has written extensively in the Friend and other Quaker publications, including QUG pamphlet no. 17, The Place of Jesus in Quaker Universalism. Jan is the author of all-age Quaker stories (Journeys in the Light) and stories set in India with mystical overtones (Seeking the Source). Jan has been actively involved with prisoners on death row in the USA for nearly 30 years, founding the LifeLines correspondence organisation in 1988.
See here for more details and recordings from the 2017 QUG Conference