The Spirit of the Quakers

December 20, 2010
Durham is an English Quaker, "convinced" (the Quaker term for those not born to the faith) to join the faith in 1999. The book is fairly idiosyncratic in its organization. The lengthy history of Quakerism (begun around 1650) is covered in a four-page chronology. Durham's exposition introduces excerpts from major Quaker writers. This principle makes theoretical sense, since Quakers, known early as "publishers of truth," have been voluminous writers and journal-keepers. But major points get submerged; Quakerism has a notable history in America of objecting to the institution of slavery, for example, but that's not apparent in this book. Additional exposition would have better marshaled and provided context for the excerpted material. Durham's British roots and his affiliation with the unprogrammed wing of Quakerism also dramatically affect his selection of essential writers and even his timeline. Rufus Jones and William Penn are underrepresented; Richard Foster, a well-known evangelical Quaker, is altogether absent. Anthologies invariably evoke this kind of debate. Yet this is a disappointingly limited introduction for Americans. British Quakers may well be more satisfied.

March 1, 2011

Durham, a British broadcaster and magician who converted to Quakerism in 1999, has crafted this valuable book--both anthology and explication--especially for those unfamiliar with the Society of Friends. He opens with a brief, introductory overview followed by 12 chapters on topics such as Quaker meeting for worship, Advices and Queries, faith in action, peacemaking, the four testimonies (equality, peace, simplicity, and truth), and community. Durham coherently weaves together excerpts from the writings of renowned Friends of the founding period (1650-1700), his own commentary, and contributions of contemporary Quakers through 2009 to illuminate each topic and demonstrate the great variety of Quaker thinking. Additionally, there are chapters with extended excerpts from the religious journals of George Fox, Mary Penington, John Woolman, and Pierre Ceresole. VERDICT Highly recommended for general readers seeking a basic grounding in Quakerism. Companion reading should include the Journal of George Fox, the Journal and Major Essays of John Woolman, and Geoffrey Hubbard's Quaker by Convincement.--James R. Kuhlman, Univ. of North Carolina at Asheville Lib.

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