Marchers with a placard reading in part “we must consciously work”, from an AFSC article “A Letter to my White Sisters After the Women’s March”
Last Saturday, we met for Quaker Study on the topic of Equality. Penni hosted, and prepared some food for thought in the form of quotes and queries.
American Friends Service Committee, the US-based Quaker service organization, publishes a booklet called “An Introduction to Quaker Testimonies.” From it, we considered these queries:
- How do I respond to opportunities to establish personal and professional relationships with people whose backgrounds differ from mine, whether across class, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, or ability?
- In what ways do I work to change society so that everyone has equal opportunities?
- How can I speak up and take action in a loving way when I see and hear injustices?
- How do I “speak truth to power” in ways that honor the human dignity of people on all sides of an issue?
The conversation was informal and thoughtful, ranging over everything from the inherent rights of the Earth to whether socialist concepts can guide us toward equality. Many people contributed ideas from their own spiritual understanding.
Stay tuned for the next Quaker Study (they are scheduled roughly once a month) and consider joining us!
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