Comments on: Even a simple church could use a how-to http://boyinthebands.com/archives/even-a-simple-church-could-use-a-how-to/ Scott Wells on the practice of Christian faith Tue, 14 Oct 2008 17:00:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: john simcox http://boyinthebands.com/archives/even-a-simple-church-could-use-a-how-to/#comment-44022 john simcox Sat, 13 Oct 2007 16:05:51 +0000 http://boyinthebands.com/archives/even-a-simple-church-could-use-a-how-to/#comment-44022 I imagine the word "conservative" here would confuse many people, and some might think it refers to political conservatism. The conservative friends are actually the theological moderates in Quakerism, I think. Is that correct? I also feel a lot of affinity with the Friends, while realizing that I'm not one of them. I think I've met a few conservative friends, and also visited a group of strongly Evangelical Friends in NYC in the 70s. Well, back to the task of trying to connect with Unitarians and/or Universalists who have not given up on or forgotten God and/or universal salvation. John I imagine the word “conservative” here would confuse many people, and some might think it refers to political conservatism. The conservative friends are actually the theological moderates in Quakerism, I think. Is that correct?

I also feel a lot of affinity with the Friends, while realizing that I’m not one of them. I think I’ve met a few conservative friends, and also visited a group of strongly Evangelical Friends in NYC in the 70s.

Well, back to the task of trying to connect with Unitarians and/or Universalists who have not given up on or forgotten God and/or universal salvation.

                                                 John
]]> By: Dan http://boyinthebands.com/archives/even-a-simple-church-could-use-a-how-to/#comment-43990 Dan Sat, 13 Oct 2007 00:39:52 +0000 http://boyinthebands.com/archives/even-a-simple-church-could-use-a-how-to/#comment-43990 Yeah, a simple church, reduced to its essentials, it sounds good to me too. But. In the Quaker version, it's not as simple as it appears on the surface. In the Quaker version, there is first of all the Discipline of the Yearly Meeting to be attended to, and the Queries that the Yearly Meeting sends out. You should probably have read George Fox, and works by other weighty Friends. You have to be willing to subject yourself to the discipline of Clearness Committees and elders, you have to know how to sit in silent expectation, you have to learn how to do consensus. And there's more to know besides. It has always seemed to me that doing church simply means pouring far more personal effort, time, and self-discipline into it than if you do conventional church. And maybe that's what's holding lots of us back from really doing simple church.... Yeah, a simple church, reduced to its essentials, it sounds good to me too. But. In the Quaker version, it’s not as simple as it appears on the surface. In the Quaker version, there is first of all the Discipline of the Yearly Meeting to be attended to, and the Queries that the Yearly Meeting sends out. You should probably have read George Fox, and works by other weighty Friends. You have to be willing to subject yourself to the discipline of Clearness Committees and elders, you have to know how to sit in silent expectation, you have to learn how to do consensus. And there’s more to know besides.

It has always seemed to me that doing church simply means pouring far more personal effort, time, and self-discipline into it than if you do conventional church. And maybe that’s what’s holding lots of us back from really doing simple church….

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