Spring Break
Quakers give friendship a whole new meaning
Religion at Hopkins
Issue date: 12/6/07
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Johns Hopkins was one. William Penn was another. So were Betsy Ross, Elizabeth Blackwell and James Dean.
Each of these famous figures belonged to the Religious Society of Friends. Commonly known as Quakerism, this Protestant denomination is centered around, as members of the Homewood Friends Meeting put it, truth, integrity, simplicity and equality.
"We just have a really strong history based on the strong leadership that develops out of giving people their own way in life and not putting so much pressure on people to conform," senior Jason Goldman-Petri said.
The Homewood Friends Meetinghouse is located on North Charles Street in a quaint brick building that holds a library and a meetinghouse. The building was originally planned to seat 300 people for the Baltimore Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends. But now the Baltimore Yearly Meeting has moved elsewhere and the Homewood branch has a little over 100 members.
Under the leadership of George Fox, Quakerism took root in 1650s England. The term "Quaker" comes from when Fox was taken to court to answer for his unorthodox views.
He reportedly told the judge to tremble and quake at the word of the Lord. The judge derisively asked Fox if he was a quaker, but Fox proudly acknowledged the term and the name has stayed with the group ever since. Quakers believed that God was within every person, which was the essence of their relationship with God. Living in the Spirit was thus sacramental and there was no place for creeds, dogma nor external celebration of sacraments.
Thus, Quakers do not have ordained priests since all are believed to be ministers.
Meetings for worship are conducted in silence to wait for God's guidance, which comes from either stillness of the word of those who are moved to speak.
Nancy Clark, a member of the Homewood Friends Meeting, said of the Friends' philosophy, "We emphasize that of God's presence in each of us and look for it in each other," she said.
Each of these famous figures belonged to the Religious Society of Friends. Commonly known as Quakerism, this Protestant denomination is centered around, as members of the Homewood Friends Meeting put it, truth, integrity, simplicity and equality.
"We just have a really strong history based on the strong leadership that develops out of giving people their own way in life and not putting so much pressure on people to conform," senior Jason Goldman-Petri said.
The Homewood Friends Meetinghouse is located on North Charles Street in a quaint brick building that holds a library and a meetinghouse. The building was originally planned to seat 300 people for the Baltimore Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends. But now the Baltimore Yearly Meeting has moved elsewhere and the Homewood branch has a little over 100 members.
Under the leadership of George Fox, Quakerism took root in 1650s England. The term "Quaker" comes from when Fox was taken to court to answer for his unorthodox views.
He reportedly told the judge to tremble and quake at the word of the Lord. The judge derisively asked Fox if he was a quaker, but Fox proudly acknowledged the term and the name has stayed with the group ever since. Quakers believed that God was within every person, which was the essence of their relationship with God. Living in the Spirit was thus sacramental and there was no place for creeds, dogma nor external celebration of sacraments.
Thus, Quakers do not have ordained priests since all are believed to be ministers.
Meetings for worship are conducted in silence to wait for God's guidance, which comes from either stillness of the word of those who are moved to speak.
Nancy Clark, a member of the Homewood Friends Meeting, said of the Friends' philosophy, "We emphasize that of God's presence in each of us and look for it in each other," she said.
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