Fifty Years Ago, a Quaker Lit Himself on Fire to Protest War. How Can I Understand It?

by micahDiscipleship, Justice, QuakersPosted on One Comment

As he poured the gallon jug of kerosene over his head, onlookers reacted with disbelief. Before anyone knew what to do, he lit a match. In one terrible instant, 31-year-old Quaker Norman Morrison set himself ablaze in front of the Pentagon, just 40 feet below the 3rd floor window of Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. …

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"God" is no Substitute for Strategy

“God” is no Substitute for Strategy

by micahDiscipleship, Quakers, TheologyPosted on 10 Comments

The title of this post alone may have already made me a Quaker heretic, but I hope you’ll hang with me on this. One of the unspoken rules of the Quaker tradition is that you’re not allowed to admit that you have a clear plan. According to this school of thought, any strongly-held, long-term planning is dangerous …

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Is Boehner Right? Are There False Prophets in Congress?

Is John Boehner Right? Are There False Prophets in Congress?

by micahJusticePosted on 10 Comments

Just a day after welcoming Pope Francis, House Majority Leader John Boehner announced that he will step down from his role in Congress at the end of October. It’s a startling announcement that has caught almost everyone in Washington off-guard. Boehner’s resignation is being widely interpreted as a sign of just how irrational and divisive …

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What If They Threatened Your Family?

by micahInspiration, TheologyPosted on 9 Comments

I’m the kind of Christian who believes that, when Jesus said Love your enemies, he probably meant Don’t kill them. I’m also the kind of Christian who thinks that the discernment of the early church was correct when they concluded that military service is incompatible with following Jesus. For those of us who worship a man who …

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How Much Diversity Can You Handle?

by micahDiscipleship, JusticePosted on 6 Comments

Our culture puts a huge value on diversity. We have a whole laundry list of identity groups that we aim to see represented in our organizations, brands, churches, and movements. We track metrics like race, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic class, national origin – and the list goes on. This helps us feel good about ourselves. We like to think …

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Are Quakers Allowed to Speak in Tongues?

by micahQuakers, TheologyPosted on 79 Comments

The first time I heard someone speak in tongues was at the World Gathering of Young Friends, an international Quaker gathering held in 2005, in Lancaster, England. It was a minister from Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, Deborah Saunders, who spoke to us with a commanding presence and a message that struck me to the heart. She …

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