Mending the World

True religion does not draw us out of the world but enables us to live better in it and excites our endeavors to mend it.  ~ William Penn

 

Quakers and Social Change

The quote above from William Penn expresses a central truth for Quakers: We are called to make the world a better place.

History. Quakers have a long history of working to do this, and our meeting continues to seek ways to build a more peaceful, just, and sustainable society.

Ongoing struggle. And . . . we continue to struggle to release ourselves from the legacies of privilege, including our roles in displacing indigenous people and slaveholding, and our ongoing complicity with racism.

Spiritual grounding. We seek, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to achieve healing and integrity in our community, and to continue to bring our faith values to the healing of the world. 

Below are quick links to aspects of our work for social change.

Quicklinks

• The "Testimonies" and the Testimonial Life
• Social Concerns Committees of the meeting
• Social Change Ministries under the Care of the Meeting
• Stands We've Taken
• Resources on Quakers and Social Concerns

Social Concerns Committees of the Meeting

Peace and Social Concerns Committee—Explores and engages in social concerns on behalf of the meeting, encourages participation in social change work and faithfulness to our social change leadings. Visit the Peace and Social Concerns Committee page.

Racial Healing and Wholeness Committee—Facilitates opportunities for the meeting to increase its awareness of the impact of racism on all of us and supports creating a strongly welcoming environment for visitors, attenders, and members who are people of color.

White-Richardson Trustees—Recommends disbursal of income from a trust fund dedicated to supporting enhanced educational opportunities for children of color in Philadelphia. Visit the White-Richardson Fund page.

Social Change Ministries

Several Friends in the meeting pursue what we call witness ministries under the meeting’s care, sustained efforts to effect change in areas of deep concern to them. They include:

• Helping the Religious Society of Friends Become More Welcoming to People of Color—Vanessa Julye (pronounced like the month), author of Fit for Freedom, Not for Friendship: Quakers, African Americans, and the Myth of Racial Justice. Vanessa conducts retreats for Friends of Color; leads workshops and gives presentations to increase awareness of white supremacy and its effect on Quakerism; and provides a place where Friends who work for racial justice can come together and support each other in their work within their meetings and other communities.
• Love and Respect Transform—.O: .O conducts support groups, develops curricula, delivers workshops, builds relationships in North Philadelphia and Grays Ferry, and facilitates educational programs to unite Philadelphians around our Right to Breathe, health and safety over profit, no fossil fuel expansion, and a green economy for all. 

Stands We've Taken

Click this link to visit our page for the Stands We Have Taken on various social issues.

Quaker Resources on Social Concerns

“Concerns, Leadings and Testimonies.” This and the following link are sections of Faith and Practice on social concerns. Faith and Practice is a book-length presentation of our beliefs and practices written by Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, our regional denominational organization.

“Friends Witness in the World,” Faith and Practice, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting.

Videos on the Quaker approach to a number of social concerns.

Getting Involved

If you would like to get involved in the meeting's work for peace, justice, and earthcare, contact the office (office@cpmm.org) and someone on one of our social change committees will get in touch.