Comments on: Minute from FGC workshop, 2009 http://www.nontheistfriends.org/article/minute-from-fgc-workshop-2009/ For Quakers and others interested in nontheism among Friends (Quakers) Sat, 01 May 2010 07:24:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc By: Guy Stokes http://www.nontheistfriends.org/article/minute-from-fgc-workshop-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-69035 Guy Stokes Thu, 13 Aug 2009 20:59:25 +0000 http://www.nontheistfriends.org/?p=170#comment-69035 Thank you for posting this minute. It speaks to my condition, as I seek to unite with others of different traditions and beliefs in a peaceful way. "We met and deliberated in a spirit of love..." Alas, it seems so few of us approach one another this way. Thank you for posting this minute. It speaks to my condition, as I seek to unite with others of different traditions and beliefs in a peaceful way. “We met and deliberated in a spirit of love…” Alas, it seems so few of us approach one another this way.

]]> By: David Boulton http://www.nontheistfriends.org/article/minute-from-fgc-workshop-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-68998 David Boulton Sun, 09 Aug 2009 18:01:55 +0000 http://www.nontheistfriends.org/?p=170#comment-68998 Thanks, Friend Liz. I can't offer the kind of a breakdown you ask for as we did not ask workshop participants to label themselves in this way. Certainly none of them described themselves as theologically conservative, evangelical or FUM. The identity addressed by the workshop was specifically that of unprogrammed liberal Quakerism in the FGC and Britain YM tradition. At a rough estimate, about a third were openly nontheist Friends, another third open to nontheism without wishing to describe themselves as such, and another third openly Christocentic or theist. Of course, no claim is made that this in any way reflects the pattern across Liberal Quakerism as a whole: I'm sure nontheist Friends were over-represented. The minute should be read as the work of a self-selected group of liberal Friends of different viewpoints who acknowledged their differences, explored current tensions and misunderstanding, and affirmed their common identity as Friends together. Thanks, Friend Liz. I can’t offer the kind of a breakdown you ask for as we did not ask workshop participants to label themselves in this way. Certainly none of them described themselves as theologically conservative, evangelical or FUM. The identity addressed by the workshop was specifically that of unprogrammed liberal Quakerism in the FGC and Britain YM tradition. At a rough estimate, about a third were openly nontheist Friends, another third open to nontheism without wishing to describe themselves as such, and another third openly Christocentic or theist. Of course, no claim is made that this in any way reflects the pattern across Liberal Quakerism as a whole: I’m sure nontheist Friends were over-represented. The minute should be read as the work of a self-selected group of liberal Friends of different viewpoints who acknowledged their differences, explored current tensions and misunderstanding, and affirmed their common identity as Friends together.

]]> By: Liz Opp http://www.nontheistfriends.org/article/minute-from-fgc-workshop-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-68989 Liz Opp Sat, 08 Aug 2009 21:51:17 +0000 http://www.nontheistfriends.org/?p=170#comment-68989 This workshop was one I wish I could have attended but I was led elsewhere this year... Thanks for sharing this minute, which also serves as a sort of report to others not there, since there is no larger body or oversight committee to whom the workshop group is accountable. Is there anyway to get a breakdown of how many workshop participants were from Liberal, Conservative, United (FUM), and Evangelical meetings and churches? I'd be curious to know that figure. Of course, since this is an annual FGC event, it's highly likely that most Friends in the workshop are of the Liberal persuasion, with some FUM-FGC affiliated Friends thrown in. My point is, it makes sense to me that Liberal Friends would affirm a minute like this. Again, I wish I could have had the experience myself of being in the workshop. Perhaps another time... Blessings, Liz Opp, <a href="http://thegoodraisedup.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">The Good Raised Up</a> This workshop was one I wish I could have attended but I was led elsewhere this year… Thanks for sharing this minute, which also serves as a sort of report to others not there, since there is no larger body or oversight committee to whom the workshop group is accountable.

Is there anyway to get a breakdown of how many workshop participants were from Liberal, Conservative, United (FUM), and Evangelical meetings and churches? I’d be curious to know that figure.

Of course, since this is an annual FGC event, it’s highly likely that most Friends in the workshop are of the Liberal persuasion, with some FUM-FGC affiliated Friends thrown in.

My point is, it makes sense to me that Liberal Friends would affirm a minute like this. Again, I wish I could have had the experience myself of being in the workshop. Perhaps another time…

Blessings,
Liz Opp, The Good Raised Up

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