I keep hearing denials recently that Quakerism is, or ever was, a mystical (i.e. experimental) tradition. Apparently Rufus Jones made this up. But as someone who has read very little Rufus Jones and a lot of early Friends, I’m deeply confused. If anything, Jones was embarrassed by their mysticism. - ThreadSky

furlyslantern.bsky.social • 31 days ago

I keep hearing denials recently that Quakerism is, or ever was, a mystical (i.e. experimental) tradition. Apparently Rufus Jones made this up. But as someone who has read very little Rufus Jones and a lot of early Friends, I’m deeply confused. If anything, Jones was embarrassed by their mysticism.

Comments

furlyslantern.bsky.social•31 days ago

Jones’s dislike of mysticism seemed to focus on negative or ‘apophatic’ mysticism. He pushed for an affirming social mysticism, which may have been a novelty. But apophatic mysticism is pretty common among early Friends.

furlyslantern.bsky.social•31 days ago

‘Give over thine own willing, give over thine own running, give over thine own desiring to know or to be anything…’ as Penington said.

‘[N]ot being only silent as to Words, but even abstaining from all their own Thoughts, Imaginations and Desires’ as Barclay said.

furlyslantern.bsky.social•31 days ago

I think care need to be taken in those who wish to deny the mystical tradition among Quakers to define what they mean by mysticism. It usually seems to be a veiled critique of universalism, which is quite a different question.

furlyslantern.bsky.social•31 days ago

Early Friends were not monolithic. They were diverse, sometimes eccentric, influenced by many of the currents of the world around them. Quakers were never *all* mystical, but the mystical thread of Quakerism has been with us since the beginning.

quakeitup.bsky.social•31 days ago

Good points raised here! My thoughts on the rejection of Jones’s view is his linking Quakerism to a wider, earlier European mysticism (which all had differing influences of their own) and a rejection of Quakerism’s Puritan influences

furlyslantern.bsky.social•30 days ago

Yes, it would be hard to ignore the influence of Puritanism on Quakers or say Quakerism was a direct descendent of earlier mystical traditions. But still, the continental Quietists were widely read by Quakers—there was clearly some resonance with a Quaker form of mysticism from the earliest years.

johanpdx.bsky.social•31 days ago

I like the way John Yungblut puts mysticism in context.
https://blog.canyoubelieve.me/2018/10/quakerism-of-future.html

furlyslantern.bsky.social•31 days ago

Thank you for letting me know about this, and for your own reflections. I will definitely take a read of John Yungblut's pamphlet.

Comments

Posting Rules

Reply