Quaker Creed in Relation to Science
Recently workers at the Marine Biological Laboratory received a statement of philosophy of the Religious Society of Friends (the National Quaker organization) in the form of a letter addressed "To the Scientifically Minded." It bore the signatures of Dr. Jesse H. Holmes, Professor of Philosophy, Swarthmore College; Dr. Roscoe Pound, Dean of Harvard Law School; J. Russell Smith, Professor of Economic Geography, Columbia University; Thomas A. Jenkins, Professor of the History of the French Language, University of Chicago; and Albert T. Mills, Professor History and Political Science, James Milliken University.For a large number of people of Christendom, especially for those trained in scientific thinking, the great organized Christian churches are failing to supply the needed religious element. The trend of our time is scientific. It is impossible for a religion which ignores or opposes this tendency to serve the purposes of all who receive modern education.
Most of the churches through their official bodies insist upon the Apostles or the Nicene Creed, the inerrancy of the Bible, the virgin birth of Jesus, and the verity of the miracle stories o f the old and new Testament, as essentials of belief. This letter is not addressed to those who are satisfied with such a creed; it is rather for any who have not found religious satisfaction.
This letter calls your attention to the Religious Society of Friends, commonly called Quakers. This society makes no claim to be a church in the sense of assuming authority to settle questions of doctrine or of historic fact. We are a society of friends who members owe each other friendliness, and claim no authority one over another. We have no formal creed, and such unity as we have - and we have a great deal - is due to the fact that reasonable minds working on the same materials are likely to arrive at similar conclusions. However, we demand no unity of opinion and we find both interest and stimulus in our many differences.
Most Friends agree that the Sermon on the Mount presents the highest ideal for a way of life; this we accept not only on authority from without but mainly as conviction from within. We thus unite on a common purpose; a human society organized on a basis of good will and friendliness. There are differences among us as to details and methods, but not as to this desired end. Our objective determines for us the meaning of RIGHT and WRONG. RIGHT is that which serves the common purpose, WRONG is that which hinders or thwarts it. It is the standard by which we undertake to test the organization of society, international policies, and indeed all human conduct and institutions. Our opposition to war is based on the conviction that war hinders the de development of the world family; yet we do not exclude from membership those who do not have that conviction. Many of us feel that our industrial system is in need of changes, but we have not arrived at unity as to what should be done about it.
We have deferred until this point the use of the word GOD - a word of diverse and uncertain meaning. To us GOD means a unifying influence which makes men long for a brotherly world; which tends to bind men together in unity. Our religion is built on such experience as the chief imperative of life. We have never been very particular about names; we have called this element of life the Reed, the Inner Light, the In-speaking Voice, the Christ Within, the Word. We are willing to have still other names; "The power not ourselves that makes for righteousness," the Hidden Dynamo, the Superself, the World-father, all seem to be proper symbolisms. Of course we do not claim to know if God is a person as we are persons. As we look ourselves over it doesn't seem altogether probable that the power which draws humanity together into the spirit of brotherhood is just a greater person than ourselves. But "It is not a question of personality or something less, but of personality or something greater."
Whatever God may be and whatever life may mean, we are not insured against loss, suffering, and death. But there is an element of life greater than our normal everyday selves which enables us to rise above loss and suffering and to face life and death without fear and with manly hearts.
The Religious Society of Friends is a group of people of good-will, working together for mutual support in making the God-element of life the commanding element. We never altogether succeed in doing this, but the effort is an essential part of our religion. It is only by squarely facing what is that man may hope to accomplish what may be: Wherefor relgiion as we understand it has nothing to fear from science. Indeed we welcome every extension of mental horizon, every new discovefry as to the nature of the world we live in.
We believe there are many who would find a richer life in membership with us, and we knowt that we need the strength of larger numbers. We need too the fellowship of men and women of intelligence and courage.
We invite correspondehnce wiuth any of the signers of this letter at Friends Advance Committee, 1515 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, Pa.
The Collecting Net would welcome letters discuss the Quaker creed and its relations to science.
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