Anabaptism and Other Denominations
On this 500th anniversary of the beginnings of the Anabaptist movement, Rosedale Bible College’s Beacon articles will look at a wide variety of denominations within the household of faith, highlighting a different denomination each month. We hope to foster a humble, rooted appreciation for how the gospel has come to us and to consider how Jesus might be calling us forward.
George Fox began his spiritual searching around the age of nineteen, when he left his family and traveled through England during the turbulent years of the English Civil War in the mid-17th century. Dissatisfied with the answers offered by both ordained clergy and countryside preachers, he turned inward in search of God.
Fox recounts the life-altering encounter that followed: “And when all my hopes…in all men were gone, so that I had nothing outwardly to help me, nor could tell what to do, then, oh then, I heard a voice which said, ‘There is one, even Christ Jesus, that can speak to thy condition,’ and when I heard it my heart did leap for joy.”
Fox’s experience is foundational for those who call themselves Quakers, or Friends, and not just because it marks their beginning; it also establishes their central conviction—God can be encountered directly, and these encounters should be sought.
From a distance, the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition looks very similar to the Quakers. Neither takes oaths, both are committed to nonviolence, and both emphasize the priesthood of believers. These similarities reflect our shared desire to return to the teachings of Jesus and the early Christian tradition.
Our most significant difference, however, is where we find our authority. Anabaptists have historically been the most stubborn defenders of sola scriptura, the belief that Scripture alone is authoritative for the faith and practice of the Church. This can be seen in a letter written by Conrad Grebel to Thomas Muntzer, which says, “We…entreat and admonish you as a brother… to esteem as right and good only what is found in crystal-clear Scripture, to reject, hate, and curse all proposals, words, rites, and opinions of all men, even your own.”
The Quakers, however, share a different view. Robert Barclay, an early Quaker theologian, wrote, “They [the Scriptures] are not even to be considered as the adequate primary rule of all faith and practice. Yet, because they give a true and faithful testimony of the source itself, they are and may be regarded as a secondary rule that is subordinate to the Spirit, from which they obtain all their excellence and certainty… Therefore, according to the scriptures, the Spirit is the first and principal leader.”
This belief, that Scripture is “subordinate to the Spirit” in matters of faith and practice, is most clearly seen in how Quakers worship.
If you were to enter a traditional Quaker meeting for worship, several things might stick out to you. The first is the seating—rather than facing the front, worshipers sit facing one another. This reflects their belief in the priesthood of all believers, much like the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition, where “each one” is invited to contribute (1 Cor. 14:26).
A second observation would be the absence of a pastor. While some evangelical Quakers today do employ pastors and have more structured services, historically—and especially among liberal Quakers—worship has always been without clergy. Since the goal of worship is to encounter the “Inner Light” of Christ’s presence, Quakers maintain no set order of service, no instruments, and often, no sermon.
Despite our foundational differences, the Quaker tradition reminds us not to brush by the “still small voice” of the Spirit (1 Kgs. 19:12).
Quakers are careful to avoid “form without substance.” In worship, they move only when they feel the Spirit move them. For this reason, they have historically rejected outward symbols of faith such as baptism and the Lord’s Supper, primarily viewing them as spiritual realities meant to be inwardly experienced (e.g., baptism of the Spirit, communion with Christ, etc.) rather than outwardly practiced through the elements.
Instead, the primary form of worship is what they call “waiting worship” or “silent waiting,” where stillness creates space for the presence of God. Quakers believe that in silence, God can be most clearly encountered and heard, making it their primary means of approaching God and the medium through which God is experienced.
This practice can best be described by Ecclesiastes 5:1-2: “Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools…Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few” (ESV).
Despite our foundational differences, the Quaker tradition reminds us not to brush by the “still small voice” of the Spirit (1 Kgs. 19:12). The mantra repeated in Revelation 2 and 3 is, “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” If it is not already part of our lives, we could do well to cultivate the habit of sitting quietly before the Lord and waiting on him, listening to what He might be saying to us (Isa. 40:31, Ps. 27:14, Lam. 3:25–26).
This practice has been a staple for the Quaker community, and it remains a model for us today.
Still, the strength of Quakerism can also be its weakness. At times, the emphasis on personal experience has led some to elevate the “Inner Light” above the authority of Scripture, leaving individuals to define what is right and wrong for themselves. Without pastors or clear community standards, accountability can be lacking. Furthermore, a rejection of physical expressions of worship can lead to hyper-spiritualization, which can lead to a form of Gnosticism that rejects the idea of the biblical God who calls his creation “very good” (Gen. 1:31). Worship needs to be both “in spirit and truth” (Jn. 4:24).
The Quaker movement serves as a reminder to be sincere in our worship and to avoid heartless lip service and empty sacrifices, something that God has had to remind His people of quite often (Matt. 15:8-9; Hos. 6:6, 1 Sam. 15:22, Mic. 6:6-8). Its legacy continues to urge Christians to wait patiently on the Spirit, listen for His voice, and respond accordingly. At the same time, the movement serves as a warning not to separate our experiences from the guidance of Scripture, since doing so can easily lead to subjectivity and, ultimately, error. At their best, then, the Quakers remind us that true worship arises from sincere hearts, fully present, and yielded to the guidance of the Spirit.
Photo credit: pexels.com-Kamil Zubrzycki
One Response
There is so much about Quakerism that appeals to me. I find it a lesson and a tragedy that the movement drifted so far from the Bible (at least most of its adherents that I know of). The Quakers and the Mennonites made quite a team for a while in colonial Pennsylvania. Nice article, thanks.