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links added, one quote for social justice added
author ht
date Mon, 10 Dec 2018 17:53:22 -0500
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74 </style><title>Not a notion but a way</title></head><body style="font-family: DejaVu Sans, Arial; background: rgb(254,250,246)"><div style="text-align: center" class="head"><hr/><h1>Not a notion but a way</h1><div class="byline">Henry S. Thompson</div><div class="byline">9 January 2017</div><div class="copyright">Copyright &#xa9; 2017 <a href="http://www.ltg.ed.ac.uk/~ht/">Henry S. Thompson</a>&#160;<a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en">CC-BY-SA</a></div></div><div class="body"><div><h2>1. Introduction</h2><p><i>God, words and us</i> is a good thing to have done, 74 .note {width: 20%; float: right; clear: right; margin-left: .5em}
75 .bib p {clear: right; float: right; width: 75%; margin-top: 0pt}
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77 .bib div {clear: both}</style><title>Not a notion but a way</title></head><body style="font-family: DejaVu Sans, Arial; background: rgb(254,250,246)"><div style="text-align: center" class="head"><h1>Not a notion but a way</h1><hr/><div class="byline">Henry S. Thompson</div><div class="byline">9 January 2017</div><div class="copyright">Copyright &#xa9; 2018 <a href="http://www.ltg.ed.ac.uk/~ht/">Henry S. Thompson</a>&#160;<a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en">CC-BY-SA</a></div></div><div class="body"><div><h2>1. Introduction</h2><p><i>God, words and us</i> <a href="#hr">[Rowlands 2017]</a> is a good thing to have done,
75 thoughtful, worth reading but, for me, ultimately disappointing, an opportunity 78 thoughtful, worth reading but, for me, ultimately disappointing, an opportunity
76 missed. Maybe focussing on the language that divides us was necessary, and the 79 missed. Maybe focussing on the language that divides us was necessary, and the
77 light this book shines on the nature of that division, what is and isn't 80 light this book shines on the nature of that division, what is and isn't
78 important about it, is valuable. But it feels to me that it got trapped by its 81 important about it, is valuable. But it feels to me that it got trapped by its
79 own success and never got past a fundamental assumption which guaranteed its 82 own success and never got past a fundamental assumption which guaranteed its
90 belief are what distinguish many, even most, Christian denominations, but 93 belief are what distinguish many, even most, Christian denominations, but
91 that's something Quakers have stood aside from: we don't do creeds. And, 94 that's something Quakers have stood aside from: we don't do creeds. And,
92 importantly, we're not the only religion that isn't best understood in terms of 95 importantly, we're not the only religion that isn't best understood in terms of
93 belief. Acknowledging this points us towards a better way to distinguish 96 belief. Acknowledging this points us towards a better way to distinguish
94 ourselves, by shifting the focus from belief to practice, from 97 ourselves, by shifting the focus from belief to practice, from
95 ortho<i>doxy</i> to ortho<i>praxy</i>.</p><p>I don't claim originality in suggesting this: John Punshon pretty much writes exactly this in 98 ortho<i>doxy</i> to ortho<i>praxy</i>.</p><p>I don't claim originality in suggesting this: John Punshon <a href="#jp">[Punshon 1987]</a> pretty much writes exactly this, and I think it's at the heart
96 QF&amp;P 20.18, and I think it's at the heart 99 of what Ben Pink Dandelion has been writing and saying for some time.</p></div><div><h2>2. We already know this</h2><p>Some well-known phrases illustrate the point:</p><ul class="naked nolabel "><li>Let your life speak</li><li>Be patterns, be examples</li><li>A testimony to the grace of God as shown in the life of ...</li><li>A humble learner in the school of Christ</li><li>[For Quakers] Christianity is not a notion, but a way</li><li>As Friends we commit ourselves to a way of worship</li><li>Come regularly to meeting for worship</li><li>... in the manner of Friends</li><li>Swear not at all</li><li>Live simply</li><li>[A]lleviate suffering and seek positive social change</li><li>[L]ive in the virtue of that life and power that takes away the occasion of all wars</li></ul><p>And an old family story:</p><dl class=" "><dt><b><a name="visitor">visitor</a></b></dt><dd>Are you a Christian?</dd><dt><b><a name="host">host</a></b></dt><dd>[pause] You'll have to ask my neighbour</dd></dl><p>This emphasis on what we <i>do</i> as Quakers puts us, according to
97 of what Ben Pink Dandelion has been writing and saying for some time.</p></div><div><h2>2. We already know this</h2><p>Some well-known phrases illustrate the point:</p><div style="width: 20%; float: right; clear: right; margin-left: .5em"><small><i>[Still need a quote for equality/justice testimony]</i></small></div><ul class="naked nolabel "><li>Let your life speak</li><li>Be patterns, be examples</li><li>A testimony to the grace of God as shown in the life of ...</li><li>A humble learner in the school of Christ</li><li>[For Quakers] Christianity is not a notion, but a way</li><li>As Friends we commit ourselves to a way of worship</li><li>Come regularly to meeting for worship</li><li>... in the manner of Friends</li><li>Swear not at all</li><li>Live simply</li><li>[L]ive in the virtue of that life and power that takes away the occasion of all wars</li></ul><p>And an old family story:</p><dl class=" "><dt><b><a name="visitor">visitor</a></b></dt><dd>Are you a Christian?</dd><dt><b><a name="host">host</a></b></dt><dd>[pause] You'll have to ask my neighbour</dd></dl><p>This emphasis on what we <i>do</i> as Quakers puts us, according to
98 Karen Armstrong, in line with the origins of the great monotheist religions:</p><blockquote class="vanilla"><div><p>"Religion as defined by the great sages of India, China, and the Middle East was not a notional activity but a practical one; it did not require belief in a set of doctrines but rather hard, disciplined work..."</p> 100 Karen Armstrong, in line with the origins of the great monotheist religions:</p><blockquote class="vanilla"><div><p>"Religion as defined by the great sages of India, China, and the Middle East was not a notional activity but a practical one; it did not require belief in a set of doctrines but rather hard, disciplined work..."</p>
99 <p><i>The Case for God</i>, 2000</p></div></blockquote><p>Armstrong suggests that contemporary Judaism and Islam have retained 101 <p><a href="#ka">[Armstrong 2000]</a></p></div></blockquote><p>Armstrong suggests that contemporary Judaism and Islam have retained
100 their original self-definitions centred on orthopraxy ("uniformity of religious 102 their original self-definitions centred on orthopraxy ("uniformity of religious
101 practice"), whereas Christian denominations in the 103 practice"), whereas Christian denominations in the
102 main have shifted much more towards defining themselves in terms of orthodoxy ("correct belief").</p><p>It's not surprising that, surrounded as we are by churches for whom 104 main have shifted much more towards defining themselves in terms of orthodoxy ("correct belief").</p><p>It's not surprising that, surrounded as we are by churches for whom
103 orthodoxy is fundamental, as well as strident parodies of all religious people 105 orthodoxy is fundamental, as well as strident parodies of all religious people
104 as little better (indeed more dangerous) than flat-earthers, we should have 106 as little better (indeed more dangerous) than flat-earthers, we should have
143 point to hold on to is <i>that doesn't undermine the validity of the 145 point to hold on to is <i>that doesn't undermine the validity of the
144 doings</i>. Or, rather, it only undermines our faith if we <i>let</i> 146 doings</i>. Or, rather, it only undermines our faith if we <i>let</i>
145 it. If we restricted ourselves to only doing things if we understood why they 147 it. If we restricted ourselves to only doing things if we understood why they
146 worked, we'd have very little left. And, as the previous section tried to 148 worked, we'd have very little left. And, as the previous section tried to
147 explain, we know that what we do <i>does</i> work for us. So sure, keep trying 149 explain, we know that what we do <i>does</i> work for us. So sure, keep trying
148 to figure out why. But meantime, keep cheerfully practicing.</p></div></div></body></html> 150 to figure out why. But meantime, keep cheerfully practicing.</p></div><div class="bib"><h2>5. References</h2><div><b>[Armstrong 2000]</b><p id="ka"> Armstrong, Karen, <i>The Case for
151 God</i>. Knopf, New York, 2000.</p></div><div><b>[Punshon 1987]</b><p id="jp"> Punshon, John, <i>Encounters with silence: reflections
152 from the Quaker tradition</i>, pp. 44&#x2013;45. Quaker Home Service,
153 London, 1987. Also Friends United Press,
154 Richmond Indiana, 2006. As quoted in <i>Quaker
155 Faith and Practice</i>, The Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of
156 Friends (Quakers) in Britain, 1995. Available online at <a href="https://qfp.quaker.org.uk/passage/20-18/">QF&amp;P 20.18</a></p></div><div><b>[Rowlands 2017]</b><p id="hr"> Rowlands, Helen ed. <i>God, words and
157 us</i>. Quaker Books, London, 2017.</p></div></div></div></body></html>