The Living Fountain: Remembrances of Quaker Christianity

By Benjamin Wood. Christian Alternative Books, 2023. 208 pages. $19.95/paperback; $9.99/eBook.

In The Living Fountain: Remembrances of Quaker Christianity, Benjamin Wood argues that Liberal Quakerism has embraced radical plurality but has lost its sense of shared spiritual tradition. Wood points toward a drift from community, belonging, and accountability to an individual, autonomous spirituality. He believes the loss of shared Christian stories and symbols (which have acted as a roadmap of meaning for faith communities) is to blame for the lack of a “collective spiritual story.”

To regain this shared spiritual tradition, this book calls for Liberal Friends to—among other things—corporately read and wrestle with biblical texts, learn from the example of Christ, and embrace the Christian vocabulary and imagery used by the first Quakers. This endeavor is not in the service of dogma or tradition for its own sake. Rather, rediscovering the theological convictions of early Friends should fuel the same hope and love; embracing a shared narrative should increase community self-awareness; and recontextualizing ministry and service in light of eternity should strengthen and sustain it.

The book begins by tracing the loss of Christian identity, theology, and religious language among Liberal Friends. Using the mysticism of Rufus Jones as a theological watershed for the movement, Wood traces how the rise of Universalism, nontheism, and religious humanism made the primacy of traditional Christian language and symbols untenable, considering the diversity present within the meeting. Community coherence was thus maintained through orthopraxy and an emphasis on equilibrium and acceptance. However, by bringing the collective reading and study of Scripture into the mix, Friends can regain a shared “God-language” and grow in Spirit and community (even through disagreements and discomforts arising from the biblical texts).

But how can the Christian Scriptures, vocabulary, and imagery be used by the spectrum of Liberal Friends whose theological positions (such as Universalism and nontheism) have previously separated their expression of Quakerism from Christian dogma? Wood offers the answer in the image of “slow Jesus,” known by early Friends through the incrementally increasing experience of Jesus in daily life and a posture of expectant waiting for his teaching. This posture can be used by Liberal Friends to allow Jesus to be an example within one’s theological position and to challenge them beyond their theological comfort zone. Wood provides examples of how Jesus can be a spiritual guide for Quaker Universalists, nontheists, and humanists.

Wood later uses the Neoplatonist philosophy of seventeenth-century Friend Anne Conway as an example of a system of thought that used Christian theology (primarily its language and imagery) without being bound by it. Her example to contemporary Liberal Friends is found in her Quaker Christian vocabulary, which facilitates the articulation of hope and “enchantment” with the world (rather than stifling it).

He closes by reiterating that a call for a shared Christian cultural tradition, narrative, and vocabulary within Liberal Friends is not the first step toward dogmatic conformity but a shift toward a stronger community and a Quakerism that is “rich, substantial, and whole.”

Liberal Friends are Wood’s primary audience, and, as an insider, he writes to them with a knowing yet sensitive hand, acknowledging that he may be ruffling feathers and stepping on toes. However, nothing he writes here is acerbic or vindictive; instead, what flows from the pages is the presence of someone who loves the Religious Society of Friends in Britain (and the broader stream to which it belongs) and wants to see it strengthened and sustained.

This book would be interesting and informative to Quakers anywhere on the theological spectrum. Part of this stems from Wood’s “insider” perspective, for he not only provides a clear summary of the theological trajectory of Liberal Friends in the twentieth century and after but also articulates the sometimes-nuanced consequences that have arisen. (Chapter 2, “Quaker Theology: Recovering the Language of Hope,” was incredibly informative and perhaps my favorite chapter.) I also believe there is a graciousness and humility in Wood’s writing that allows readers, regardless of their theological orientation or initial opinion, to engage openly with his argument and evidence.

As an Evangelical Friend interested in helping my stream of Quakerism recover some of its distinctive historical qualities, I found encouragement in Wood’s efforts to connect Liberal Friends with the theological convictions of early Friends. I also recognize that such efforts are akin to creating a map, carving a new path, and then having patience and the belief that people will eventually find their way. While I cannot predict whether Wood’s proposal will inspire any immediate change of thought or action, I can recommend this book as a trustworthy roadmap of discernment and guidance, if and when a local or yearly meeting inquires into regaining a shared spiritual story.

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Derek Brown is vice president for academic services at Barclay College in Haviland, Kans. He is a recorded minister and member of Haviland Friends Church. He is married with twin daughters. His latest book, American Christian Programmed Quaker Ecclesiology: A Foundational Model for Future Empirical and Confessional Approaches, was published by Brill in early 2024.