Quaker author Olivia Chalkley’s article, “Young Adults Want What Early Friends Had,” appears in the September 2023 issue of Friends Journal.
Olivia Chalkley discusses her experience finding community within Quakerism and her desire to see a resurgence of spirituality and tradition similar to the early Quakers. She found spaces like Baltimore Young Friends and Guilford’s Quaker Leadership Scholar Program transformative. Currently she works for School of the Spirit, a Christ-centered Quaker community. Olivia notes many young adults are attracted to the clear spiritual identity offered by Catholicism and sees potential to reconnect Quakerism with its roots. The internet allows seeking spiritual communities across distances. She’s interested in translating Quaker languages and educating about traditions to spark renewed fervor. While not starting anything herself, Olivia remains open to connecting with others pursuing this vision for revitalized Quaker spirituality.
Olivia Chalkley is a young adult Friend living in Philadelphia, Pa. She’s an alum of Guilford College’s Quaker Leadership Scholars Program and the 2017-18 Quaker Voluntary Service Atlanta, Ga. cohort. She currently works for the School of the Spirit Ministry, where she helps create spaces for Friends to unite spiritual deepening practices with worldly witness.
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