Quaker – Grace Evangelical Society

Christians and Civil Bravery in Hostile Societies

April 14, 2022 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - Quaker, Sanctification, Thomas Kelly

Thomas Kelly (1893-1941) was a Quaker philosopher and writer. Kelly’s son wrote a biography of his father (see here), in which he tells of what happened when Kelly was sent to Nazi Germany in the summer of 1938, out of concern for the welfare of Quakers who were feeling the oppression of life under Hitler.

Elton Trueblood on the Ministry of the Pastor

April 6, 2022 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - Elton Trueblood, ministry, pastor, Quaker

What does it mean to be a pastor? The popular conception is that the pastor is the man who gets paid to do all the ministry—at least, all the important “religious” stuff. He wears special clothes such as a robe and collar. He has the unique authority to marry, bury, and preach. And he is

The Problem of Basing Your Religion on Feelings: Hannah Whitall Smith’s Story, Part 1

July 30, 2021 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - emotions, Feelings, Hannah Whitall Smith, legalism, Quaker, Quakers, works salvation

Some brands of legalism are focused on obeying external rules. Think of the Pharisees trying to obey all the laws of Moses plus all the additional rules, regulations, and applications of the oral law. But other types of legalism are inwardly focused and highly subjective. An example of that is described in Hannah Whitall Smith’s

George Fox on Grace Before Godliness

January 11, 2021 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - George Fox, Grace, Quaker, Roman Catholic

George Fox was the organizer, if not the founder, of Quakerism, officially known as The Society of Friends. He traveled throughout Britain and the Caribbean, taking his message to whomever would listen and organizing the bands of followers who left the day’s official churches to worship more simply. Fox’s Journal is very interesting, if for

Quakers, Scripture, and Justification by Turning from Sin

September 16, 2019 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - Bibliology, Justification, Quaker

I read everybody. For example, I was reading this blog on Scriptural authority from “Ramblings of a Country Preacher,” an independent Quaker minister. He is arguing that Quakers—and all Christians—must return to Scriptural authority. Overall, I agree with his position: The perfect standard or Scriptural teachings have over time been consumed by the secular liberal

If People Are Born Unable to Believe: Six Options

July 25, 2019 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - Arminianism, Calvinism, Faith, inner light, Quaker, Total depravity, Wesleyanism

Are people born unable to believe? If so, how does anyone come to faith? As I work through these issues for an upcoming book examining “total depravity,” it might help to conceptualize the different answers given to explain how people who are born unable to believe can ever come to faith. Here are six options.