About Richard B. Miller Expertise I am primarily interested in answering questions about Quakerism today. I can answer some historical questions but I am not a history expert.
Experience I have been active in North Carolina Yearly Meeting (conservative) for over twenty years. I have served the Yearly Meeting in a number of capacities and currently am the clerk of my small monthly meeting. I am also a recorded elder.
Expert: Richard B. Miller Date: 3/23/2007 Subject: Quakers
Question who started this religion?? william or George? can u tell me why when and how it had begin???? what were some of their contemporaries and some of theie representative writings? Who were the religious leaders that brought the religion to the colonies? What were the difficulties encountered by their founding fathers?
Where did these religious groups settle?
Identify some representative churches here in Central Florida? What does the population dispersion of this religion look like in the world?
What does the population dispersion of this religion look like in the U.S.A?
What are some of their major social contributions? thanks!!!!
Answer George Fox is the founder of Quakerism. Fox had the insight that Christ has come to lead his people and that there was no need for human beings to look to priests or pastors to tell them about God. So Quakers abolished the "hireling ministry" that is, people who are paid professional religionists. The best representative writing of early Friends (Quakers call themselves "Friends") is found in Robert Barclay and William Penn. William Penn is the most notable figure in establishing Quakers in America though Quakers also settled New Jersey and North Carolina in large numbers. Quakers clashed with Puritans who imprisoned Quaker ministers who tried to preach in New England and they even hung one woman minister. Quakers were notable for their early opposition to slavery--Quakers had abolished slavery within themselves prior to the Revolution. They were also proponents of equal rights for women having woman ministers from the very beginning. They also advocated peaceful coexistence with the Indians and later prison reform and of course they have always stood for peace.
