"Quaker Thought and Tradition"
Bilingual (English and/or Japanese) Study Group
Study Questions
for the Tokyo Monthly Meeting
We meet once a month after a light lunch and meeting for worship at the Meeting House at 12:30 noon. You need not be bilingual to participate - and it is absolutely not required that you read the text. However, we strongly urge that you try to get a copy of the study text in English or in Japanese and prepare for the discussion.
We will be meeting at the Tokyo Monthly Meeting house from 12:30 noon. Our next study will be Sunday, May 9th. If you wish to participate, please call Tom or Yeri Coyner in the evening or on weekends at (03) 3331-8609 (Nihongo de doozo) or send an e-mail message to coynerhm@gol.com.
Current Study Text: Friends for 300 Years by Howard H. Brinton, Pendle Hill Publications
Please try to find the time to read in English or Japanese Chapters 8 ~ 10. The study questions are as follows:
Statement: Please consider the following regarding pacifism and Quakerism:When Joseph Hoag in 1812 was publicly pleading for his peace principles, a man in the audience said, "Well, stranger, if all the world was of your mind I would turn and follow after." Joseph Hoag replied, "So then thou hast a mind to be the last man to be good. I have a mind to be one of the first and set the rest an example."
Friends are often asked what they would do if attacked by a person intent on murder. Many would protect themselves by force if that force did not involve serious injury or the taking of life. Some would reply to this question as Thomas Chalkley did: 'I being innocent if I was killed in my body, my soul might be happy; but if I killed him, he dying in his wickedness would consequently be unhappy; and if I was killed he might live to repent; but If I killed him, be would have no time to repent." In the case of being called upon to protect another person, the decision would be more difficult, but the same general line of reasoning might apply. Death is not itself an evil, but the taking of life is an evil. The soldier who is killed suffers a material injury; the soldier who kills suffers a spiritual injury.
At the same time during World War II, Quakers often fought on both sides of the conflict - sometimes out of political or personal expediency; other times out of reflection to a higher principle.
Question: What is pacifism within Quakerism today? Is it a sound principle or ultimately a personal option?
* * *
Statement: Quakerism is often called "Primitive Christianity Revived." At the same time Quakerism does not include early Hebraic traits such as water baptism, blood sacrifice, and "the coming of the Messiah in clouds of glory." Quakerism appeared at the time of new awakening of reason and scientific exploration. Quakers were at the forefront of this intellectual revolution. And yet, they also called for a withdrawal to mysticism.
Question: Is Quakerism today still "Primitive Christianity?" If so, what is modern Primitive Christianity? If not, how is modern Quakerism different?
* * *
Statement: While Quakerism got a strong start, it was surpassed by Puritanism's type of activism that was more congeal to the Industrial Revolution. The Puritan's mechanical spurts of pure activism often left spiritual matters in neglect. However, during this century there has been awakening in even the scientific community of the unifying force that binds all together so that the entire world seems much more organic than mechanistic.
Inward
Outward
Superhuman
Mysticism
Evangelicalism
Human
Rationalism
Humanitarianism
Subhuman
Vitalism*
Materialism
a religion which worships the life-force in its biological sense - such as "tribal mysticism," kinship, patriotism, etc.*
Question: The failures of materialism and humanism had caused some people to look beyond. Most religions today lack adequate balance between an inner and outer side, mysticism and evangelism. While one may say many Christian churches are too outer-oriented at the expense of the inner side, where is Quakerism today in general and specifically in Japan?
Some Guiding Principles of Our Study Group:
1. We are to discuss in simple, frank and direct language.
2. We recognize there are many aspects to the Truth. Therefore, no one person is "wrong." We must also be willing to confess that at times all of our discussions may miss the essential Truth of the matter.
3. If we have a contrary view to that of another person, we will make our point by addressing the discussion topic rather than other person's views.
4. Whenever possible, we should restate or at least summarize our discussion points in the second language. If we are unable to translate, we should ask someone else in the group for help.
5. We will begin on time and we will end on time. However, we encourage informal discussions to continue past the closing time among ourselves.
Added 5th Month 4, 1999
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Minutes of the 12/14/98 Study Group Session (English)
Minutes of the 11/27/98 Study Group Session (English)
Minutes of the 10/29/98 Study Group Session (English)
Minutes of the 9/24/98 Study Group Session (English)
Minutes of the 9/24/98 Study Group Session (Japanese)