News in brief

Peaceworkers create ripples and build relationships

Journal Letters from our peaceworkers in the UK and overseas give reports on their daily experiences, along with reflections on the deeper nature of their work. These are just a small taste of the latest Journal Letters, available in full at: www.quaker.org.uk/jl

Rainy season in Burundi has begun with a storm (literally), resulting in my housemates and I having to bail out the persistent, creeping water from our living room and kitchen. Meanwhile, our inconvenience is put into perspective as the torrents of water result in mass destruction of houses in nearby Kamenge. The far-reaching potential of active nonviolence and the melodic drumming of the rain into growing puddles outside my window put me in mind of a quote: “Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.” (Scott Adams)

Ruth Simpson, Bujumbura

Building peace amongst people is fundamentally inter-personal: it is about how we relate to one another as human beings with dignity and respect, and is cultivated through mutual dialogue and listening to what someone has to say. It is my hope that the experiences that I have gained so far, building relationships and connections in the peace movement, and learning from those around me, will help bring a focus and a firm grounding for the work ahead.

Christoher Wood, CND

Quakers ‘stand up’ against poverty and climate change

From 16–18 October, Quakers took part in a global movement of people literally standing up to demonstrate solidarity with those living in poverty and affected by climate change.

They also lobbied parliamentary candidates to persuade them to commit to tackling these issues. Quakers met with an impressive nine parliamentary candidates in six constituencies (out of a total of 200 candidates in 100 constituencies lobbied across the country) as part of The Great Persuasion, and engaged in some interesting and productive dialogue.

With 17 October being the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, and the weekend ending only 50 days before global leaders meet in Copenhagen for the global climate change talks, the discussions focused on poverty and climate change.

This is a particularly crucial time to for us to get our views heard by parliamentary candidates as a general election must take place by June next year, and the parties are still writing their manifestos. There is still time for you to write to candidates to express your concern about these issues. You may find the ‘Stand Up’ toolkit (available at www.quaker.org.uk/stand-up) of help, and could adapt the template letters within it.

Contact:
suzannei@quaker.org.uk
020 7663 1055

Sharing our faith deepens our own understanding

The two recent short publications produced by the Quaker Committee for Christian and Interfaith Relations (QCCIR) have been flying off the shelves.

Whilst they are intended to assist Friends to relate to other churches and faiths, what is emerging is that Friends themselves are finding the explanations of who we are in ecumenical language (Friends and the Ecumenical Agenda) and how Friends made a big decision (We are but Witnesses) as helpful to Friends across the Yearly Meeting.

Friends and the Ecumenical Agenda was produced to draw on the issues raised from the QCCIR response to the World Council of Churches’ Nature and Mission of the Church. It covers the topics of the guidance of the Holy Spirit, sources of authority, language and experience and “visible unity”. It includes questions for Friends and questions to raise with other groups.

We Are But Witnesses simply explains how the decision to recognise same-sex marriages came about. It is intended for non-Quakers and 2000 copies were ready for the October Meeting for Sufferings. By the second week of October, they had all gone and we are now into a second print.

The experience of QCCIR is that by taking responsibility to explain our theology to other churches and faiths, we educate ourselves.

The Committee is required to put into words – and often into language that many Friends are uncomfortable with – concepts which, as Friends, we rarely pin down.

However, writing down our interpretation of our belief to assist outsiders to understand us helps us to understand our own faith.

Throughout the process of drafting and writing, Friends on QCCIR are ever mindful that our task is at all times to get beyond the words. As Friends we are not seeking to win arguments or persuade others that our way is the right way. What we do seek to do is to work towards true fellowship with others through gentle understanding one of another. Sometimes, words are needed to do this.

Marigold Bentley

Secretary, QCCIR

Hospice workers for a dying world or midwives to a new one?

This was one of the questions considered by Quakers who attended two events recently organised by Quaker Peace & Social Witness and Woodbrooke. The events shared the title ‘A zero growth economy, what would it mean for us all?’

The first event, held at Friends House, saw speakers Miriam Kennet, Richard Douthwaite, Duncan Green and Alistair McIntosh discuss the nature of economic growth and the extent to which it is necessary or desirable if we are to live within our ‘environmental means’ and at the same time ensure that the world’s poorest are able to climb out of poverty.

Whilst there was no overall consensus, it is clear that a sustainable and just economy will require huge changes to our economic systems, relationships and assumptions. The way we look at and use resources of all kinds will have to change; Friends’ testimony to simplicity could have an important role to play in facilitating this.

Discussions continued at a fully booked area meeting representatives meeting at Woodbrooke, where Quakers considered the practical changes that we can work for a sustainable and just economy.

For more information, including podcasts of the London events, see www.quaker.org.uk/zero-growth-economy-conference or contact your area meeting representative.

The power of persuasion

Political persuasion often requires the slow and painful process of marshalling evidence over months and years.

The UK Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers (of which QPSW is a member) and our Parliamentary Liaison Secretary recently made submissions to the Joint Committee on Human Rights over the six-year trap whereby those joining the armed forces at age 16 may be compelled to serve for four years beyond their 18th birthday – a more onerous requirement than for adults.

In spring 2009 several thousand Friends petitioned Parliament for an end to recruiting under-18-year-olds.

The most recent report of the Joint Committee on Human Rights now finds ‘the Government must take positive action to improve the position of children in the UK’ and urges an end to both recruitment of under-18 year-old soldiers and alternatives to the detention of children and families of asylum seekers. The government is now required to respond to these recommendations within two months.

Michael Bartlet
michaelb@quaker.org.uk
020 7663 1070