Quaker Views on War: A Complicated Legacy of Pacifism

The Religious Society of Friends, commonly known as Quakers, holds a profound and unwavering commitment to peace as a core belief. This commitment is encapsulated in a testimony known as the peace testimony. However, this belief is not always uniformly followed, as history has shown that even within the Quaker community, individuals and groups faced the challenge of reconciling their spiritual principles with the demands of wartime obligations.

What is the Peace Testimony? Quakers have collectively reached a unanimous agreement that war and violence are inherently wrong. This belief stems from a deep-seated perspective that sees violence as a rejection of God's will and a breach of divine love. Consequently, Quakers strive to live a life that embodies non-violence and seeks peaceful resolution to conflicts.

Challenges and Exceptions within the Quaker Community Although Quakers generally abstain from all forms of violence, there have been instances where members found themselves in situations that tested these principles. The Diary of a Quaker family member, whose grandfather served in the Friends’ Ambulance Service and later joined the regular army during World War I, provides a poignant illustration of this internal conflict.

During the war, the grandfather and his cousin, Lawrence Cadbury, joined the regular army despite the Society of Friends' pacifist stance. Their notebooks and diaries from the time, though enlightening, lack their personal reasoning. The experience must have been profoundly challenging, and the rest of the family was deeply affected by this decision, with strong disapproval expressed by the grandmother. Harrison Barrow, the grandfather's uncle and too old for active service, faced even greater adversity when he was imprisoned for distributing leaflets that criticized military enlistment and encouraged troops to desert.

These incidents, while challenging, highlight the august history of Quakers in the face of war. They demonstrate the struggles within the community, while also underscoring the commitment to seeking non-violent solutions as a guiding principle.

Modern Quaker Testimonies As society has evolved, so too have Quaker testimonies. Today, the peace testimony is part of a broader set of four testaments, which include simplicity, truth, equality, and peace. Although these values are indeed interwoven, peace remains the most critical component of the Quaker faith.

Core Values and Personal Convictions The core value of Quakers lies in individual spiritual conviction and personal experience with the divine, rather than the collective and institutional beliefs. This individualistic approach, while providing a strong sense of personal authenticity, sometimes brings challenges when it conflicts with societal or communal expectations, especially during times of war.

Conclusion

The Quaker commitment to peace is not merely a passive stance but a dynamic and evolving belief. It is enriched by both the history of individual sacrifices and the ongoing dialogue within the community. Quakers continue to explore and redefine their relationship with violence and conflict, striving to live in harmony with God's will and promote a world of peace and understanding.