New Book that will interest NFF folks.

Comment by Ellis Hein on 10thMo. 21, 2012 at 19:39

Can you tell us a little more about the book? It sounds very intriguing just from the title.

 

Ellis Hein

Comment by Gerard Guiton on 10thMo. 22, 2012 at 9:24

Hello Ellis,

 

Thanks for emailing. I'm reading this in northern NSW where I live. I am a member of AYM.

 

The book is divided into two parts. The historical part places the eQs their social, economic, political, military and ecclesiastical context. New material there.

Part two is a systematic theology. Principally I look critically at the growth and development of Q Testimony during the initial revolutionary phase of Quakerism, 1650-63. The Peace Testimony is not the Fox-Hubberthorne tract to C2 in 1661 but the whole of the 1650s experience of Kingdom and Testimony. Quaker theology of this period, and arguably up to 1700 and sometime beyond, was dominated by their emphasis on the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom had many names - 40 all told - of which the Light, the Christ, the Seed , Christ's Doctrine are good examples. Nayler called it the Garden of God. The 1650s experience culminated in a Pentecostal experience in 1659-1661, The Fox-Hubberthorne declaration and one each by Fell and Burrough constituted a tapestry of the 1650s experience which was unconditional to time and space.

The latter means that, of course, the Quaker Pentecost carries the same meaning and dynamic to all ages and places including our own.  The book thus ends with a plea to recover the lost dimension of Quakerism - the Jesus Way ('Prim Xianity revived') for our own times. This is certainly not a call to 'go back' to those times which is historically ridiculous and would discount the healthy theological developments in Quakerism since their times.

The book's ideology is Christian universalist which is what the early Friends were. This is not to be confused with what Samuel Caldwell calls 'pseudo-universalism', the sort which has its genesis in the thought of John Linton in the 1980s.

The book is published by Inner Light Books - about 18-20 pounds I think in paperback.

If you buy iy and like it - please do our Society a real favourin touting it around the traps. Iwrote it for the Society in particular, out of a Concern recorded by my own LM and Regional Meetings.

Hope things are Ok with you and yours, I'll be in the Uk next year post march and it would be nice to catch up if that were poss, to catch up also with NFF folkslike Simon Watsonand Allisdair.

Blessings,

 

Gerard Guiton

 

 

Comment by Ellis Hein on 10thMo. 23, 2012 at 13:12

Thank you for filling in the picture on your book. Your concern behind the writing of the book is a valid concern for not only the Society of Friends, but for all Christendom. We just listened (last night) to the third presidential debate. (I live in Wyoming.) One thing the candidates seemed to agree upon was that the United States is the only hope of the world. Where in such a mind-set, and it is a widely accepted mind-set here in the States, is there any room for realizing that the demands of the kingdom of God take presidence over the demands of the kingdom of man? Where is there room for realizing that the kingdoms of man are not bringing forth the kingdom of God on Earth and that our goal as Christians is to see that kingdom of God realized here and now? Where was the realization that the only way to true happiness and fulfillment for those on Earth lies in "Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me"? This means we must cease from all man's teaching and learn from Christ.

Ok, enough for now. I hope you have a fruitful time when you visit the UK

Ellis

Add a Comment