F R I E N D S
S E M I N A R Y
INTRODUCTION
Since the gathering of their first communities in the seventeenth century, members of the Religious Society of Friends, or Quakers, have been wary of creeds or other prescribed declarations of faith. However, individual Friends, as well as small groups of Friends and Friends’ Meetings, have issued written statements of their beliefs (testimonies), as well as guidance and advice about ways of being and acting in the world. These expressions of “faith and practice” are living documents, open to revision as Friends engage in the continuing search for truth. The Friends Seminary Faith & Practice began to take shape three years ago with a meeting of faculty and staff, and continued, as many Quaker projects do, with the formation of a committee, consisting of representatives of the faculty, the School Committee, and parents. Using as its core the six testimonies generally accepted by Friends today, the Faith & Practice Committee prepared this booklet with input from the entire school community, including students from Kindergarten through Upper School. In particular, most of the queries were generated in student homerooms and advisories, and in meetings of faculty and staff. Faith & Practice is at once a reflection of our present reality and an expression of our aspirations as an educational community informed by Quaker values. This first edition of the Friends Seminary Faith & Practice was approved by the Friends Seminary School Committee in April, 2012.
contents 2 meeting for worship 4 testimonies
4 integrity · 5 equality · 6 peace 7 simplicity · 8 stewardship · 9 community
10 practices
10 reflection · 11 approaches to learning 12 academic integrity · 13 service · 14 justice 15 diversity · 16 decision making · 17 dialogue
18 glossary of quaker terms 20 acknowledgments & sources of quotations
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meeting for worship Central to the Religious Society of Friends is the belief in the Inner Light—that of God in everyone. Early Friends gathered in Meeting for Worship to wait in silence and open themselves to the Spirit. In a “gathered” meeting, they experienced a sense of unity, peace, joy, and the glory of God’s creation. If the Spirit moved a Friend to speak, he or she rose to share the message. Friends felt this to be the continuing revelation of truth. The Friends Seminary community considers Meeting for Worship the heart of the School. Members of the community may interpret Meeting in various ways, depending on their ages and beliefs. The essential element is gathering in silence; the stillness provides respite from our busy lives, and we learn to be comfortable with and even welcome silence. We learn in Meeting to listen, reflect, speak, and be patient. Queries may be used to facilitate reflection. Meeting provides the opportunity for all present to be connected in community. The idea that truth is continually revealed shapes our vision of education as a community of learners.
“The Quaker experience is that, in the silence, as we are open to one another in love, we help each other by sharing our strengths and weaknesses. The Quaker conviction is that as we go deeper into ourselves we shall eventually reach a still, quiet centre. At this point two things happen simultaneously. Each of us is aware of our unique value as an individual human being, and each of us is aware of our utter interdependence on one another.” George Gorman, 1982
QUERIES · What can we learn from Meeting for Worship? · How is Meeting for Worship communal and individualistic at the same time? · Is being quiet on the subway the same as being quiet in Meeting? · What helps me to be still in Meeting?
“The silence we value is not the mere outward silence of the lips. It is a deep quietness of heart and mind, a laying aside of all preoccupation with passing things—yes, even with the workings of our own minds; a resolute fixing of the heart upon that which is unchangeable and eternal. This ‘silence of all flesh’ appears to us to be the essential preparation for any act of true worship. It is also, we believe, the essential condition at all times of inward illumination.” Caroline Emilia Stephen, 1891
· How does the way I sit or where I sit in Meeting affect my experience of Meeting? · Am I open to messages from all sources in Meeting? · How do I take what I learn in Meeting for Worship into the rest of my life?
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equality
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For Friends, the testimony of equality begins with the belief that all have an equal potential for access to truth. We encourage all to turn inward for guidance and truth. All are deserving of respect, no matter what our differences may be. This potential access to the truth, and the respect that it demands, provides a powerful support for growth and change. It creates the ground for a community of mutual respect. At Friends Seminary, our belief that the adults and the students under their care are able to grow and change informs our educational practice. We work both in our academic life and in our relationships with one another to instill respect and the hope for our continued development as human beings.
QUERIES · Following the Quaker belief that we all have equal potential to speak the truth, how do we foster the capacity to speak our truth and listen to that of others? How do we respect differences of political opinion?
· Economic and learning differences may foster an inequality of respect. How do we address these? · How do we foster growth and change in one another?
“Though all of us are attracted to physical beauty, cleverness, wittiness, and intelligence, the Quaker affirmation that there is that of God in each person asserts that being worthy of respect does not depend on attractive qualities or skills. Until we can respect another person without any justification except that he or she is a child of God, it is not really respect.” Paul A. Lacey, 1998
“The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain . . . until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life.” Jane Addams, 1912
“My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together.” Desmond Tutu, 1994
TESTIMONIES
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peace The peace testimony was one of the earliest of Friends’ testimonies to be articulated. It arose from the recognition of the connection of inward to outward peace. Having found inward peace at the heart of their spiritual experience, Friends saw how war and other forms of outward violence were not compatible with their inward experience. Knowing that each human being had that of God within meant that killing any other human being was wrong. Seeing that war had its roots in fear, hatred, greed, ignorance and injustice meant that engaging in it would be spiritually as well as physically destructive. Recognizing the wrongness of war freed Friends to seek other, more productive and loving ways to address the root causes of conflict. At Friends Seminary, we try to resolve conflicts without resorting to physical or emotional violence. Issues such as cliques and bullying are addressed as part of the peace testimony. We strive to examine the message within the conflict.
QUERIES · What is inner peace and how is it developed? How can we foster it? · We all see violence in the real world, including news, movies, video games; how can we be prepared to see violence without being desensitized? · Can you have peace without justice?
“Peace, in the sense of the absence of war, is of little value to someone who is dying of hunger and cold . . . Peace can only last when human rights are respected, where people are fed, and where individuals and nations are free.” Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama, 1989 “I have no idea, because I am a nonresistant, of submitting tamely to injustice inflicted either on me or on the slave.” Lucretia Mott, 1860 “The places to begin acquiring the
· How do we work with conflict in the community? Does competition have a role to play in working through conflicts? What is the relationship between conflict and competition? · What are peaceful ways to express and respond to anger? · What if someone destroys my block building on purpose?
skills and maturity and generosity to avoid or resolve conflicts are in our homes, our personal relationships, our schools, our workplaces, and wherever decisions are made.” Yearly Meeting of Aotearoa/New Zealand, 1987
simplicity The testimony of simplicity arose from Friends’ conviction that avoiding over-dependence on possessions and self-indulgence would better enable us to open ourselves to God. It is a way of organizing one’s life—of setting priorities. It asks us to step back, to free ourselves from emotional and physical clutter, from “busy-ness,” so that we may discern what is truly essential. “It implies clarity, calm and focus, rather than distraction, stress and excess.” (Earlham College Community Principles and Practices) At Friends, the testimony of simplicity is one with which we struggle, as we are confronted daily by the demands of our frenetic, multi-tasking culture. We are challenged by this testimony to create the space, within the school and within ourselves, where we can interact creatively with that culture: “to be good stewards of all our resources, including our own time, energy and talents.” (Earlham Principles and Practices)
“Live simply, so that all may simply live.” Elizabeth Anne Seton, ca. 1815
“Simplification results from a realization of what is essential.” Hans Hoffmann, 1932
“Simplicity does not mean that all conform to uniform standards. Each must determine in the light that is given him what promotes and what hinders his compelling search for the Kingdom. The call to each is to
QUERIES · How do we decide what really matters to us? · What are the standards by which simplicity can be measured? · How can we achieve simplicity as a school in New York City in the 21st Century?
abandon those things that clutter · Why is simplicity valued? · How can the way we work together throughout our busy days embody a vision of simplicity that is more than the absence of pressure or the pursuit of efficiency?
his life and to press toward the goal unhampered.” Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Faith & Practice, 1955
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TESTIMONIES
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stewardship Stewardship asks that we care for and make wise use of the
“Stewardship is a coming together
world’s resources. Historically, Friends have been concerned about
of our major testimonies. To be good
the environment, but in recent years the issue has become more
stewards in God's world calls on us
urgent. Friends think of stewardship as the recognition that the earth is
to examine and consider the ways
not ours to use as we see fit, but is on loan to us from God. The Friends Seminary community is encouraged to care for the School’s
in which our testimonies for peace, equality, and simplicity interact to
environment. The School strives to facilitate good stewardship at all
guide our relationships with all life.”
levels of operation, from energy policy and dining practices to students’
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Faith &
use of materials in the classroom. Students practice being stewards of
Practice, 1997, 2002
the School’s facilities, so that they may apply these values and practices to the world in which they live, understanding that we are not alone in depending on earth’s resources.
heal her wounds and in the process heal our own—indeed to embrace
QUERIES · Are we conscious of the ecological consequences of our use of resources and technology? · How can we be more conscious of the impact of our actions on our communities and our environment?
“We are called to assist the earth to
the whole creation in all its diversity, · How can I work to protect nature? How can people be nicer to nature? · What do I need and how can I avoid taking more than I need? · How can we take care of our belongings and things we care about?
beauty and wonder.” Wangari Maathai, 2004
community While Friends have always been concerned with the well-being of Quaker communities, the testimony of community was first articulated in 1952, building on the long-standing tradition of caring for others. Community is a discipline in which we listen deeply, trusting others and ourselves to be, together, the imperfect body through which love speaks on earth—bringing heaven here. At Friends Seminary, community is the field in which we practice the other testimonies. Our testimony of community goes beyond welcoming, caring for and serving others in the school and wider community—though it includes those actions. In community, we enter into a deeply creative tension between the Inner Guide of the individual and the wholeness of the community. The work of holding that tension strengthens individuals and the community, and grounds the growth of both.
QUERIES · How can we, as a community, be aware of and respond to people who don’t feel part of the community? · How do we balance the needs of the individual with the needs of the community? · Are we being good role models for one another?
· How do we help families become part of our community? · How do we build a sense of community in spite of our differences in education, power, and experience? · How are the different divisions of the school working together as a community? · How can I find a way to include my friends in my games?
“Our life is love, and peace, and tenderness; and bearing one with another, and forgiving one another, and not laying accusations one against another; but praying for one another, and helping one another up with a tender hand.” Isaac Penington, 1667
“We know ourselves as individuals, but only because we live in community. Love, trust, fellowship, selflessness are all mediated to us through our interdependence. Just as we could not live physically without each other, we cannot live spiritually in isolation. We are individually free but also communally bound. We cannot act without affecting others and others cannot act without affecting us. We know ourselves as we are reflected in the faces, actions, and attitudes of each other.” Janet Scott, 1980
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PRACTICES
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reflection At Friends Seminary, reflection is a means of arriving at and deepening truth about ourselves, others, an action or situation, the environment or a complex set of ideas. Reflection is a tool for understanding and discernment. We strive to heed such insights from a place of understanding, acceptance, and forgiveness. We also acknowledge the risk-taking that searching within, voicing an as-yet-unrecognized truth, or preparing for and participating in a class can entail. We seek to question, not reflexively, but deeply. Reflection is a skill that is nurtured in Meeting for Worship. It is enhanced by a still mind and freedom from distraction, and it can enhance a still mind. In the classroom, age-appropriate times of reflection help ground students for the work ahead as well as integrate the material they have learned; study itself may be a form of reflection. Moments of reflection help community members understand and react more thoughtfully to, events and to one another. Asking students to stop and reflect is not a form of punishment. Action grounded in understanding has power.
QUERIES 路 What is the value of reflection? 路 What role does reflection play in your life? What role could it play? 路 How may our understanding of reflection in school apply to our lives out of school? 路 How can we structure our activities to leave room for reflection?
approaches to learning Our approach to study is influenced by Friends’ belief in the importance of learning and speaking from experience. Our experiences are an important source of learning. We are a community of learners, and learning emerges from the relationship, with all its members’ discussing and evaluating ideas. Recognizing that any person may be an important source of truth, we encourage openness to a variety of points of view and an open, respectful relationship between teachers and students. We work to establish an atmosphere of trust, where everyone’s contributions are respected and where we feel free to experiment with new ideas and activities. Students may be consulted about decisions to be made and are often asked to evaluate a course, unit, or program. Teachers try to look for possibility in the work of each student, and encourage students to develop the habit of reflection.
QUERIES · How do we articulate our expectations for success? · How can we structure and modify our curriculum in terms of pacing and levels to support different learning styles and aptitudes?
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PRACTICES
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academic integrity “One of the Quaker ideals to which our school aspires is integrity . . .
QUERIES
An academic community depends on honesty at all stages of learning:
· There are two friends, Joshua
research, analysis and presentation. When one chooses to be dishonest
and John. Joshua saw John
at any stage of the learning process, one fragments oneself and
cheating on a test. If Joshua doesn’t tell the teacher, does that
diminishes the community . . . Because all scholarship builds on existing
mean Joshua has no integrity?
scholarship, all scholars—experienced and inexperienced—rely on
· Does my academic integrity
the truthfulness of their colleagues.” (Friends Seminary Statement on
affect others?
Academic Integrity, 1996)
· Do I seek the truth and speak it even when it gets difficult?
service Members of the Friends Seminary community are called upon to “‘bring about the world that ought to be.’” (Friends Seminary Mission Statement) Nowhere can this be seen more than in the service our students, faculty, and families provide to others and the natural world. Through various forms of service, members of the community translate the Quaker faith
13 QUERIES · How can our service raise awareness of problems and injustices in the world?
into action. By serving others, we learn to see the other as self, recognize
· What does service do to us and
injustice, and offer possible solutions to the problems facing our world
how do we feel afterwards?
today.
· How do we make service
In addition to community service, students at Friends also engage in service-learning. Through service-learning, students seek truth for the benefit of self, others, and the larger world. In the process, students gain valuable skills that will allow them to lead more meaningful and engaged lives. Through the service-learning cycle of observation, study, reflection, and action, students hone their ability to separate fact from opinion, to question and perhaps challenge stereotypes and injustice, and come to realize that while not all problems have solutions, they should never stop searching for truth.
authentic? · How do the relationships established through service help all those involved?
PRACTICES
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justice We recognize that the world is not just. Students may come to the school living with the consequences of injustice. At times, justice may require absolutely equal treatment; at other times, attention to difference is what creates justice and meets a person’s need. Therefore, we devote a
QUERIES · How do we educate ourselves about economic justice?
substantial part of our budget to financial aid. We recognize that people
· How do our labor practices
learn in different ways. We work to give students what they need to thrive:
reflect the practice of justice?
access to technology, class trips, extended time on tests, enrichment work and access to support through the Academic Center, for example. In the Lower and Middle Schools, the focus is on solving problems, rather than assigning blame. In the Upper School, students and faculty participate in making disciplinary decisions. When discussing consequences, the Student/Faculty Committee works to take into account the individual circumstances of the students involved.
· Where do we see injustice in the School and how do we address it? · What is the difference between punishment and consequences? · Economic and learning differences may foster inequality
In our curriculum, we ask students to consider the importance of justice
of opportunity. How do we
as a value and to be aware of injustice in the world. Our goal is to prepare
address this?
them to work for the world that ought to be.
diversity
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The practice of diversity at Friends Seminary draws on several of the
QUERIES
testimonies, especially those of equality, community, and integrity. It
· How do we recognize the value of and ensure respect for the many kinds of diversity?
begins with the idea of seeing ourselves in others and others in ourselves— seeing our fundamental connectedness—but it demands more, because starting with ourselves may lead to making assumptions that blind us to the reality of others. It asks that we listen with openness and humility to each other and engage in dialogue that may be challenging; part of that challenge is the need to peel away ingrained conditioning and to be open to continuing revelation. It asks that we recognize that there may be privilege intrinsic to our backgrounds and that there is privilege associated with being a part of the school community, no matter what our background may be. The practice of diversity acknowledges our differences. The many kinds of diversity at Friends Seminary—including culture, race, ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, gender identity, family, physical ability, ways of learning, and the kinds of work we do—reflect the richness of our interconnected world.
· Recognizing the issue of privilege, how do we support the full participation of all members of the community? · How do we respond to mistreatment because of difference? · How do we help each other feel included? · How do we support an intrinsic sense of self-worth? · How can we talk about difference with an open mind?
PRACTICES
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decision making Decision making in a Quaker school requires balancing respect for Quaker process with the requirements of deadlines and legal considerations within a community that is hierarchical and where most members of the community do not see decision making as a common search for truth
QUERIES · How can we encourage unity in decision making?
(which, ideally, is the essence of the decision-making process in a Quaker
· How can a decision be good
Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business). Balancing these different
for everyone while not satisfying
considerations may, at times, be a struggle.
everyone?
At Friends Seminary we work to preserve the spirit of Quaker process and to create trust, which is crucial to all decision making. It is important that there be opportunities for different opinions to be expressed, and that different perspectives be taken into account. It is helpful for those leading a meeting to clarify the role of all participants in making the decision; transparency builds trust. Gathering input is always important, but using a process that most closely parallels reaching a Quaker “Sense of the Meeting” (an assessment that all are willing to unite in support of
· How do we balance the need for prompt practical action with reflective decision making? · How does a decision-making body reflect in its decision that the input of the group has been considered?
a decision even if they don’t completely agree with it) takes time and is a
· What role do I have in decision
precious tool that is best reserved for major decisions.
making?
dialogue
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Friends’ testimonies lead to the need for open communication within
QUERIES
our community. Ideally, the life of the School includes an active listening
· How do we maintain peaceful
that respects the opinions of others in the dialogue. Deep listening is a
discourse without silencing
discipline, which, among other things, requires patient attention to views
dissenting voices?
that may have been previously expressed, and restraint in the use of voice, physical presence or authority to dominate the discussion. Disagreement may be fruitful and does not imply disrespect. It is our hope that out of dialogue will come greater creativity and an increased sense of community.
· Do we talk to each other in ways that recognize that we are in a community together? · How can I make sure that the voices of others are heard?
glossary of quaker terms 18
Being in unity The ideal of corporate agreement, in which the group, worshiping together, has come to a Spirit-led decision. See Sense of the Meeting. Being moved to speak Friends listen carefully for the movement of the Spirit before rising to speak in Meeting for Worship. Remembering that all present in Meeting for Worship are vital, whether their message is the quality of their presence or their spoken word, Friends test whether the spoken message they feel growing is from the Spirit or from their own mind, whether it is meant for the group or for themselves, and finally, whether it must be shared. Some feel an inner prompting; some find themselves propelled to their feet. Clearness Historically, Friends’ sense of clearness was to be free of any obstacles or impediments, either spiritual or practical, to a course of action, in particular a marriage. Coming to clearness means finding spiritual and practical clarity regarding a concern or conflict. Clearness Committee A clearness committee is a small group of
Friends gathered to help a person, couple, or group come to clearness, either in having a marriage under the care of a Meeting for Worship in the case of a couple or in discerning the right direction for spiritual and practical concerns. Clerk The person in a Meeting for Business or a committee who is responsible for setting the agenda of the meeting, calling on people to speak, requesting a moment of worship when needed and, most importantly, listening for the Sense of the Meeting. The clerk is responsible for maintaining a safe and open atmosphere so that all who are moved to speak feel able to do so. The clerk tests his or her sense of an emerging decision or lack of agreement within the group. Consensus Reaching a consensus is often defined as complete agreement or unanimity among members of a decision-making group. It is not the same as the Quaker process of finding the Sense of the Meeting (see below). Discernment The process of arriving at the right course of action through spiritual perception and
clear thinking. Eldering The process of assisting one another, from a centered place, to stay true and faithful to Quaker practice. Gathered Meeting A Meeting for Worship in which people who are participating feel that the individual personalities sense themselves to be part of a whole; this is often characterized by a thread of messages that develops coherently, although a Meeting sensed to be gathered may also be completely silent. Hold someone or something in the Light To pray that divine guidance and healing will be present to an individual or group in need, or to give prayerful consideration to an idea. “I am sorry to speak twice” Traditionally, after questions of fact and clarification are answered, a person speaks once to express his or her opinion, trusting that it will be heard. A person then may apologize if he or she speaks again. “I have a concern” “Something is worrying me about this situation.” “I stand in the way” is a statement
made by a person who is completely opposed to a proposed decision. There is disagreement among Friends about how to proceed when this statement is made. Some feel it brings the decision-making process to a halt. Others feel that the Meeting may choose to move forward after considering the person’s objections, if the clerk perceives that there is a Sense of the Meeting to do so. Friends may also ask to be recorded as standing aside from a decision, that is, not in agreement, but not standing in the way Inner Light The direct, unmediated experience of the divine; a source of guidance, creativity, hope, peace, joy, and understanding. Leading A felt sense of being led in a spiritual direction or to take a certain course of action. Meeting for Business (also Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business) A meeting in the manner of Friends to consider and decide on business matters. In a Friends’ religious setting, the purpose is to discern the will of the Spirit regarding the matters at hand. Monthly Meeting Traditionally, the basic unit of administration and decision-making in the Religious Society of Friends, so-called because of the practice of holding a Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business once a month.
Popcorn Meeting A Meeting for Worship at which members continually stand to speak without allowing sufficient time for reflection between messages. Programmed Meeting A Meeting for Worship that features readings and/or a sermon or pastoral message and the singing of hymns along with more or less silent worship. Meetings that are silent except when someone is moved to speak are “unprogrammed.” Quarterly Meeting (e.g. New York Quarter) Several monthly meetings and other worship groups are joined together for various common purposes; members of these meetings gather quarterly to conduct the business of the “Quarter.” The New York Quarterly Meeting, which oversees Friends Seminary, is a grouping of six meetings: 15th Street, Morningside, Flushing, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Staten Island. Query A question designed to promote reflection on our actions. Rise of Meeting The end of Meeting for Worship. Sense of the Meeting A perception that all are willing to support a course of action even if every person is not equally enthusiastic about it. This may also be experienced as being in unity with the decision. Speak from the silence To give
prepared remarks after a period of silence. “That Friend speaks my mind” A phrase expressing agreement with the previous speaker, indicating that one’s own views on the issue under discussion have already been well described by what someone else has said. Weighty Friend A person who is influential among Friends (i.e., one whose opinion carries weight) because of his or her experience and wisdom. Its use denotes awareness of a certain incongruity with the testimony of equality. Worship (in the context of Meeting) Worship in an unprogrammed Quaker meeting may be best characterized as “expectant waiting.” Friends become inwardly still and set aside the activities of mind and body that usually fill our attention in order to create an opportunity to experience the presence of the Spirit. Each worshipper is a listener, opening himself or herself to the “still, small voice” within. As each helps others in this process, worship becomes corporate. Yearly Meeting A regional grouping of monthly and quarterly meetings that meets at least once a year. The New York Quarter and its monthly meetings are members of New York Yearly Meeting.
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acknowledgments
sources of quotations
Scott Herrington of The Friends School of Baltimore, who shared the process the school used in writing their Faith and Practice.
Meeting for Worship · George Gorman, 1982: “Quaker Spirituality,” in Quakerism: A Way of Life, pp. 87–88. As cited in PYM Faith & Practice (1997, 2002), Extracts from the Writings of Friends # 60. · Caroline Emelia Stephen, 1891: Quaker Strongholds, Third Edition, p. 55. Digitized in Ebook and Texts Archive, Emmanuel College, Victoria University. Integrity · Parker J. Palmer, 2000: Let Your Life Speak, p. 16. · Thomas Jefferson, 1916: Letter to Mrs. Samuel H. Smith, August 6, 1816. At www.beliefnet.com. Equality · Paul A. Lacey, 1988: Growing into Goodness, p. 32. · Jane Addams, 1912: Twenty Years at Hull House, p. 116. Digital Library Project, University of Pennsylvania. · Desmond Tutu, 1994: Speech introducing Nelson Mandela at his inauguration, May 10, 1994. Peace · Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama, 1989: Nobel Lecture, December 11, 1989. · Lucretia Mott, 1860: “National AntiSlavery Standard,” November 3, 1860. As cited in Patapsco Meeting “Quotes for Quakerism 101.” · Yearly Meeting of Aotearoa/New Zealand, 1987: Statement on peace issued by New Zealand Quakers at their Yearly Meeting, January 1987.
Eleanor Lash and Virginia Singer of Sidwell Friends School for granting permission for us to post their Queries booklet online. For inspiration · Earlham College Community Principles and Practices. · Faith and Practice. The Friends School of Baltimore · Faith and Practice. Germantown Friends School · Queries. Sidwell Friends School · Testimonies. Sidwell Friends School For Quotations and Instruction The American Friends Service Committee’s “Introduction to Quaker Testimonies”; New York Yearly Meeting Faith and Practice, approved 1998, 2004; Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Faith & Practice, approved 1997, 2002; Quaker faith & practice: the book of Christian Discipline of the Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain, approved 1994; London Yearly Meeting Christian faith and practice in the experience of the Society of Friends, approved 1959; “Quotes for Quakerism 101 Session on Quaker History,” Patapsco Friends Meeting.
Simplicity · Elizabeth Anne Seton, ca. 1815: From a speech given in the Diocese of Baltimore. Attribution unconfirmed. Also attributed to Mahatma Gandhi and, less often, to Mother Theresa. · Hans Hoffmann, 1932: From “Excerpts from the Teaching of Hans Hoffmann” in Search for the Real and Other Essays, p. 62. (Adapted from the 1932 essay “On the Aims of Art.”) · Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Faith & Practice, 1955. As cited in Christian faith and practice in the experience of the Society of Friends, Extract # 434, London Yearly Meeting (1960). Also cited by Winthrop Center (Maine) Friends and Wilmington College of Ohio on their websites. Stewardship · Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Faith & Practice, 1997, 2002: “Application of Friends’ Testimonies” > “Living in the World” > “Stewardship” (pdf p. 81). · Wangari Maathai, 2004: Nobel Lecture, December 10, 2004. Community · Isaac Penington, 1667: Letter to Friends in Amersham, March 4, 1667. At www.qhpress.org/texts. · Janet Scott, 1960: “What Canst Thou Say”; Swarthmore Lecture, London, Quaker Home Service, pp. 41–42. Cited in PYM Faith & Practice (1997, 2002), Extracts from the Writings of Friends #242.
MISSION STATEMENT
Friends Seminary educates students from kindergarten through twelfth grade, under the care of the New York Quarterly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends. Through instruction and example, students follow their curiosity and exercise their imaginations as they develop as scholars, artists and athletes. In a community that cultivates the intellect through keen observation, critical thinking and coherent expression, we strive to respond to one another, valuing the single voice as well as the effort to reach consensus. The disciplines of silence, study and service provide the matrix for growth: silence opens us to change; study helps us to know the world; service challenges us to put our values into practice. At Friends Seminary, education occurs within the context of the Quaker belief in the Inner Light – that of God in every person. "Guided by the ideals of integrity, peace, equality and simplicity, and by our commitment to diversity, we do more than prepare students for the world that is: we help them bring about the world that ought to be."* * This last sentence is adapted from Faith and Practice: The Book of Discipline of the New York Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (1974).
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