Bible Study for Quakers
Barriers to the Bible I love the Bible. I find it endlessly fascinating, troubling and inspiring. But I didn’t always feel this way. I grew up in a non-religious home, and, although I was familiar with a few … Read more
Learning Blog
Welcome to Woodbrookes learning blog.
This blog is contributed to by our Programmes Team and Associate Tutors. It is a space for discussion and debate focused on our mission to foster ‘a vital Friends’ ministry’, where ministry encompasses faith, witness, love and service. It will be a place to share ideas, to explore, to learn and to be inspired to put your faith into action.
To learn more about the learning events on offer at Woodbrooke, please take a look at our current programme of courses and retreats.
Friends of the Truth: What’s in a Name?
What’s in a name? Well, quite a lot it would seem when it comes to dissenting religious movements. Early Quakers called themselves ‘friends of the truth’ but their opponents called them Quakers ‘in scorn’ due to the physical … Read more
Early Christians and Early Quakers
In March 1995, I prepared for my interview for a post at Woodbrooke by travelling from Aylesbury up to London to visit the library at Friends House. One book I picked up that day opened up a world … Read more
Arriving at the sense of the Meeting
Friends have a continuing commitment to corporate decision-making and arguably this is most evident in the way they conduct their meetings for business. Indeed, William Taber describes the Quaker business meeting as ‘that place through which we learn … Read more
Living Adventurously in a Dangerous World
Live adventurously. When choices arise, do you take the way that offers the fullest opportunity for the use of your gifts in the service of God and the community? Let your life speak. When decisions have to be … Read more
The Power of Love: reflections from a royal wedding
Last week, Bishop Revered Michael Curry delivered an impassioned sermon during the royal wedding. The Most Reverend Michael Curry became the first black presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church when he was appointed in 2015. It seems … Read more
From the Glory of God to Inner Light
In this post, Ann Conway-Jones explores the significance of the temple in Hebrew and Christian scripture. Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Moses was not able to … Read more
Emilia Fogelklou
Emilia Fogelklou (1878-1972) was a Swedish mystic, theologian, psychologist of religion, educator, writer, peace worker and Quaker. She was the inspiration for a 6-week online retreat, offered by Woodbrooke in February of 2018. In this post, the retreat leader, Julia … Read more
Christian Faith and Practice in the Friends Church: Friends United Meeting in East Africa | Imani na Matendo ya Kikristo katika Kanisa la Marafiki: Muungano wa Mkutano wa Marafiki, Afrika Mashariki (in Kiswahili)
As you may have heard, last November a team of four Woodbrooke tutors travelled to Western Kenya to run a Woodbrooke on the road with Friends from several yearly meetings based in that region. We were asked to … Read more
What’s the question? Reading Quaker faith & practice, Yearly Meeting 2018, and books of discipline
In May 2018, Britain Yearly Meeting will again consider the question: is it time to revise our book of discipline? I want to take this question apart a bit and look at what’s inside it. What is a … Read more