How do we keep going when we feel like all is lost? How do we keep talking when we feel no one is listening? We might find the answers in metaphors of fire – in what it takes to keep a fire burning and what it means to tend the flames. In this poetic presentation, … Read more
How we can change society by Esther Loukin The 2023 Swarthmore Lecture was given by Esther Loukin, co-founder of the disabled-led organization Reasonable Access. Esther looked at how we can bring about change in broader society, including reflections on what established systems could achieve and what they cannot. She explored where the Spirit is in … Read more
Ruth Kettle-Frisby looks at how people of faith can accompany women and disabled people in the Global South. Naomi Richards explores sharing food to cultivate belonging to and reverence for life on earth. Naomi produced a booklet as a resource for meetings to continue her project which can be downloaded here: A Meeting for Nourishment.
Perceiving the temperature of the water by Helen Minnis The 2022 Swarthmore Lecture was given by Helen Minnis of Glasgow Meeting. Helen will spoke from her experience as a scientist and a Quaker, addressing issues of white privilege within the Quaker movement and scientific community. Woodbrooke and Helen see the lecture as part of the … Read more
Kinder Ground Creating Space for Truth by Thomas Penny Thomas Penny’s 2021 Swarthmore lecture addresses Truth in the era of fake news, and draws on his 29 years’ experience working as a journalist. He revisits the Quaker commitment to Truth, asking how Quaker practices and approaches may help us in the face of increasing polarisation. … Read more
Openings to the Infinite Ocean: A Friendly Offering of Hope by Tom Shakespeare How do we face all the very real, terrible things that happen in our world and still have hope? How did Friends in the past have hope in dark times and how can we have it today? In the 2020 Swarthmore Lecture … Read more
On Earth as it is in Heaven; The Kingdom of God and the yearning of Creation by Eden Grace Eden explored Quaker eco-theology, from early Friends to Quakers today. Through stories of Friends’ response to climate change, she shows how this witness arises from their Quaker faith and ask us to imagine and create a … Read more
November 2019 – Children’s Voices – The boy Jesus in the Temple This issue is the first in a series which focus on children’s voices and how they can be heard in their meetings, their communities and our world. It reflects on the story of the boy Jesus in the temple and encourages us to … Read more
November 2017 – Hope in Turbulent Times – The book of Ruth This edition is part of the series on ‘Hope in turbulent times’. The Bible is full of stories about people who found hope in turbulent times and one of these is found in the Book of Ruth.
The Swarthmore Lecture 2017: Faith in politics? A testimony to equality was given by Catherine West at 7:30 pm on Monday 31st July 2017 as part of Yearly Meeting Gathering at Warwick University.
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