Arnold Stephenson Rowntree

Another small book and easy read, which may help many of us understand and appreciate the current stage of the RSoF.
Rowntree summarises the early years of the Society and how, in the middle of the nineteenth century, to address decreasing numbers and confusion, there was an initiative to meet the intellectual and theological needs of Friends.
Woodbrooke was eventually launched as “an opportunity for those who desire, by study and fellowship with others of kindred spirit, to equip themselves for the service of God”. However, it was not without fierce criticisms from within the Society as it was felt that it was replacing divine inspiration with preparation and study. Here are some illuminating extracts…
• “The consequent lowering of the spiritual temperament and the prevailing sense of uncertainty inevitably reacted upon the local ministry, and a ‘withering quietist’ overtook some Meetings. Another serious weakness, even where such dryness had not fallen on the Meeting, was the neglect of definite religious teaching.”
• “Friends have been too apt in the past” Rufus Jones remarks “to assume that inspiration and illumination must come, if at all, during the Meeting hour. They have too often conceived of the work of the Spirit as limited to the occasion of the gathering. The result of this narrow theory of inspiration has been to discount preparation and to glorify impromptu and spontaneous speaking. That way of interpreting the influence of the Sprit has encouraged passivity, not to say mental laziness and emptiness.”
Strong words? Well how about this? George Cadbury is quoted as saying “No church can live upon itself, and unless it devotes its strength to bringing in outsiders it must ultimately languish and die.”… (más)