What Quakers Believe!

Who would have guessed that Quakers 

actually had a statement of faith?

Over the last few years I've been researching the history among Quakers learning their faith and practice.  Again and again, I've been told that Quakers had no "creed" or "statement" of faith. Despite the fact that Robert Barclay wrote a catechism and early Quakers defined themselves with a vision that took them around the world championing human rights; a mission that presented Christ the inward teacher; and defining themselves as a new testament reformed church.  Recently I ran across a small book written by William Penn entitled "Journal Of William Penn while visiting Holland and Germany in 1677." (Pg. 25-26) I was startled to find him articulating the Quaker Statement of faith.  William Penn wrote out these positions in a letter to the King of Poland articulating the beliefs of the Religious Society of Friends for him.  Here it as follows:

1.     We do reverently belive that there is one God and Father, One Lord Jesus Christ, and

        one Holy Spirit and these three are one. (Eph. 4:6)

2.     We believe the scriptures of the Old and New Testament to have been given forth by

        Divine inspiration; and that they are profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction

        for instructin in righteousness; able to make the man of God wise unto salvation through

        faith, which is in Christ. (II Tim. 3:15-16)

3.     That these Holy Scriptures are not to be understood but by discoveries, teachings, and

        operations of the eternal Spirit, from whence they came.

4.     We believe that all mankind, through disobedience to the Spirit of God, are fallen short

        of the glory of God, and in that state are under condemnation;  but that God, out of his 

        infinate goodness and kindness, hath sent the world his Son a light into the world, that

        whosoever believeth and obeyeth this light, should not abide in darkness, but have the 

        light of eternal life.

5.     We believe this gift of light and grace through Jesus Christ to be universal;and that there

        is not a man or woman upon earth, that hath not sufficient measure of this light, and to 

        whom this grace hath not appeared to reprove their ungodly works of darkness, and to

        lead them that obey it to eternal salvation.  And this is the great condemnation of the world

        at this day, under all their professions of God, Christ, Spirit and Scriptures; that though Christ

        hath enlightened them, yet they will not bring their deeds to the light, but hate the light, and 

        love their dark customs and practices rather than the light, 'because their deeds are evil.

6.     We do believe in the birth, life, doctrine, miracles, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus

        Christ our Lord; and that He laid his life down for the ungodly, not to continue so, but that they

        should deny their wickedness and ungodliness, and live soberly, righteously, and godly in this

        present world, as the saints of old did, who were redeemed from the earth and sat in heavenly

        places.

7.     We do beieve that as the devil, through man's disobedience, brought sin into man's 

        heart, so through Christ Jesus, through man's belief in, and obedience to His Holy Spirit, 

        light and grace, cleaneth the heart of sin, destroyeth the works of the devil, finisheth

        transgression, and bringeth in everlasting righteousness.  That as the devil hath had his kingdom

        of darkness in man, so Christ may have his kingdom of light, life, righteousness, peace and

        joy in the Holy ghost in the heart of man; and not that Christ Jesus saveth men from wrath

        and not from sin; 'for the wages of sin is death,' in whose heart soever it liveth; 'but the gift

        of God is eternal life,' to all that believe and obey, through Jesus Christ.

8.     We do believe that all true ministry and worship stand only in the experimental sense, operations

        and leadings of this holy light, Spirit or grace, that is shed abroad in the hearts of men and women,

        to conduct them in the holy way of regeneration unto life eternal.

Penn goes onto write, "This was the ancient apostolical doctrine; they spoke what they had seen, tasted, and handled of the Word of God.  And this is our faith, doctrine, and practice in this day."