Frequently asked questions about Quakers

Why are Friends called Quakers?

“Quaker” was Justice Bennet of Derby’s sneering response to early Friend George Fox who had defended himself against a charge of blasphemy in 1650 by saying the court that tried him should “tremble at the word of God.” The term is used by many English-speaking Friends, and has entered English vernacular usage. Some see it as a badge of identity, as solidarity with the witness and sufferings of the early Friends.

The phrase “Quaker” does have problems, though. Most of the other languages Friends speak carry no translation for “Quaker,” only of  “Friend.” Some Friends feel that a name, given in hatred and ignorance, by a power of this world, is an unjust reflection of the community of worship and witness of the Religious Society of Friends.

Why are meetings called meetings?

The term “meeting” refers to Friends gathering, whether in worship or to conduct business. A monthly meeting is the equivalent of a local church (and sometimes called that by Friends). While a monthly meeting gathers weekly for “meeting for worship,” “monthly” refers to the frequency of “meeting for business.”

A yearly meeting is a collection of monthly meetings that come together on an annual basis to conduct business. Yearly meetings provide services to its member monthly meetings ranging from religious education curricula to meeting house repair grants.

There are also umbrella organisations, namely Friends United Meeting (FUM), Friends General Conference (FGC), and Evangelical Friends International (EFI), that are collections of yearly meetings. Generally, the yearly meetings within each of these organisations fall into a single “flavour” of Friends. The annual gathering of these organisations are for worship, fellowship, study and enrichment rather than for business.