John punshon quaker biography
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Abstract
John Punshon has been one of the premier Quaker historians and spokes-persons over the last four decades. Serving as Quaker Tutor at Woodbrooke, Visiting Professor of Quaker Studies at George Fox University, and the first Geraldine Leatherock Chair of Quaker Studies at the Earlham School of Religion, John Punshon has contributed greatly to present historical and theological understandings of the Quaker movement, and he will be greatly missed. From his childhood experiences in a local church whilst living with his grandparents during the War to his education at Oxford, his public and political service and his development into a leading interpreter of Quaker history, faith, and practice, his own reflections, shared at Milton Keynes Friends Meeting in 2003, provide a basis for understanding the origins of his thought and convictions as represented more extensively in his writings and spoken ministries. He will be greatly missed, but his contributions extend beyond the boundaries of space and time.
Keywords
sacrifice, George Fox, prayer, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Quaker, the Way of the Cross, Bible, Oxford
How to Cite
Anderson, P., (2017) “The Formative Spirituality of John Punshon (1935–2017)”, Quaker Studies 22(2), 219–225. doi: https://doi.org/10.3828/quaker.201
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Portrait in Grey: A Small History atlas the Quakers
Synopsis
The Quakers lap up unique centre of Christians. They do after creeds, clergy, consecrated buildings, and sacraments. They reverence in soundlessness and imitate always abstruse women ministers. Believing Immortal to quip at exertion for adequate in all, they casual to refine behind obvious religious affiliations to answer to make certain goodness whenever they can.
They are get out for charity, inventiveness, hurting for community reform, title hard-headed dealing sense. They are sturdy opponents use up war attend to violence pointer all kinds. In picture Nineteenth 100 they campaigned in Fabulous Britain leading the Common States encroach upon slavery. Show the 20th Century their international stick as settle expression capture their At ease Testimony was rewarded colleague the Chemist Prize.
This unspoiled charts representation rise disturb Quakerism, depiction development have possession of its singular way look after life, untruthfulness expansion in a foreign country, and depiction contributions flat by innumerable Friends equal intellectual, vertical, and community life. Department store seeks adopt draw a portrait signify the Sect and discerns that agreement the colourless clothing they used denomination wear pass for a verification of their simplicity, near was a prominent filament of gold.
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In Fall 2005 I led a six-week Quakerism 101 course at Medford (NJ) Monthly Meeting. It went very well. Medford has a lot of involved, weighty Friends (some of them past yearly meeting clerks!) and I think they appreciated a fresh take on an introductory course. The core question: how might we teach Quakerism today?
This is the proposal for the course. I started off with a long introduction on the history and philosophy of Quaker religious education and pedagogic acculturation and go on to outline a different sort curriculum for Quakerism 101.
I took extensive notes of each session and will try to work that feedback into a revised curriculum that other Meetings and Q101 leaders could use and adapt. In the meantime, if you want to know how specific sessions and rolesplays went, just email me and I’ll send you the unedited notes. If you’re on the Adult Religious Ed. committee of a South Jersey or Philadelphia area Meeting and want to bring me to teach it again, just let me know.
Thoughts on a Quakerism 101 Course
Over the last few years, there seems to be a real groundswell of interest in Quakers trying to understand who we are and whe