Spiritual Renewal Through Discipline?
The Quaker Reforms 1750-1800
a half-day workshop, Sunday, April 3
with Betsy Cazden

Is enforcing orthopraxy (shared practice and behavior) the way to a livlier Society of Friends? In the second half of the 18th century Quakers thought so and they set up rules to bring that about. We will use role plays to explore how the efforts of those earlier Friends to revive the spiritual life of the Society played out in practice, and consider whether orthopraxy was and is a useful path to spiritual vitality. At Amesbury Meeting, 12:30 to 3:30, Sunday, April 3.

Betsy Cazden has led many workshops, courses and programs for Quaker Studies and other Quaker organizations. She has a way of bringing history to life by making us try to work through current issues using historic Quaker practices and understandings. Betsy is also a writer and lecturer. Her current major project has a working title of “Slaves Among Friends: Quakers in the slave-based economy of colonial Rhode Island.” She has been active in New England Yearly Meeting for more than thirty years, including serving as its Presiding Clerk (1990-94), and has visited meetings throughout the United States and in England, Cuba, Mexico, and Guatemala.