QuakerQuaker This Week, 3/25/2012

In Five Snippets, Doug Bennett looks at the places where the Bible talk about homosexuality as a sin with the premise"And so it matters how we read the Bible." Stephen Angell maps the implications of this in the real world with Impending Split in Indiana Yearly Meeting (PDF link). In a less fraught topic, Geoffrey Black started a great discussion When does a Plain Friend take off his hat?, which is a neat example of the connections between practice and theology. And Isabel Penraeth asks the meaning of semi-programmed in a Quaker context.

More of this week's QuakerQuaker Editors' Picks

• Quaking "Elizabeth Bathurst": FWCC World Gathering: Thoughts on my ...

  The thread groups for the FWCC Conference in Kenya have been posted and I am completely conflicted. Good thing I don't have to sign up for them ahead of time.
• Linda Jenkins: Putting Faith to Use in Occupy Boston

  "...I am being healed through the working faith of the new branch of my faith family: Occupy Boston. It is in participating in direct actions with Occupy Boston that we occupiers are healing each other and offering healing, as well." qq quaker occupywallstreet occupyboston activism faith
• Micah Bales: Beyond the Culture Wars

  We know that the culture wars are not from God. These debates are fueled by a smug sense of self-righteousness and superiority more in keeping with the spirit of the Pharisees than with the Spirit of Christ. Any ideology is false that calls for others to change without first confessing our own shortcomings and need for transformation. Quaker
• Nayler: Pushing sometimes

  David celebrates much but his tale throws down a challenge. We have only ‘pushed at the frontier’ sometimes. Sometimes we have played a part in social change, even if only being a home for those willing to voyage out into the battle.
• Sexuality at George Fox University · Oregon Public Broadcasting-Thi...

  The online discussion has begun in advance of the radio program. Note the remarkable tone of the online conversation. 
• Max Carter: A Quaker economy

  The Quaker default setting on issues such as economics is often the 18th century Quaker John Woolman, whose essay A Plea for the Poor is a stinging critique of the misapplication of power and wealth in oppressing others for ones own personal gain.  His opposition to slavery included such an analysis, and he is famous for making the connection between our economics and war quaker economics
• BBC News - Today - Rachel Muers on marriage equality

  "Quakers are looking to "affirm and celebrate" same sex unions in a religious context and have been pushing for legislation to allow this since 2009. "