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Quaker business method
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Quaker business method
The Quaker business method or Quaker decision-making is a form of group decision-making and discernment, as well as of direct democracy, used by Quakers, or 'members of the Religious Society of Friends', to organise their religious affairs. It is primarily carried out in meetings for worship for business, which are regular gatherings where minutes are drafted, to record collective decisions.
The practice is based upon the core Quaker belief that there is "that of God in every one", and therefore every person has unmediated opportunity to experience the will of God. Subsequently, the practice aims to collectively discern the will of God through silent reflection, inspired statements (vocal ministry) and a capturing of the resultant "sense of the meeting". The strong spiritual basis marks the Quaker business method as a mystical form of decision-making, in contrast to purely rational practices such as parliamentary procedure. Quakers describe their practice as one of "unity", in comparison to majority, unanimity or consensus.
Although minor differences exist between how different Quaker organizations conduct their meetings for business, the practice has not fundamentally changed since its conception in the late 17th century, shortly after Quakerism began. The secular practices of consensus decision-making in activist movements and consent within Sociocracy were directly inspired by Quaker practice in the 20th century.
The Quakers were one of the many dissenting groups that separated from the Church of England during the English Civil War (1642–1651). Their belief that every person has an equal and direct opportunity to experience the will of God put them at odds with the hierarchy of the established church. Numerous early Quakers individually interpreted the will of God to require acts of civil disobedience, such as refusing to take oaths, going nude in public and refusing to take off their hats in the services of the Church of England. The growing resentment of the establishment towards the Quakers peaked when James Nayler re-enacted Christ entering Jerusalem in Bristol, 1656. He was charged with blasphemy, mutilated and imprisoned; repression against other Quaker disobedience increased.
George Fox and others concerned for the continuation of the Quakers came to the conclusion that although God is present in every person, and although God is without contradiction, the interpretation of God's will is influenced by the person interpreting. Thus he encouraged believers to meet together and collectively interpret the will of God, to corporately (i.e. as a unified body) "test" concerns and leadings. Such meetings were not to be 'rational discussions', but rather a collective investigation into God's will through the combination of personal experience.
Originally, both men's and women's meetings for church affairs were held separately. This was a radical delegation of responsibility for the time. By the end of the 19th century, men's and women's meetings were fully integrated, with Meeting for Sufferings becoming integrated in 1896.
Although the practice differs in detail between different Quaker organizations, the main aspects remain the same. The most regular Quaker meeting, meeting for worship, does not use the practice. The practice is used in meetings where Quaker affairs are investigated and decided upon at all levels of hierarchy: local/preparative meetings, area/monthly meetings and yearly meetings. Local meetings are always subordinate to their area meeting, and in turn their yearly meeting. Meetings for church affairs are also considered to be meetings for worship, meaning "they carry the same expectation that God's guidance can be discerned if we are truly listening together and to each other".
Meetings for worship for business will usually be open to non-members, apart from confidential matters, such as discernment on membership. If someone is the topic of discernment, for example, they have been nominated for a role, they (and any immediate family members) will be asked to leave the room. This is to ensure everyone feels able to share without causing offense.
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Quaker business method
The Quaker business method or Quaker decision-making is a form of group decision-making and discernment, as well as of direct democracy, used by Quakers, or 'members of the Religious Society of Friends', to organise their religious affairs. It is primarily carried out in meetings for worship for business, which are regular gatherings where minutes are drafted, to record collective decisions.
The practice is based upon the core Quaker belief that there is "that of God in every one", and therefore every person has unmediated opportunity to experience the will of God. Subsequently, the practice aims to collectively discern the will of God through silent reflection, inspired statements (vocal ministry) and a capturing of the resultant "sense of the meeting". The strong spiritual basis marks the Quaker business method as a mystical form of decision-making, in contrast to purely rational practices such as parliamentary procedure. Quakers describe their practice as one of "unity", in comparison to majority, unanimity or consensus.
Although minor differences exist between how different Quaker organizations conduct their meetings for business, the practice has not fundamentally changed since its conception in the late 17th century, shortly after Quakerism began. The secular practices of consensus decision-making in activist movements and consent within Sociocracy were directly inspired by Quaker practice in the 20th century.
The Quakers were one of the many dissenting groups that separated from the Church of England during the English Civil War (1642–1651). Their belief that every person has an equal and direct opportunity to experience the will of God put them at odds with the hierarchy of the established church. Numerous early Quakers individually interpreted the will of God to require acts of civil disobedience, such as refusing to take oaths, going nude in public and refusing to take off their hats in the services of the Church of England. The growing resentment of the establishment towards the Quakers peaked when James Nayler re-enacted Christ entering Jerusalem in Bristol, 1656. He was charged with blasphemy, mutilated and imprisoned; repression against other Quaker disobedience increased.
George Fox and others concerned for the continuation of the Quakers came to the conclusion that although God is present in every person, and although God is without contradiction, the interpretation of God's will is influenced by the person interpreting. Thus he encouraged believers to meet together and collectively interpret the will of God, to corporately (i.e. as a unified body) "test" concerns and leadings. Such meetings were not to be 'rational discussions', but rather a collective investigation into God's will through the combination of personal experience.
Originally, both men's and women's meetings for church affairs were held separately. This was a radical delegation of responsibility for the time. By the end of the 19th century, men's and women's meetings were fully integrated, with Meeting for Sufferings becoming integrated in 1896.
Although the practice differs in detail between different Quaker organizations, the main aspects remain the same. The most regular Quaker meeting, meeting for worship, does not use the practice. The practice is used in meetings where Quaker affairs are investigated and decided upon at all levels of hierarchy: local/preparative meetings, area/monthly meetings and yearly meetings. Local meetings are always subordinate to their area meeting, and in turn their yearly meeting. Meetings for church affairs are also considered to be meetings for worship, meaning "they carry the same expectation that God's guidance can be discerned if we are truly listening together and to each other".
Meetings for worship for business will usually be open to non-members, apart from confidential matters, such as discernment on membership. If someone is the topic of discernment, for example, they have been nominated for a role, they (and any immediate family members) will be asked to leave the room. This is to ensure everyone feels able to share without causing offense.
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