Thee Quaker Podcast
Join us each week as we explore stories of spiritual courage. We’ll delve into the lives of Quakers past and present, and explore the big questions about modern life and spirituality. A podcast for spiritual seekers, lifelong Quakers, and everything in between.
Episodes
Quakers have a long tradition of worshipping in silence, but what really happens when the room gets quiet? In this episode of Thee Quaker Podcast we visit a silent Quaker Meeting for worship and find out for ourselves about this challenging, powerful, and ultimately freeing experience of trying to listen for the divine in a noisy world.
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This week, we take you to New Garden Friends Meeting in Greensboro, North Carolina where pastor Brenda Esch delivers a deeply personal message about the fear and promise of new beginnings.
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A group of Quakers embark on a grueling 300-mile walk from New York to Washington D.C. to deliver a powerful message to a government that doesn’t want to hear it. Their journey, inspired by a nearly 400-year-old act of solidarity, is unexpectedly thrust into the national spotlight when their quiet walk goes viral. This is a story about exhaustion, reluctant celebrity, and what happens when the end of the road is just the beginning ...
Sarah and Angelina Grimke were unapologetically anti-slavery and pro-women’s rights. Their convictions were driven by their faith in God, yet it got them booted from Quakerism, made their name a curse among their Southern peers, and even caused controversy among fellow abolitionists.
The Grimke sisters made history, yet their names have largely been forgotten. Today, we introduce you to these unlikely abolitionists.
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Want to con...
Todd Drake is a Quaker graffiti artist and printmaker who uses the street name "Quaker pirate". In this episode, Todd teaches the finer points of graffiti etiquette, explains the provocative inspiration for his new portrait of Benjamin Lay, and shares his philosophy of doing good without asking permission.
See his work here: https://quakerpirate.format.com/
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Benjamin Lay was a fierce abolitionist whose dramatic protests against slavery embarrassed the powerful Quakers of his day. They kicked him out and tried to erase him. This is the story of his return.
Marcus Rediker's Books: https://www.marcusrediker.com/books/
Abington Monthly Meeting's Efforts Towards Reconciliation: https://www.abingtonquakers.org/Groups/380563/Benjamin_Lay_Reconciliation.aspx
Quakers are widely known for being early and outspoken abolitionists, and while that is true, it is not the whole story. Join us as we explore the Germantown Quaker Petition Against Slavery, its delayed impact, and the people who continued to fight the good fight even after many believed that it was already won.
High Definition scan of the 1688 Germantown Quaker Petition Against Slavery
Quakers have a long history of getting into trouble for the sake of justice, but what drives them to act? Why do some Quakers feel compelled to break the law, make public demonstrations, or disrupt business as usual? In this episode, we explore those questions through the story of Jane McCarthy, a 74-year-old grandmother with incurable cancer who is risking her home to protest her council's investment in fossil fuels. We then trave...
Season 3 of Thee Quaker Podcast is two short weeks away. Co-hosts Jon Watts and Zack Jackson take you on a tour of where the podcast has been and where it is going. This season we’ll focus on “Quaker prophetic witness”: We’re talking about guerilla theater, loving your enemy as you’re confronting them, impossible odds, and stories of spiritual courage that you’ve never heard before. Season 3 launches on August 12th with new episode...
When the federal government rescinded a decades-old policy protecting houses of worship from immigration raids, a group of Quakers filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security. Their argument is uniquely Quaker: the threat of armed agents in their meeting houses creates a "chilling effect" that doesn't just lower attendance, it fundamentally obstructs their ability to worship, a practice which requires the presence o...
In times of political upheaval, when institutions feel unreliable and the future uncertain, how do we resist authoritarianism without becoming what we oppose? Daniel Hunter, co-founder of "Choose Democracy" and seasoned organizer, shares how Trump's second election unexpectedly led him to claim his Quaker identity and discover how ancient Quaker principles provide a roadmap for modern resistance.
He reveals remarkable acts of civil...
A few months ago, twenty police officers smashed down the door of Westminster Quaker meetinghouse and arrested a handful of young activists as they sat eating hummus and breadsticks. This dramatic raid triggered a profound response from a faith community that hasn't been the target of a similar action since the 17th century.
When the very act of dissent is being criminalized, how do we stand up for what is right? How do we demand ...
Professor and activist Chloe Schwenke shares her journey as a transgender woman finding acceptance within her Quaker community while navigating increasing political attacks on trans rights. She explores the concept of "Quaker anger" as a spiritual response to injustice and calls for authentic action beyond just feeling stricken by current events. This conversation examines how faith communities can move from witnessing suffering to...
As DEI Initiatives come under attack, we must move beyond surface-level diversity and allyship to embrace our fundamental interconnectedness and mutual thriving. Quakers, according to our guest Niyonu Spann, are uniquely situated to speak profound truth into this pivotal moment. Niyonu is a teacher, singer/songwriter, community activator, and the founder of Beyond Diversity 101. In this episode, she invites us to confront uncomfort...
Are we living through apocalyptic times? If so, how can we navigate this time of turmoil and come out on the other end with a society more whole, more just, and more guided by love? Quakers may have (part of) the answer.
Quaker author and retired pastor, Doug Gwyn joins Jon Watts to explore how the "apocalyptic spirituality" of early Friends offers profound wisdom for navigating our own era of upheaval. From the nonviolent "Lamb's W...
As our democracy faces an existential threat it’s important that we look to other countries whose people have resisted autocrats and won, according to Quaker peace activist George Lakey. Lakey has been singing freedom songs in the streets since the civil rights movement, and on this week’s podcast episode we talk with George about the nonviolent database he helped to assemble which shows 39 recent cases of countries whose people no...
Using both the pulpit and the page, Quaker pastor Philip Gulley has been a bold voice that challenges the church’s stance on heaven and hell, LGBTQ issues, and more. As he’s seen greater censorship in the publishing world, Phil has moved to an online newsletter where he questions the rise of Donald Trump and calls Christians to be more active in the pursuit of truth and justice.
In this interview, Jon speaks with Phil about his chan...
Spanning more than 150 years, Black Fire brings together the words of Friends who spoke truth to power in some of America’s most tumultuous times. Featuring the writing and speeches of Bayard Rustin, Bill Sutherland, Sojourner Truth and many more, this book is a unique exploration into the spirituality and activism of Black Friends, told in their own words.
In partnership with Friends General Conference, we’re bringing you an exclus...
There were so many memorable moments in Season 2 of the podcast that we had to revisit a few for our final episode of 2024. We’ve chosen clips from interviews with famous Friends and moments of deep spiritual insight. Join us as we reflect on a meaningful year with Thee Quaker Podcast.
Listen to our top five episodes:
‘Tis the season to answer one of the Internet’s most burning questions…Do Quakers celebrate Christmas? We called up Friends from around the globe to find the answer(s), and you might be surprised at what they say.
Visit our episode page to comment on this episode, for discussion questions, and for a transcript.
Thank you to our sponsor Right Sharing of World Resources
Do you want to have conversations about global equity? Are you int...
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