Young people turn to Quaker quiet worship to counteract a noisy world

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — At the Arch Street Meeting House. old town philadelphiamore and more young people are seeking respite from the hustle and bustle of the technological age in the quiet worship of a centuries-old faith.

Like other Quaker places of worship, it follows the values ​​of simplicity and equality. There is no priest, pulpit, or altar. There are no statues of saints or stained glass. No one sings or chants, burns incense or lights candles. They simply sit silently on 200-year-old wooden chairs, waiting for a message from God to reach them until they speak.

“This feels different in that it’s very simple. It’s set up in a way that makes you feel like your inner world is as important as the space you’re in,” says Valerie Goodman, a pink-haired artist reading the Bible outside the congregation on a recent Sunday before entering. Goodman, 27 years old, has grown up. southern baptist However, he left the evangelical church in college.

“It feels like you can take a minute to breathe. It’s different than meditating in your apartment, because there are still so many distractions around you. … And it’s crazy to be in a room full of other people who are there to experience it themselves, too.”

It is called. “Quaker Westminster Abbey” But for many years, attendance at Arch Street was so low that the historic 300-seat West Room felt so empty that the few people who did attend congregated in a small room. But in recent years, there has been an unprecedented surge in the number of people attending Sunday services, from about 25 before the coronavirus pandemic to up to 100 now.

“One of the things that I’m really excited about is the number of people we’re seeing and the fact that the majority of them are young,” says Arch Street Clerk Hazel Goodrich.

story of a couple

Among them are Emily Philbrook, 24, and Benjamin Berger, 27, who recently had a traditional Quaker wedding on Arch Street. The couple moved from Washington to Philadelphia for him to attend veterinary school and began worshiping on Arch Street three years ago.

He wore a dark suit and she wore a white wedding dress, and they sat in a chair at the front facing hundreds of guests seated on wooden chairs. They closed their eyes and remained in a long silence, broken only when they stood up to exchange vows. Like other Quaker weddings, it was a voluntary wedding, and they married each other without an officiant. Finally, the guests lined up to sign the marriage certificate as witnesses.

Two days later, the couple returned to Arch Street for Sunday service, wearing jeans and sneakers. philadelphia eagles T-shirt.

“It’s really nice to have a moment of silence when there’s so much going on in the world,” Berger said. “When you’re in this building, you feel like you’ve stepped back in time.”

It’s not just silence. Philbrook said he values ​​the faith’s long tradition of Quaker activism, which he believes attracts young people at a time of deep division and political violence in the United States.

Historically, Quakers have participated in peaceful protests to end war and slavery, and supported women’s right to vote in line with their commitment to justice and peace. At the beginning of this year, Quakers marched Demonstrations against the Trump administration from New York City to Washington immigration crackdown.

“In times of national crisis, people tend to turn to faiths that have historically been peaceful and social justice-oriented,” Philbrook says. “They just want a place to sit and reflect and be in a like-minded community.”

Tracing its legacy to William Penn

Arch Street Meeting House It was built in the early 19th century on land donated by. william pennA British Quaker, pennsylvania Given the faith’s emphasis on religious tolerance. It remains one of the world’s largest active gathering places.

“This is the most important building in the Quaker faith, probably because it’s a kind of Mecca for Quakerism,” says Sean Connolly, executive director of the Arch Street Meetinghouse Preservation Trust. “It was built to be the largest and most magnificent Quaker meeting place in the world.”

However, few people knew about it. Tourists visiting Independence Hall and other historic Philadelphia attractions entered the brick meetinghouse building and were often surprised to discover the presence of Quakers, said Hazel Goodrich, an Arch Street member for more than 25 years.

“They think, ‘Oh, we must all be extinct because they probably haven’t heard much about us,'” says Goodrich, who is also the first black clerk in Arch Street’s history. “They think of Quakers as a historical structure, something that once existed.”

Others confuse it with Amish or Mennonites, or bring up Quaker Oats, which has no connection to the faith, she said. The company said the logo, which is depicted on the label as “a man in Quaker garb” with white hair and a tall black hat, was chosen by the owners more than 150 years ago “as a symbol of quality and honest values” along with the Quaker name.

“Quakers didn’t haggle,” Goodrich said. “Quakers were fair businessmen, and they made a good product. The bench is proof of that.”

Arch Street’s original wooden chairs have stood the test of time. But how can a religion that offers the solace of tranquility make a name for itself and stand up against all the noise of the modern world?

Part of the challenge was keeping Quakers, at least those in the northeastern United States, from converting, Goodrich said. However, Arch Street has more leeway as it is a historic site with outdoor exhibits that speak to the Quaker faith. That led to an increase in visitor numbers.

The museum, run by the Arch Street Preservation Trust, also organizes tours and virtual resources. One challenges visitors to test their knowledge of Quakerism with questions painted on wooden panels. These include “Do Quakers Tremble?” “Do Quakers eat Quaker oats?” “Do Quakers still exist?”

Roots in 17th century England

The Religious Society of Friends, Quakers, originated in 17th century England. This Christian group was founded by George Fox, who opposed the Church of England’s emphasis on ritual. In the 1640s, he said he heard a voice that led him to develop a personal relationship with Christ, called the Inner Light.

Fox taught that the inner light frees one from attachment to all creeds, church authority, and ritual forms. Brought to court for opposing the established church, Fox tangled with a judge who derided him as a “Quaker” in reference to his agitation on religious issues.

In the United States, Quakers became very influential in cities such as: philadelphia and founded a university in Pennsylvania. However, members of the group also faced scorn for refusing to participate in the war, citing their nonviolent beliefs. Some people have been persecuted, executed for trying to spread religious beliefs.

There are now an estimated 400,000 Quakers around the world. About half live in Africa. Most are in Kenya, evangelizing with bands and choirs.

But the Arch Street Quakers want to remain traditional. But members credit outreach clerk Alec Ankovic with raising awareness about the often ignored contributions of Quakers by redesigning the congregation’s site and posting about events on social media.

“The silence and silence during the meeting is not typical of us today,” said Unković, who was raised Catholic. “This conference made a very conscious choice to recognize that a lot of people care about this.”

On a recent Sunday, Aurora Liardanz was sitting on Arch Street with dozens of other people. After the service, she shared her decision to become a full member.

Although Leardanz was baptized Catholic, he had never practiced. Instead, she found spiritual home in Quakerism and the values ​​of the faith known as SPICES: simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and stewardship. Nowadays, she values ​​silence, calling it “beautiful and charming.” But it wasn’t always like that.

“When I first gathered for worship when I was 15, I thought I was in a cult. I was terrified. The silence was deafening,” she says. “And that’s something that has grown on me, and I think it will grow on a lot of people, too. And they learn to appreciate that in a world of constant noise.”

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