Author: Mark Russ

This year like most years I attended Greenbelt, a festival of arts, justice and faith. As a last minute decision, I attended a panel discussion entitled ‘The Lemonade Effect: Beyoncé, blackness, feminism and white discomfort’. It turned out to be one of the highlights of the festival, being both educational and energizing, prompting me to… Continue reading Reflections from Greenbelt – Beyoncé and white Quaker discomfort →

Before Jolly Quaker, I began my blogging adventure on qicil.com, the catchily titled 'Quaker Intentional Community in London' blog. That blog no longer exists, and we never did start a Quaker intentional community in London, but many great conversations were had, and I wrote a few good posts. Here's the first of a few that… Continue reading God, food and me →

My last post concluded on a pessimistic note. The last four weeks have certainly shaken me up. In the wake of the referendum it's felt like there's been horrifying event after horrifying event, to the point where I've taken to turning the radio off. Too much bad news. Finding hope by looking backwards What I've been… Continue reading After the referendum – finding hope →

The days following the EU referendum result filled me with an obsessive, disbelieving sadness that verged on grief. I hadn’t even countenanced a ‘leave’ victory, the case for ‘remain’ seemingly so sensible. I know not everyone who voted ‘leave’ did so for racist reasons, but because people like Nigel Farage campaigned on an anti-immigration ticket,… Continue reading After the referendum – a Quaker response →

Some valuable words from Friend Ben: '...without healthy Christian roots, latter-day British Quakerism has been thrown back on the dominant God-hypothesis of our culture; a theory of God which leads either to the God of the gaps (which Pascal calls ‘deism’) or non-theism. Yet, there is an alternative to these two visions; a God-talk that… Continue reading Quaker Non-Theism and the God of Pascal →

‘…Why gad you abroad? Why trim you yourselves with the saints’ words, when you are ignorant of the life? Return, return to Him that is the first Love, and the first-born of every creature, who is the Light of the world… Return home to within, sweep your houses all, the groat is there, the little… Continue reading The Empty Chair →

A couple of weekends ago I went to the ‘Catching Light’ conference, a gathering of British Quakers focussing on what in other churches would be called evangelism, but Quakers call ‘outreach’. After a fun time networking and facilitating small discussion group, I came away with the strong impression that we are collectively inarticulate in describing… Continue reading Can we find a better word for ‘outreach’? →

It’s now five months since I began working at Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre and I'm in the right place. Teaching ‘A Friendly Introduction to Membership’ at the weekend, I was constantly reminded of what a privilege it is to listen to participants share their journeys in faith. It’s a job that calls for a large emotional commitment,… Continue reading Nourished with Emptiness →

In October I ran a course at Woodbrooke called ‘Non-violent Apocalypse: Peace Church Perspectives on the Book of Revelation’. There were eight of us, all coming to this final book of the Christian Bible with our own perspective and enthusiasms. Two much larger groups were running alongside ours that weekend, and at every mealtime there was… Continue reading Five reasons why Quakers should read the book of Revelation →

From October 2015, Quakers in Britain are invited to read and reflect on one or two chapters a month of Quaker Faith and Practice, either by themselves or in groups, face to face or online, so that as a Religious Society we can better know our tradition and journey as a people of faith. I’ll… Continue reading Reading Quaker Faith and Practice – Personal Journey →