'B' is for Born-Again Quakerism
Introduction
Most people associate the
idea of being ‘born again’ with a certain kind of conservative evangelical
Christianity. However, the experience of being born again through the inward
transformative power of the Spirit of Christ was an absolutely essential aspect
of early Quaker faith and practice. First and foremost, this was not about
becoming a member of the right religious club or signing up to the right set of
beliefs or doctrine. Instead it pointed to a real experience of change in which
people’s relationship with God, with other humans and with the rest of the
creation was fundamentally transformed.
In one of his earliest
tracts, George Fox explained the early Quaker position:
“Christ said, unless a man is born again of water and of the spirit, he
cannot see the kingdom of God, nor enter into it. So no man in his first
natural birth can see the kingdom
of God, nor enter into
it, nor know the things of God. For those who see the kingdom of God, they must
come to the spirit of God, and the spiritual birth by which the things of God
are known, and the kingdom of God; and John the divine said, he was in the kingdom,
then he saw it. And the apostle Paul said, God has translated us into the kingdom
of his dear son. And so then these [the apostles] saw the kingdom, and were in
it. And as many as receive Christ, he gives them power to become the sons of God; even to them that believe on his name, which were born
not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
This is the birth that sees, and enters God's kingdom.
George Fox – To All That Would Know the Way to the
Kingdom (1654)
The Biblical References
This vision of spiritual
rebirth can be seen in two key biblical passages:
“Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom
of God without being born of water and spirit; what is born of flesh is flesh,
and what is born of spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I tell you that
you must be born from above.”
John, 3:5-7, NRSV
John, 3:5-7, NRSV
“You have been born anew, not of perishable, but of
imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.”
1 Peter 1:23, NRSV
1 Peter 1:23, NRSV
James Nayler’s Contribution
Perhaps the most thorough early Quaker examination of the distinction between the first birth in the flesh and the second birth in the Spirit can be found in James Nayler's tract A Discovery of the First Wisdom from Beneath and the Second Wisdom from Above or The Difference betwixt the Two Seeds, The one after the flesh, the other after the Spirit which was published in 1653. An on-line version is available on the Quaker Heritage Press website. See the link below:
Perhaps the most thorough early Quaker examination of the distinction between the first birth in the flesh and the second birth in the Spirit can be found in James Nayler's tract A Discovery of the First Wisdom from Beneath and the Second Wisdom from Above or The Difference betwixt the Two Seeds, The one after the flesh, the other after the Spirit which was published in 1653. An on-line version is available on the Quaker Heritage Press website. See the link below:
A DISCOVERY OF THE FIRST WISDOM - IN SUMMARY
A. Introduction
A. Introduction
For Nayler, the heavenly and
spiritual reality represents the ‘Truth’. Alienation from God and a focus of
the first birth on thing that are not God is merely a temporary corruption of
the divine order of creation, a form of delusion that is destined to be
destroyed with the coming of the kingdom of God. False religion is man-made within
the conditions of the first birth and is focussed outwardly (on earthly,
material, carnal, corruptible and fallen things). True religion comes from God,
bringing a second birth and is focussed inwardly (on heavenly, spiritual,
eternal and incorruptible things). People a free to choose between the two. For
Nayler, false man-made religion is a form of idolatry because it involves
worshiping something other than God.
The movement from the first
birth to the second birth requires the crucifixion of the ‘carnal man’ and the
resurrection of the ‘spiritual man’. This is not achieved by human effort but is
the work of Christ within each person. Nayler argues that those who believe
that sin is inescapable in this life deny the possibility of a transformed
life. As a result they excuse sinfulness and have a low expectation of human
conduct. He makes clear that in the new covenant God’s temple or tabernacle is
the human body. This raises the question of who dwells and rules within the
human tabernacle; is it God or is it the serpent? Everything that is opposed to
God must be removed from the human tabernacle if God is to enter and dwell
there.
B. Key Points in Summary
Here is a summary of the key
points in The Lamb’s War against the Man
of Sin:
1. We
are all born physically but we must also be born again in Spirit
- The wisdom of the world and the wisdom of God are in conflict with one another.
- The wisdom of the world enslaves us but the wisdom of God sets us free.
- There is no point professing our belief in Christ outwardly unless we are taught by him inwardly. Possession is more important than profession.
- We must let God teach us what form of worship is acceptable. Outward and manmade worship is a form of idolatry.
- The Light brings us into the new covenant where God’s law is written on our hearts.
- The Light protects us from the evil ways of the world.
- The Light enables us to distinguish between what is from God and what is contrary to God.
- The Light brings us to the cross where our disobedient earthly nature (the first birth) is crucified and a new spiritual nature (the second birth) in is raised up in communion with God.
- The earthly nature and the heavenly nature are opposed to one another.
2. Distinguishing
between life in the first birth and life in the second birth
|
The
First Birth
|
The
Second Birth
|
|
In the first birth people:
·
Focus on outward
things and physical enjoyments, especially the accumulation of wealth and
power.
·
Worship a God
far away, who is only known to them by what other people have said and
written about God.
·
Use their
earthly knowledge for corrupt purposes to gain early power and wealth (e.g.
fraud, oppression and violence).
· Are proud and
concerned about earthly reputation. They want to grasp the earth’s resources
and this leads to war, conflict and oppression. They persecute God’s people.
|
In the second birth people:
·
Focus on God and
heavenly things and reject physical enjoyments in favour of invisible riches.
·
Worship a God
who is in an intimate relationship with us inwardly and listen to God’s
direct teaching.
·
Are transformed
by power of the Spirit and given the ability to overcome the sin and evil of
the world.
· Are humble, meek
and full of love for all regardless of status. They are willing to suffer
persecution and humiliation because this is how evil is defeated. They are
made perfect in suffering.
|
3. Christ has come to
destroy evil, to free the oppressed and imprisoned and to establish the kingdom
of God
- God is against those who seek worldly wealth and fashions and demand that others worship them.
- God is against those who overindulge in food and drink when so many of the poor are in need.
- God is against those who swear oaths, take the name of God in vain and ignore his commands in the way they live their lives.
- God is against those who scorn and mock others and indulge in pointless sports and activities.
- God is against those who cheat and oppress the poor in order to gain earthly wealth.
CONTEMPORARY RELEVANCE
I want to argue that the
possibility of spiritual rebirth remains essential to the Quaker way today for
two main reasons:
1. The conviction that all people can change for the
better – we need to hold
onto the conviction that, however violent, cruel, greedy and uncaring some
people appear to be, no-one is beyond redemption. Humans are not entirely
determined by their genes, by their culture or by the powers, institutions and
ideologies that dominate the world. We must continue to affirm that there is a
Spirit available to everyone that has the power to teach and transform us.
“Take heed, dear Friends, to the promptings of love
and truth in your hearts. Trust them as the leadings of God whose Light shows
us our darkness and brings us to new life.”
Advices and Queries No.1
2. The conviction that the peaceable kingdom can be
realised on earth – we need
to hold on to the conviction that, despite the continued existence of war, torture,
injustice, hunger, hatred, oppression, animal cruelty and environmental
destruction in the world today, it is still possible for the whole creation to
be transformed and for God’s peaceable kingdom to be realised on earth. We must
continue to affirm that there is a Spirit that is available and active in the
world that has the power to transform all things.
“Our gracious Creator cares and provides for all
his creatures. His tender mercies are over all his works; and so far as his
love influences our minds, so far we become interested in his workmanship and
feel a desire to take hold of every opportunity to lessen the distresses of the
afflicted and increase the happiness of the creation. Here we have a prospect
of one common interest from which our own is inseparable, that to turn all the
treasures we possess into the channel of universal love becomes the business of
our lives…
Oppression in the extreme appears terrible: but
oppression in more refined appearances remains to be oppression; and where the
smallest degree of it is cherished it grows stronger and more extensive. To
labour for a perfect redemption from this spirit of oppression is the great business
of the whole family of Christ Jesus in this world.”
John Woolman, 1763 (QF&P 23.14)
Good post, and I am adding a link to it on my QuakerInfo piece on New Beginnings, which looks at the same subject from a different angle. But you say "Nayler sets out four main characteristics" and then list three. What is the fourth?
ReplyDeleteThanks Bill! I think 'four' is a typo. Obviously, my summary is a huge simplification of a rather detailed piece of writing. I will amend the blog. Stuart.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this succinct presentation of the core tenets of our faith.
ReplyDeleteThank you Pat!
ReplyDeleteI don't believe the term "Born Again" is understoon correctly. Of course this is a minority view which I have failed to find anyone agreeing to so don't take this as anything but an attempt to make you think twice before using the term. I believe the scripture is making the point that without being "born again" you have no way to comprehend the spiritual world around you. However, I believe that being "born again" opens you to a spiritual world that has many dangers. I offer the following scripture for consideration.
ReplyDeleteMar 4:3 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:
Mar 4:4 And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.(The ground being a heart that was not born again)
Mar 4:5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth.
Mar 4:6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. :(the ground being a heart that was born again but not a believer's heart because it was not grounded in the Word)
Mar 4:7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.(the ground being a believer's heart that was not a disciple's heart because it had not consciously decided to forsake the things of this world (santification))..
Mar 4:8 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.(the ground being the heart of a disciple who made a conscious decision to follow Jesus and be crucified with Him)
Mar 4:9 And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Mar 4:10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.
Mar 4:11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
Mar 4:12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
Mar 4:13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
Mar 4:14 The sower soweth the word.
Mar 4:15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
Mar 4:16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
Mar 4:17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.
Mar 4:18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
Mar 4:19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
Mar 4:20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
Many are called but few are chosen and even the devils believe but to bear fruit you have to let the dead bury the dean and pick up your cross and come follow Him with no place to lay your head. Being Born Again isn't enough. You have to get grounded in the word and die to self to bear fruit.
Dear Broschultz,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments. I certainly think that early Friends recognised the need to die to self. They very much identified with Paul's participatory understanding of the cross (e.g. 1 Cor 1:18, Gal 2:20, Gal 6:14-15 and Rom 6:3-4). They also understood the need for careful spiritual discernment.
I am writing a set of A-Z blogs across the year and so each individual posting will be limited in scope. I hope to deal with the cross later.