Before anyone else says it, I realise the picture depicts James son of Alpheus rather than James the Just, however they are sometimes conflated, and no-one's totally sure what they looked like anyway. As Quakers historically didn't go in for images, I'm glad The Friend could borrow someone else's.
Sometimes I feel like I'm PR manager for James (brother of Jesus). On the BBC today: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/... and in The Friend this week (below)
Front cover of The Friend magazine, reading "We are called Friends, at least in part, thanks to the epistle of James'.
The Epistle of James on a magazine cover! #Lifegoals
thefriend.org/article/home...
Three Swarthmore Lectures pictured side by side, headed "The Light of Christ", "Removing the Causes of War" and "Building the Institutions of Peace"
Is this the peace testimony in 14 words?
The Light of Christ, removing the causes of war, building the institutions of peace.
Pictured in 3 Swarthmore Lecture titles.
We've been saying it for 360 years and will keep saying it now: Women's ministry and leadership absolutely is Biblical.
It's true Quakers don't have archbishops, partly because there is no Biblical precedent for that, but that's no reason not to be friends.
www.quaker.org.uk/blog/why-qua...
After reading online comments about Sarah Mullally, I re-read Rhiannon Grant's @rhiannonbookgeek.bsky.social recent blog.
Fell would have some strong things to say about those trying to silence the voices of women who are routinely threatened and insulted online.
www.quaker.org.uk/blog/women-s...
I've written and posted about the Quiet Revival, so feel I should share this correction, published yesterday.
It is still true however that people, often young people, often marginalised by others, are still finding their way to Quakers.
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...
This is worth reading, feat. Deputy Recording Clerk, Quakers in Britain, Siobhán Haire: cte.org.uk/smashing-the...
"360 years ago, Margaret Fell...published “Women’s speaking justified...Today, I largely take for granted the right to speak and to lead in my faith community."
📣 New Video! To celebrate International Women's Day, we will be looking into the Mother of Quakerism herself, Margaret Fell!
#quakerism #quakers #britishquakers #iwd26
youtu.be/wk0EgcFGecU
Picture of Swarthmoor Hall, with sign on gate. C Quakers in Britain
Just off the phone with Swarthmoor Hall. So much looking forward to going there with international Friends in May.
In the meantime here's a recent news story about it's most famous historic inhabitant:
www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/news/2588378...
This looks great! Beautiful Lake District holiday destination + deep dive on Margaret Fell. Brilliant.
20. Therefore it is hypocritical for priests to preach sermons about women’s words in the Bible, while still saying “Women must not speak!”.
19. There are yet more examples of women giving ministry in the Bible, including Deborah, Huldah, Sara, Anna the prophetess and the four daughters of Philip.
18. In the book of Revelation the ‘New Jerusalem’, is depicted as a woman.
17. In his first letter to the Corinthians Paul refers to women speaking, and does not command them to stop, but rather, calls them to do so in societal modesty - covering their heads as a means of embracing Jewish traditions.
16. In his letter to the Philippians, Paul praises the public ministries of Euodia and Syntyche – both of whom are women.
15. Likewise in his letter to Timothy, Paul must be talking about some particular women, not all women.
14. Paul did not say that women should not speak prophetically if they are called to, rather, those who are under strife, confusion, and malice should not be speaking in worship meetings.
13. When all this is taken into account, Paul’s instruction for women to keep silent in church can’t have been a matter of gender preference, but must have been to reduce the amount of ungrounded ministry in a particular community from some members of it.
12. Women spoke in early church meetings for the purposes of sharing a song, a teaching, or a prophecy, and this was understood to be in good order. In order to not have too much babble, in some circumstances both men and women were told to stay silent.
11. We also read that Priscilla (a female teacher) co-tutored Apollos. He did not reject her teaching, although later generations of Christian men would have done, because of her gender.
10. In the same book the prophecy of Joel is fulfilled that “both sons and daughters will prophesy”.
9. In the book of Acts, the apostles are joined together in prayer and supplication with women as well as men.
8. It was women who first learnt of the resurrection and told these things to the apostles.
7. It was women - Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome - who brought spices to anoint Jesus upon his burial.
6. At the crucifixion, it was women who stood by Jesus, while the men were far off, and Mary Magdalene who reported this to the men.
5. Several women supported Jesus and his ministry, financially and personally, out of their own resources. These included Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Susanna.
4. Women play an important role in the Gospels, including Mary, Martha, the woman at the well and the woman with the alabaster jar. In these stories women are given information or insights before men.
3. The people of God, and the church, are repeatedly described as a woman.
2. God put enmity between the woman and the Serpent. If the woman’s voice is silenced then only the voice of the Serpent will be heard.