Quakers united in peace ideals

By JULIE MIDDLETON

You won't see them walking around in 17th-century clothes any more, nor will you hear them addressing others with "thee" or "thou".

But around the world there are still 338,000 people who call themselves Quakers.

Among them is Environment Minister Marian Hobbs. Yesterday, at King's College, she spoke to several hundred representatives of Quaker groups from points as scattered as Bolivia, the United States, Norway, the United Kingdom and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

They seem a friendly, open and sincere bunch, gathered to find out what their fellows are doing in the name of peace.

The Quakers formed amid the social turmoil of 17th century England as a religious group that believed that God, or some inner light, is in everyone, and treated all people as equal, women included. Yes, Quakers were the first feminists.

But these days, they range from fundamentalists in church-like structures to evangelicals, God-indifferent liberals, and even atheists.

New Zealand Quakers, who number 591, tend to the liberal and have no group hierarchies, says member Elaine Ludwig, of Mt Eden. But what unites everyone is practical activism, a strong anti-war stance - and silent worship. A whole meeting can pass without a word being said. "Silence," she says, "is powerful."

At this meeting, a panel on peace which includes Ms Hobbs speaking uncontroversially, a total and comfortable silence of up to a minute follows each speaker. It seems odd until you count how many heads are bowed and eyes closed, as the audience ponders what's been said.

Out of that contemplation, as in worship sessions, people might feel an internal prompting to stand and say their piece - "give ministry". And people do, though all use 100 words where one would do. Centuries ago, this urge to get on up might have been accompanied by much physical quaking as individuals felt some sort of spirit stirring in them - and the nickname stuck.

Ms Hobbs, still apparently the world's only Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control, joined the Quakers after the 1981 Springbok tour (she was actively anti-apartheid) prompted deep thinking.

She decided the Religious Society of Friends (the Quakers' official name) would best serve her "spiritual conscience".

In practice, she says, being a Quaker means "trying to be non-confrontational, and always seeing the good in people".

"That can be difficult in the House on occasion," she adds dryly. "I will not attack a person, but I will attack a policy."

In Congo, war-torn since its independence in 1960, Bakamana Mouana is among Quakers working on projects to rehabilitate scores of victims, among them former child soldiers, raped women and broken families. He and other Quakers teach conflict resolution to communities, and promote peace in schools.

But it can be a grind, he admits.

Basic facilities are often poor, some politicians are opposed to private aid organisations, and endless power struggles encourage more violence. But the Quakers keep on quietly moving.

NZ Quakers

There are eight Quaker meeting houses - Mt Eden; Waiheke Island; Wanganui; Palmerston North; Wellington; Nelson; Christchurch and Dunedin.

For information on how to contact them, look up NZ Quakers.

To find groups outside these areas, contact The Convenor, Outreach Committee, 115 Mt Eden Rd, Auckland 1003.