What Does ChatGPT Have To Say About Nontheist Quakers?

Nontheist (or atheist) Quakers are individuals who participate in the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) but do not believe in a theistic conception of God. This includes atheists, agnostics, humanists, and others who may embrace a non-supernatural or non-traditional spiritual perspective while still resonating with Quaker values and practices.

Key Aspects of Nontheist Quakers:

1. Shared Values, Not Shared Beliefs

Nontheist Quakers typically embrace the core Quaker testimonies, often remembered by the acronym SPICES:

• Simplicity
• Peace
• Integrity
• Community
• Equality
• Stewardship/Sustainability

These values form the ethical and spiritual foundation of Quaker practice, and they appeal to many people regardless of religious belief.

2. Silent Worship and Individual Experience

Quaker worship—particularly in unprogrammed meetings—is based on silence, with no clergy or prescribed doctrine. Anyone may speak if moved to do so. For nontheists, the silence is an opportunity for reflection, mindfulness, or inner listening that doesn’t require belief in God. They may describe their experience in terms of conscience, compassion, or a commitment to justice rather than divine guidance.

3. Language and Interpretation

Many nontheist Quakers are comfortable participating in meetings where others may use traditional religious language. They often reinterpret words like:

• “God” as the collective good or deep conscience
• “Spirit” as human connection, inspiration, or the inner light
• “That of God in everyone” as the inherent worth or moral compass in all people

Others may prefer to use purely secular language and engage in open discussions about the meanings behind Quaker terms.

4. Diversity and Inclusion

The Religious Society of Friends is highly diverse. In liberal branches of Quakerism, especially in the U.S. (like Friends General Conference) and the U.K., there is a wide range of beliefs, from Christian to universalist to nontheist. Meetings often welcome this diversity and emphasize spiritual exploration over dogma.

5. Nontheist Friends Network (NTF)

There is a formal network of nontheist Quakers called the Nontheist Friends Network (primarily active in the UK) and other informal groups in North America. These groups offer resources, forums, and workshops for Quakers who do not believe in a supernatural God but still find meaning and community in Quaker practice.

Website (UK): http://nontheist-quakers.org.uk

Why Nontheist Quakers Exist:

• Spiritual depth without theism: People find spiritual value in silence, simplicity, and community without needing to believe in a god.
• Ethical alignment: Quaker values often align with humanist or secular ethics.
• Supportive community: Quaker meetings provide a space for reflection, social action, and mutual care—without pressure to conform to doctrine.

Summary:

Nontheist Quakers are fully participating members of the Quaker community who engage deeply with the values, practices, and communal life of Friends, but do so without belief in a theistic God. Their presence reflects the broad spiritual openness of liberal Quakerism and its focus on lived values over belief systems.

ChatGPT said:

Here’s a list of readings, quotes, and resources by or about nontheist Quakers, including books, articles, and voices from within the Quaker community. These can offer insight into how people reconcile (or simply bypass) traditional theism while remaining rooted in Quaker life.

📚 Books and Pamphlets

1. Godless for God’s Sake: Nontheism in Contemporary Quakerism

Editor: David Boulton
Publisher: Dales Historical Monographs / Nontheist Friends Network

A collection of essays by nontheist British Friends. The writers share how they live out Quaker faith and practice without belief in a supernatural deity.

Quote:

“We are not rejecting Quakerism. We are affirming it—its practices, its values, its search for truth—on a different metaphysical basis.”

2. The Spirit of the Quakers

Editor: Geoffrey Durham
Publisher: Yale University Press

While not exclusively about nontheism, this accessible anthology includes excerpts from modern Quakers (including nontheist voices) and historical ones, offering a sense of the wide diversity of belief.

3. Essays from Nontheist Friends

Found on the Nontheist Friends Network website, including downloadable PDFs of essays and talks presented at Yearly Meetings and gatherings.

📝 Selected Quotes from Nontheist Quakers

David Boulton (UK)

“I am a Quaker because I value silence, simplicity, honesty, equality, and peace—not because I believe in God.”

Don Cudmore (US, Pacific Yearly Meeting)

“I take the testimonies seriously, not because I believe they’re divine commandments, but because they reflect how I want to live in the world.”

Greta Christina (atheist author and speaker)

Though not a Quaker, she gave a talk titled “Atheist Spirituality and Community” at the Western Friend online speaker series, which many Quakers found resonant.

“You don’t have to believe in something supernatural to have transcendent experiences—or to want to build a better world.”

🌐 Web Resources

Nontheist Friends Network (UK)

• Articles, event announcements, reading lists, discussion threads
• Offers a view of how nontheist Friends integrate with the broader Quaker community

QuakerQuaker.org

• Search for “nontheist,” “atheist Quakers,” or “humanist Friends”
• Posts and reflections from Friends of all beliefs

Western Friend

• Liberal Quaker publication with a range of theological perspectives
• Sometimes features articles by or about nontheist Friends

🎧 Talks & Videos

• “Why I’m a Quaker but Not a Theist” – talks given at Britain Yearly Meeting and in some Pacific and New England Yearly Meetings are occasionally available online or via YouTube or Vimeo.
• Pendle Hill Quaker Center for Study and Contemplation (https://pendlehill.org) occasionally hosts inclusive events or webinars that welcome nontheist perspectives.

ChatGPT said:

Here’s a deeper dive into NontheistQuakers.org—the central hub for Quakers who practice without supernatural belief. It offers clarity on terminology, community touchpoints, and ongoing conversations within liberal Quakerism.

🌱 What is “Nontheism” according to the site?

• The website defines nontheism broadly: it includes atheists, agnostics, secular humanists, pantheists, even Wicca practitioners—anyone who does not embrace belief in a personal god. Terms like “atheist” and “nontheist” are similar, though “nontheist” was adopted to carry less cultural baggage and allow space for moral or symbolic language about God without literal belief.
• The site underscores that nontheism is not the same as irreligion—many nontheist Friends deeply value spiritual reflection, reverence, and a sense of awe, even absent supernatural beliefs.

🧭 Community & Practice

Meetings & Contemplative Groups

• Nontheist Friends Contemplative Sharing Group (U.S.): Meets monthly and weekly over Zoom—with sessions for silent meditation and shared check‑ins (e.g. the non‑worship meeting following 30 minutes of silence) .
• Nontheist Friends Network (UK): Monthly Zoom gatherings featuring worship and creative conversations, open to nontheists, theist-leaning Friends, and humanist Quakers.

Discussion & Connection

• A global email listserv is hosted via Google Groups, welcoming Friends and non‑Friends interested in nontheist experience and dialogue within Quakerism.
• A Facebook group (“Non‑Theist Quakers”) offers discussion on non‑theism in Quaker spiritual life and community.

📘 Historical Roots & Publications

Roots & Flowers of Quaker Nontheism

• This retrospective essay by Os Cresson traces the intellectual and spiritual roots of nontheistic Friends, exploring connections to early Quaker skeptics like Gerard Winstanley (1609–c.1660), who equated God with universal law, conscience, and reason—rather than supernatural entities

Publications

• The site lists a rich bibliography: early Quaker skeptics (1960s–90s), and modern works such as Godless for God’s Sake: Nontheism in Contemporary Quakerism and essays by Lincoln and Robin Alpern, Os Cresson, and David Boulton

🔍 Recent Activity & Focus — as of mid‑2025

• Posts include topical pieces such as:
  • “Racism in Light” (April 2025) – reflections by the Contemplative Sharing Group on addressing racism within Quaker language and practice.
  • “Thursdays: 30 Minutes of Quiet Practice” (April 2025) – led by Tom Kunesh, combining mindfulness and community check‑in.
  • “Nontheism” – a foundational article by Mattias Karlsson (Jan 4, 2025) introducing definitions and conceptual nuances
    
• In March 2025, the Nontheist Center at the FGC Online Gathering hosted sessions on identity, language, silent meeting, and future pathways—with participation across multiple sessions ranging typically from 5 to 17 people

🧾 Summary Table

ChatGPT said:

The Nontheist Quakers website offers resources for people practicing Quakerism without belief in a supernatural deity. You can join the email listserv via a Google Group, attend weekly Zoom silent contemplative sessions, or explore articles by Friends like Mattias Karlsson and Os Cresson. The site also features updates on gatherings, essays on Quaker history and nontheism, and ongoing conversations around inclusive language, social justice, and spiritual practice.

To get involved or read more, visit: https://nontheistquakers.org