Resources for Deeper Investigation
A rich on-line selection of Quaker reference materials is available through the following web sites.
Modern sources:
- Books of faith and practice available online: sometimes called "disciplines," books of "faith and practice" are guides published by yearly meetings (regional Quaker bodies) for use by their members. They contain practical, procedural information as well as religious guidance and inspirational material.
- Resources for Meetings and Individual Friends from Friends General Conference: FGC Library. Includes many articles on ministry, outreach, overcoming racism, and other topics, as well as the text of Resources for Fostering Vital Friends Meetings.
- For decades, Pendle Hill, a Quaker center for retreat and study, has published pamphlets and sponsored lecture series on a variety of topics of interest to Friends. Many from past years are available online for download as pdf files from Pendle Hill's free downloads web page.
- More free downloads are available from Friends Council on Education, which provides resources for students, parents and educators in Friends schools. See downloadable publications.
- Wider Quaker Followship offers periodic mailings in a "ministry of literature" designed to serve Friends and like minded people who are not living near a meeting. The writings come from all branches of Friends, and are posted online in English at WQF Publications or in Spanish at Literatura de la Asociacion de los amigos de los Amigos.
- Friends Journal provides an online listing of their annual index of articles from the years 1997 forward at Annual Indexes.
- Quaker Religious Thought provides a chronological listing of titles and authors from all their issues at Quaker Theological Discussion Group.
Historical writings:
- Historical Quaker documents, including the works of many early Friends, are available online through the Digital Quaker Collection, of Earlham School of Religion;
- from Quaker Heritage Press, a labor of Larry and Licia Kuenning;
- and from additional sources listed at Quaker Texts Online.
- In addition, a partly-searchable edition of The Journal of John Woolman, an eighteenth century American Friend whose journal is widely read as an example of a Quaker who faithfully strove to "walk the talk," is part of the online collection of Harvard Classics.
- Quaker Bible Index a scripture index to the writings of early Friends, is an in-progress work by Esther Murer.
- Also see our History and Exhibits .
Visit Historic Quaker Sites in and Near Philadelphia
- See an updated listing of "William Penn Tours" for details.
Also see the following sources for frequently-sought information:
- Quaker genealogical research, resources suggested by the Quaker Information Center.
- Quaker membership counts worldwide, with breakdowns for the U.S. and Canada, compiled by Friends World Committee for Consultation and other sources.
- Monthly Meetings in North America: A Quaker Index a compilation (in progress) of basic historical information about present and former Friends meetings. This is a project of Thomas Hill.
- Libraries with Quaker Collections
- Acronyms and Abbreviations, an online list compiled by Bill Samuel