What makes a Quaker organization Quaker?

by Lucy Duncan

Having worked at Friends General Conference and now AFSC, as well as having F/friends who work in Quaker schools, colleges, and yearly meetings, I’ve heard a lot of conversation about what constitutes a Quaker organization. I find that these conversations uncover much theological diversity, as well as discussion about whether the Quaker faith is primarily a faith about how we regard our relationship to the divine or about how we live. I think this is an important and interesting conversation for Friends to have. Please share your thoughts about what constitutes a Quaker organization. How does an organization express the essential qualities of Quaker faith, practice, and the testimonies? What does that look like? How should that look? Please offer examples.