Quakers
Quakers are members of a family of religious movements collectively known as the
Religious Society of Friends. The central unifying doctrine of these movements is the priesthood of all believers, a doctrine derived from a verse in the New Testament, 1 Peter 2:9. Most Friends view themselves as members of a Christian denomination. They include those with evangelical, holiness, liberal, and traditional conservative Quaker understandings of Christianity. Unlike many other groups that emerged within Christianity, the Religious Society of Friends has actively tried to avoid creeds and hierarchical structures. In 2007 there were approximately 359,000 adult members of Quaker meetings in the world. Today, around 89% of Friends worldwide practice
programmed worship—that is, worship with singing and a prepared message from the Bible, often coordinated by a pastor. Around 11% of Friends practice
waiting worship —that is worship where the order of service is not...