Steven Dale Davison

Vocal ministry is Quakerism’s signature form of ministry. For some two hundred years, we supported this ministry with a culture of eldership that revolved around recording the ministers. Elders kept a lookout for Friends who were emerging into their ministry; after a time of seasoning and discernment, the meeting would record their gift.

When I applied for membership in my first Quaker meeting, I was actively hostile to Christianity and the Bible. I told this to the Friends who served on my clearness committee, feeling that I should be honest about this for the process. Also, I later realized, I might have been putting them on notice that I would cause trouble—not consciously, but in effect. But I wanted the meeting, and the meeting wanted me.

steward: from Old English for sty ward, the person responsible for the care and military protection of the Lord’s swine, and by extension, his wealth and property The Christian earth stewardship movement began in earnest in 1962 with the publication of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring. Since then, however, Christian writers, communities, and institutions have not made any meaningful progress in implementing these principles. There are several aspects to this failure.