What Do Quakers Believe? 

Quaker practices may vary, but this summary outlines four practices common among Quakers worldwide: 



Direct Encounter with God – Quakers believe that they do not need a mediator, a priest, pastor, or physical elements like the Eucharist or water Baptism to interact with God. For Friends, all people have the possibility of direct access to God. 

Nurture the Life of the Spirit – Quakers believe that the meeting for worship is essential. Anyone can worship on their own, but for Friends the gathered community worshipping together is a critical component to what it means to nurture the life of the Spirit. 

Practiced Discernment – As a community making decisions together, Quakers seek the “Sense of the Meeting,” through a process of communal discernment. They do not vote. This practice of communal discernment is a long-standing practice among Friends everywhere and is the way communities discern the will of God for themselves. This is why there is not an overly top-down hierarchy for Friends. The goal of all Quaker yearly meetings is to support, nurture, and protect the discernment of each meeting. 

Testimony – For Quakers, living out one’s faith in community is of utmost importance. Overtime, Friends have been led to work against war, racism, poverty, and lead simple lives. These fall under the category of Quaker “testimony” as they are a witness of the faith of the lived community.  Some refer to our testimonies as SPICES: Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship.