Thee Quaker Podcast

This week we’re sharing our first international vocal ministry episode by taking you inside a Kenyan service! While visiting Kisumu, Kenya, our colleague, Hannah Mayer got to visit Friends Church Manyatta — a lively evangelical Quaker congregation in the city of Kisumu. Join us as we hear a message of faith, peace, and new life from Reverend Pamela Igesa as well as songs and testimonials from the...

If you’re looking for Quakers, go to Kenya. There are more Quakers in the East African country than anywhere else in the world, and their numbers are growing. Although American missionaries first introduced them to the faith, Kenyan Friends have made Quakerism their own.  On this episode, we explore the history of Friends in Kenya, their commitment to peace, the challenges they face today, and why...

George Lakey is a well known Quaker pacifist, but he didn’t grow up that way. In fact, it wasn’t until George became involved with Quakers that he came to believe in the power of nonviolence. Now in his 80s, George has spent most of his life as an advocate for social change through nonviolent direct action. In fact, he wrote the book on it. In this episode, he shares his deep conviction that pacif...

Do you have a daily spiritual practice? On today’s episode, we’re exploring ways that spiritual discipline has helped Quakers connect with the Spirit today and throughout history.  We made this episode to celebrate the launch of our newest project, the Daily Quaker Message, a daily Quaker devotional designed to nourish your spiritual journey. Visit our episode page for more information on the topi...

April is National Poetry Month in the US, and we’re celebrating with an episode on Quakers and poetry. We know many people love poetry, but it can also feel opaque. So, we called up two Friends who have found a home both in Quakerism and in verse. In our first segment, bestselling author Parker Palmer tells us how he gained a love of poetry and how it helped him during a mental health crisis. He'l...

Feeling lost, lonely, and directionless is part of the human experience, just ask the Biblical prophet Elijah. Faced with death for his convictions, he ran into the wilderness and found a God who met him in his grief and despair. On today’s episode, Quaker pastor Andy Stanton-Henry shares a message of getting lost and being found by the still small voice of the divine. And he helps us lean in to h...

We have an announcement!  Our newest project has launched. The Daily Quaker Message is an invitation to enter into a closer relationship with Spirit. Every day in your inbox, you’ll get an email with a short Quaker message to meditate on. Often that will be a quote but sometimes a song, a poem, a piece of art, or a video. We’ll also share an exercise to try in your own life and a query to consider...

Lifelong Quaker Bayard Rustin was the architect of the 1963 March on Washington, a mentor to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and an international peace activist.  His identity as a gay man kept him in the shadows for decades, but he’s become something of an icon in recent years. In this episode, we explore the life and work of this groundbreaking Friend who made an indelible mark on American history....

Quakers have a long history of peacefully fighting for racial equality, and there is a lot to explore about their work during the Civil Rights Movement.  In this episode, we share first-hand stories of Friends whose spiritual courage led them into the heart of the movement, even when they were beaten and threatened with death. Quakers were among the most influential advocates of nonviolent direct...

Award-winning singer-songwriter Carrie Newcomer has been called a “prairie mystic” for her meditative, poetic lyrics and folk-infused melodies. Carrie is also a thoughtful Quaker, whose faith comes through in her music, her poetry, and her podcast with author Parker Palmer. On this episode, Carrie shares how she came to Quakerism, how she writes from a place of meditation and silence, and, of cour...

Quaker clothing is something of a mystery for non-Quakers. For more than 300 years, Quakers have been known for their “plain dress.” But what does plain dress mean today? On this episode, we talk to Quakers who have felt a spiritual leading to dress simply, but as you’ll hear, that means different things to different people. Comment on this episode, consider our discussion questions, download a tr...

When a midweek worship group for young Quakers sprung up at Portland Friends Meeting in Maine, it ruffled some feathers. Some wondered why they needed to meet separately.  On today’s episode, we hear how this group of millennials found a spiritual home in not one but two weekly meetings for worship. Our episode page has discussion questions, a transcript, a place to comment, and more . Check it ou...

Why are there so few Black Quakers in mostly-white Quaker meetings? What can white Quakers do to support and encourage Friends of Color? And what can we learn from how Black Friends worship?  This season we’re taking inspiration from Civil Rights organizer Bayard Rustin and looking at how Black Quakers are at work in the world, starting with our first episode of Season 2. In this episode, we talk...

This year, we’re exploring the life and work of spiritually courageous Friends like Bayard Rustin. We’re delving into burning questions about Quakerism. We’re going inside Quaker meetings across the U.S. and the world. And we’ll introduce you to new voices! Don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. Leave a comment and find transcripts and discussion questions for every episode at Qua...

We’re looking back at some of your favorite episodes and ours with our year-end countdown. Join us as we remember some of the most thoughtful moments in our first season.  Find links to all of the episodes mentioned, a transcript, and discussion questions at https://quakerpodcast.com/our-top-5-episodes-of-the-year. Become a monthly supporter!  Sign up for the Daily Quaker Message .

Should Quakers still be on social media? In this bonus episode, author and professor Wess Daniels talks about why he left Facebook and Twitter, and how he's encouraging his students to take a step back from the algorithm to explore an age-old Quaker practice: silence. Visit our episode page to learn more about Wess Daniels, share your thoughts, read our transcript, and review our discussion questi...

For the final episode of Season 1, we’re taking a peek behind the curtain of Thee Quaker Project — from inspiration to realization. If you love a good origin story or you’ve got a big idea that you want to turn into a reality, this is the episode for you. Help us shape Season 2 by taking our survey . Visit our episode page to leave a comment, read our discussion questions, and download the transcr...

Quakers tend to think of “vocal ministry” as someone standing and speaking in a Meeting for Worship. But when we approached O about doing an episode with us, she invited us to expand our thinking.  Join us as we walk with O to listen for God in everyday conversations.  Visit our episode page to comment on this episode, read the transcript and ponder our discussion questions. Join our giving team!...

From Reddit to Discord, Twitter to Facebook… we take a tour of the places where Quakers (and the Quaker curious!) are congregating online. Visit our episode page for links to the online communities we discussed, discussion questions, and more. Become a monthly patron of Thee Quaker Project! Become a monthly supporter!  Sign up for the Daily Quaker Message .

On a cold, rainy day in October 1656, early Quaker leader James Nayler rode into the city of Bristol on a horse. He was surrounded by his followers singing “hosanna” and laying garments in his path in a re-enactment of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem.  But by December, Nayler had been convicted of blasphemy, had his forehead branded with a B, and faced other public humiliations before being locked awa...

Ranters, Diggers, Levellers, Muggletonians… These religious and political sects disrupted an already wild era in 17th century England. But who were these radicals and what do they have to do with Quakers?  We’ll take a look in this week’s episode. Subscribe so you don’t miss an episode! Learn more about early Quakers with our episode George Fox and the Birth of Quakerism . After you listen, tell u...

Mark Condo brings an unexpected inspiration to his latest sermon series: rock and roll. The pastor of Reedwood Friends Church has created a mixtape for his Portland, Oregon congregation full of songs that have preached to him. He shares the first track in his vocal ministry mixtape with us this week: a sermon inspired by Matthew 25 and "Does Anybody Out There Even Care" by Lenny Kravitz. Listen to...

Isabella Rosner never imagined that her list of strange Quaker names would be liked, shared, and retweeted millions of times. We asked Isabella where she found these unusual names (i.e. Experience Cuppage), and how deep dive into women’s needlework revealed not only Quirky Quaker monikers but also a colorful and lesser known side of Quakerism. Visit our episode page for more info on Isabella, a tr...

Quaker author Edith Maxwell is a best-selling mystery writer with more than 30 novels in publication. She says it’s her series about a young Quaker midwife solving murders and delivering babies that is closest to her heart. In this episode, Edith shares her journey from earning a PhD in linguistics to a career in fiction and how it connects with her Quaker faith. Tell us what you thought of this e...

Our Executive Director Jon Watts didn’t know much about Quakers in Australia before his recent trip Down Under. On this episode, he shares the stories he discovered of Aussie Friends — from the beginnings of Quakerism on the continent to the present concerns of Australian Quakers. Tell us what you thought of this episode by leaving a comment on the episode page. Want to support Thee Quaker Podcast...