The Message and Mission of Quakerism

Rufus M. Jones, one of the most influential Quaker thinkers of the twentieth century, gathered these addresses to articulate what he saw as the essential message of the Society of Friends and its vital mission in the modern world. Writing with theological passion and intellectual rigor, Jones argues that Quakerism is not merely a historical sect but a living spiritual witness that must continually reinterpret itself for each new age. The addresses trace the movement's radical origins in seventeenth-century England, explore its core principles of the Inner Light and sacred community, and grapple with how these ancient insights speak to the challenges of contemporary life. Jones wrote for a generation of Quakers uncertain about their identity in a changing world, offering both a defense of the faith and a call to renewed commitment. For anyone seeking to understand what Quakers actually believe and why their vision of spiritual community still matters, this book provides authoritative access to one of the tradition's most eloquent modern voices.