Silent Subversion Pt. III: Subversion in Present-Day Quaker Meetings

(This is the last part of a paper I wrote in the spring of 2018 for seminary. It explores the ways in which present-day Quakers subvert the powers that be through their shared practice. As you read you'll realize that little did you know that oatmeal was making you into anarchist.)

Subversive Practice in Present-Day Quaker Meetings

The Quaker tradition in many ways has changed from its early form. Most Quakers today are considered programmed, meaning they meet and organize similarly to many Evangelical churches. Others have intertwined the programmed worship and organization with the more informal style from earlier in its history. These Quakers are considered semi-programmed. Yet, there are many unprogrammed Quakers who still meet, worship, and organize similarly to the tradition’s early beginnings. To share all the delightful subversiveness of those Quakers who still hold to many of the tradition’s early ecclesial values, QuakerSpeak began. QuakerSpeak is a YouTube channel that shares the history, modern-day issues, and nuances of Quakerism. While one may not necessarily think of a YouTube channel as the means by which Quakers express their tradition’s subversiveness, the channel shares many of the ways present-day Quakers still embody their subversive ecclesial structures. Three QuakerSpeak videos in particular share the ways Quaker ecclesial structures still subvert self-preservation, hierarchical ecclesial leadership, and institutional injustice...