After New Year’s, Robin Alpern and I will be co-facilitating a retreat on Nontheism among Friends at Powell House near Albany.
(The link by the way goes to the Facebook event page.)
The full flyer text below the cut:
As early as 1976, the Friends General Conference Gathering hosted a well-attended Workshop for Nontheistic Friends. In the decades since, Friends have become increasingly aware of the theological diversity of our Religious Society. Through experience and statistical studies, we have learned a large proportion of our members and attenders are somewhere on a spectrum that includes postchristians, agnostics, atheists, secularists, humanists. How can we be nontheists and Quakers too? If our Quaker life is not centered on belief in God, what is our center? What are our challenges? How can theists and nontheists enrich each other while holding views that differ?
As early as 1976, the Friends General Conference Gathering hosted a well-attended Workshop for Nontheistic Friends. In the decades since, Friends have become increasingly aware of the theological diversity of our Religious Society. Through experience and statistical studies, we have learned a large proportion of our members and attenders are somewhere on a spectrum that includes postchristians, agnostics, atheists, secularists, humanists.
How can we be nontheists and Quakers too?
If our Quaker life is not centered on belief in God, what is our center?
What are our challenges?
How can theists and nontheists enrich each other while holding views that differ?
* * *
We will explore the faith and practice of Quaker nontheists and the richness of a spiritual life not necessarily dependent on belief in God. While sharing our theologies, we will remain grounded in what we “know experimentally”. We invite all seekers, to celebrate and deepen our own beliefs and practices, and our appreciation for the beliefs and practices of others, so that we may all enjoy what Henry Cadbury called “the natural variety in Quakerism.”
I’m excited. Plenty of fabulous conversation happens on the NTF email list, but there’s nothing like talking face to face. And the face-to-face events I’ve facilitated or attended have all been rather short, except Friends General Conference this summer, which was long but chaotic (wonderful in its own way of course) and with different people at each session. This will be the first extended, close, real-life interaction on the topic that I’ve had.
The cost of the retreat is $200 for people over 35, $150 for ages 23-35, $100 for ages 13-22, and I believe $50 for ages 0-12. After December 17 (tomorrow!), the prices rise slightly to 220/170/110/55. Financial aid is available, and I hear every Powell House retreat has a slot for someone who helps the cook and gets in for half price.
(If you see different costs elsewhere, please disregard them – we specially asked for a specially discounted rate for YAFs in the 23-35 range, who would normally be part of the highest bracket, and it’s created a little confusion.)
Update: my report here, and a participant’s here.
Photo by crimeofpoisson
Hi Zach. looks like a very interesting subject. I will be there!
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