Examining Our Past: Historical Quaker Theologies of Enslavement

The minute prompted Friends to consider the role Quakers have historically played in the trafficking and enslavement of African people and people of African descent, and the reparations Quakers might make for their complicity in these harms. The findings of the Woodbrooke research are divided across three strands: (1) Quaker Theology used to justify and support systems of enslavement and oppression, 1650-1728; (2) Theology of Abolition, 1728-1834; and (3) Theology of Reparation and Liberation, 1834-Present.

Each week, participants will hear from the researchers their historical and theological analyses of each period and explain the key changes in Quaker thought and practice over time. No prior knowledge of the subject or time period are necessary for participation.