The English Civil War period is a fascinating area of study given the religious, political and military battles which were waged from 1642-1649. Following the regicide of 1649 and the ascendency of Oliver Cromwell during the Interregnum, the formation of radical groups dominated the social sphere. This thesis is concerned with one particular sect, the Quakers, or Society of Friends. Beginning as a loosely organized meeting of like-minded individuals and quickly numbering in the thousands, the Quakers became a source of contention for the government. Their unorthodox behaviour, unpretentious lifestyle and philosophy of the equality of all, set them apart in the class-conscious society of seventeenth-century England. Convinced that they were led by the Light of Christ, they defied state laws, the formalism of the Church of England and the social mores of deference to superiors. This caused many to be imprisoned and persecuted both by state authorities and by neighbours. This thesis examines one Quaker’s responses to this persecution and his arguments in favour of toleration. It reviews the copious writings of the Quaker Edward Burrough, who published extensively from 1653 to 1663. He not only refuted tracts written by others against Quakerism, but also wrote to those in authority to advocate liberty of conscience and relief from persecution. Confrontational and hostile at times in his replies to John Bunyan, he defended Quaker doctrine which the latter had challenged. Burrough wrote to Oliver and Richard Cromwell and Parliament imploring them to relieve Quakers of persecution and to provide liberty of conscience. Correspondence to Charles II after his Restoration in 1660 was forceful and relatively successful as the persecution of Quakers in the Boston area was somewhat relieved. This thesis demonstrates that Burrough’s argument for requesting liberty of conscience was that conscience was sacred because it was informed by God through the Light of Christ. The Light of Christ, moreover, dwelled equally within all people. He also suggested that the benefits of allowing liberty of conscience would be felt in the economic, social and political aspects of English life and would help to make England great. Ultimately, Burrough advocated toleration because he argued that toleration was a basic right of freeborn Englishmen. / Edward Burrough's primary writings were analyzed to document this thesis.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, Dept. of History, August, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

Texte remanié de: Dissertation--Göttingen--Georg-August-Universität, 2006. / Bibliogr. des sources p. 336-357.

No description available.

The Religious Society of Friends, or Quakers, began their witness in the 1600s during a time of religious debate when competing doctrines reflected the political, social and intellectual turmoil of seventeenth-century England. George Fox (1624-1691), the founder, preached that people are guided by God's inner light which is present in the hearts and conscience of all people and reflects God's 'divine' will. The Quakers form a small religious membership not larger than 200,000 people sect, its world-wide. Yet, historically, the group's impact on social issues has always outweighed its numerical strength. The earliest Quakers to reside more permanently in South Africa were British settlers, several of whom became outspoken civic leaders. Quaker humanitarian gestures led to the opening of a multi-racial school for poor children in Cape Town (1840) and investigations into the treatment of Afrikaner women and children in concentration camps during the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902). Early Quakers are also credited with initiating the Joint Council Movement of Europeans and Africans (1920s), forerunner to the South African Institute of Race Relations. This study traces the Quaker presence in South Africa from its earliest history to the present, with particular emphasis on the twentieth century. Specifically, the examination of the Quaker presence addresses the group's reaction to South African society and politics in reference to segregationist and apartheid legislation. The study includes a comparative analysis of the response among South African Quakers to these issues with Quaker response in England and the United states. The purpose of this analysis is to attempt an assessment of the extent to which South African Quaker practices were consistent with the philosophies of their world-wide religious fellowship. Relevant to the Quaker belief in peace and justice for all, with no discrimination, specific issues that involved South African Quakers and for which sufficient primary sources were available are closely examined. Of particular interest is the opening of a Quaker boarding school during the early 1930s, the Quaker response to the Defiance Campaign in 1952, and South African Quaker response to the call for international sanctions and boycotts against South Africa. More recent Quaker activities, including mediation between the African National Congress and the government, provide significant data. South African Quakers have defined themselves as members of a religious body whose belief of pacifism and commitment to non-violence dictates to a certain extent their obedience to a higher authority -- which some call their conscience and others call God -- if a civil law is deemed immoral and unjust . Thus, the study seeks to define the individual and corporate Quaker witness in South Africa in relation to the Society's principles.

No description available.

Thesis (Department Honors) - Franklin & Marshall College, 2009. / Double click the URL for full text access. Includes bibliography pgs. 41-45.

Thesis (Th. M.)--Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 97-99).

Thesis (Th. M.)--Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, South Hamilton, MA, 2004. / Abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 97-99).

Thesis (Th. M.)--Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, South Hamilton, MA, 2004. / Abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 97-99).