You can fill a small library with the number of books on Quakers written by scholars through the years. So when Rhiannon Grant and Wess Daniels first began talking in earnest about editing a new book on Quakers and their faith, they made it their mission to create something different.
Caption: The editors and several essayists gathered at Founders Hall to talk about their collaboration for a new book, The Quaker World. Left to right are Rhiannon Grant, Abigail Lawrence, Wess Daniels, Lloyd Lee Wilson and Michael Dutch.
The result is The Quaker World, a comprehensive introduction into a complex Christian faith tradition. Rhiannon, honorary senior lecturer at the University of Birmingham (England) and Wess, the College’s William R. Rogers Director of Friends Center and Quaker Studies spoke about their book Nov. 17 at Founders Hall.
The Quaker World brought together more than 50 writers — including many with ties to the College — to explore the global reach of the Quaker community.
“Right from the start we wanted to acknowledge what’s been done before, and what we could do to make things different,” Rhiannon told a roomful of students, faculty and staff. “If you look at (other books on Quakers), they may be more focused on people speaking from academic locations so often from a university in Europe or North America doing really important work but also with a focus on Quaker history first. We wanted to flip it around and focus on Quaker diversity today, and, oh by the way, this has come from somewhere where there’s a piece of history.”
The book covers well-known areas of Quaker development, such as the formation of Liberal Quakerism in North America, alongside topics that have received much less scholarly attention in the past, such as the history of Quakers in Bolivia and the spread of Quakerism in Western Kenya.
The Quaker World includes several essays from authors with ties to Guilford including Professor of History Damon Akins, Seth ’40 and Hazel ’41 Macon Professor of Business Management Michael Dutch, Early College at Guilford senior Abigail Lawrence, Interim New Garden Friends Meeting Pastor Ashley Wilcox, Kennesaw State (Ga.) University Professor Maia Carter Hallward, whose parents are retired William R. Rogers Director of Friends Center and Quakers Studies Max Carter and his wife, Jane, former Friends Center staff member Greg Woods, and Lloyd Lee Wilson, a local author and Quaker.
On Nov. 16 Rhiannon met with students for the Judith Weller Harvey Quaker Scholar Lecture titled, "Talking about God: Why It’s Hard But We Should Keep Trying."