The last post discussed the Quaker use of queries (questions) as one of our primary spiritual practices. Key to the consideration of the use of advices and queries is the fundamental belief of Iowa Yearly Meeting (Conservative) Friends that the Spirit is present today, as it has always been and will be. The advices and queries serve to “engage our minds and hearts in a process which may provide openings to the leadings of the Spirit within us.” Our form of worship, expectantly waiting together in silence, is how we listen for the Spirit, seek the Inner Light.
This is my hope and belief, that the continued search for Spiritual guidance will lead us to find ways to address the historical and ongoing injustices of the Christian colonial capitalist violence of this country.
The Epistle from the Elders at Balby, 1656
The earliest foundations of Quaker advices can be traced to 1656 when the elders at Balby, Yorkshire, England, issued the first formal collection of spiritual guidance. This foundational epistle contained twenty “advices” that provided detailed directions for Friends’ conduct and established a crucial principle: they were meant as spiritual guidance rather than rigid law, emphasizing the primacy of direct divine revelation over written authority.
The practice of queries developed later and somewhat separately. Initially, in 1682, London Yearly Meeting began by asking three questions to gather factual information about the status and needs of Friends throughout their quarterly meetings. These early queries served purely administrative purposes, helping the “meeting for sufferings” (established around 1675) provide relief and mutual aid to persecuted Friends and publicize injustices.
- Which Friends in service to the Society, in their respective regions, departed this life since the last Yearly Meeting?
- Which Friends, imprisoned on account of their testimony, died in prison since the last Yearly Meeting?
- How among Friends did Truth advance since last Yearly Meeting and how do they fare in relation to peace and unity?
History, Quaker Faith and Practice, Britain Yearly Meeting
A significant shift occurred in the early 18th century as Quakers became concerned with preserving the Society and began to be used more to ensure consistency of conduct and to obtain information about the spiritual state of meetings. This formalization accelerated around the 1760s, with queries being read and answered more frequently to test how well Friends adhered to approved standards. By 1791, London (Britain) Yearly Meeting adopted the first “general advices” for consideration by monthly and quarterly meetings, marking the beginning of the integrated “advices and queries”.
Iowa Yearly Meeting (Conservative)
In Iowa Yearly Meeting (Conservative) (IYMC) the consideration of advices and queries is one of our primary spiritual practices. They are intended to bring attention to how we are living our lives. And provoke consideration of ways to build more just societies.
Radical spiritual authority
Once a month my Quaker meeting spends the hour we are together prior to meeting for worship discussing one set of advices and queries. By the end of the year, we have considered all twelve sets of them. The responses are sent to the Iowa Yearly Meeting (Conservative) assistant clerk, who selects excerpts from them to be shared during the yearly gathering of Friends and attenders at Scattergood Friends School and Farm.
Dual purpose
This practice of considering advices and queries serves a dual function: it is the primary mechanism for conserving a traditional, Spirit-led form of Quakerism, while simultaneously acting as the primary engine for a radical re-evaluation of the Yearly Meeting’s history and core testimonies.
Examples of responses
Economic practices are very often at the root of social injustices. While there are innumerable examples of inequities and discriminatory practices related to wages, access to housing, education, medical, and other services, we have failed to come to grips with some foundational economic injustices. We live and work on land that was outright stolen from Native Americans. Our buildings and infrastructure were built with the labor of enslaved African Americans and other people of color, with the resulting extensive benefits and profits going to white males. We will not be able to make progress regarding racial (including indigenous) injustice until we apologize for these wrongs and find ways to redistribute the wealth and resources that were created as a result.
Response to Social and Economic Queries, Iowa Yearly Meeting (Conservative) 2018
We benefit from inequality and exploitation because we live easy, comfortable lives while others don’t. Colonialism and Capitalism are systems that exploit other people and the Earth for our benefit.
Response to Personal Responsibility Queries, Iowa Yearly Meeting (Conservative) 2020
Selected responses to the queries 2003 – 2023
From the published Minute books of Iowa Yearly Meeting (Conservative)
All of the selected responses to the queries that were approved over the years where electronic versions of the Iowa Yearly Meeting (Conservative) Minutes were available.
