Quaker Updates

On May 4, FCNL welcomed Dr. Sa’ed Atshan, associate professor of Anthropology at Emory University, to share his experiences with Quaker education growing up, his life’s journey with Quakerism, his thoughts on Quaker institutions, and his overall reflections on faith.

It’s been a little more than three months on the job, and I can confidently say that the Spirit is alive and well within the FCNL community. Here’s a look at what I am seeing and hearing as I travel among Friends.

There is a glimmer of hope in the effort to end the war in Yemen. On April 1, a two-month Ramadan truce took effect. While the ceasefire has not entirely held, several fuel ships have finally been allowed into Yemen, and there are discussions of flights taking off from Sanaa airport for the first time in years.

When Bridget Moix began her tenure as general secretary in January 2022, she came back to an organization she knows well.

With anxiety about nuclear war looming large in the minds of people around the world, we discuss the moral and ethical questions at play when it comes to developing nuclear programs, and the case for disarmament. Hear from Negar Mortazavi, an Iranian-American journalist and political analyst who is also the host of The Iran Podcast; and Alicia McBride, Director of Quaker Leadership at the Friends Committee on National Legislation or FCNL.

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, many Friends have struggled to make sense of their pacifism and the morality of their non-violent stance. Watching the horrors of the war unfold has led many Quakers to reflect on what it means to be a pacifist and, for some, to question whether Quakers should be pacifist at all.

Every two years, the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) asks Quaker communities to discern the most pressing legislative priorities for Congress. This input becomes the basis of FCNL’s advocacy work for the coming Congress.

Many white Friends, myself included, are exploring how our actions uphold white supremacy.

A distinctive feature of the Friends Committee on National Legislation is our practice of asking Quakers around the country to help shape our work. This input becomes the basis of FCNL’s legislative advocacy in the coming Congress. Here are six tips to help you engage successfully and faithfully with this process in your community.