A way to remember the Friends' Testimonies is represented by the acronym SPICES (stewardship, peace, integrity, community, equality, simplicity)

o Simplicity – spirit-led restraint
o Peace – peacemaking at home and abroad
o Integrity – consistency in word and deed
o Community – Quakers in the U.S. and around the world, the Wider Quaker fellowship
o Equality – social justice
o Stewardship/Service – care for the earth and its people

 

You might also want to watch two Youtube videos on Quaker testimonies

Quaker Testimonies: Callid's Thoughts. One Liberal Quaker's thoughts on how "the Quaker testimonies" are interpreted in modern America.

Quaker testimonies as a collective wisdom wiki. Martin's take on one way to look at the form of the traditional Friends testimonies. This is inspired by Callid's great video post on the testimonies.

 

	A Missing Testimony: Devotion Melanie Douty-Snipes, Falls Monthly Meeting
It has become clear to me that besides the S.P.I.C.E.S. there is a missing testimony: Devotion. The letter "D" maybe doesn't fit in neatly...S.S.P.I.C.E.D? In any case, my longing for the Religious Society of Friends is that commitment to deepening spiritual life be implicit in being a Friend. The testimony of devotion means that along with participation on committees, contributing financially, making potluck items and attending meeting regularly, we hold the expectation that we study, pray and share together growing our understanding of our faith and our own unique relationship with God and through practice improving our ability to be guided by the spirit. It means that we remember to notice beauty and exclaim, "that is SO BEAUTIFUL and I am SO lucky to be alive to see it!" In other words: to have adventures, have fun, laugh and praise God from whom all blessings flow! Finally, it means that being related as spiritual friends draws us closer together knowing one another and being known to offer and receive support and to celebrate together. My query connected to this is: how will we as a religious society commit ourselves to being religious?talking about, praising, beseeching and listening to God more openly as a way of life so that there would be no doubt that we are about God, for God, with God,God, searching for God, finding God, loving and being loved by God together? From Making Space, PYM Religious Education Newsletter Volume 2, Issue 3, December 2006

Top of Page