Barclay's Apology in Modern English

by Robert Barclay, Dean Freiday (Editor)

Robert Barclay's Apology has been the classic systematic statement of the Quaker faith. But the lucid prose of the original suffered the same hardening of the linguistic arteries that overtook the King James Version of the Bible. In this edition, antique & obscure words & sentence structure have been eliminated & references to people & matters of faith come alive thru the annotations. The nature of the church, its ministry & sacraments, & the relationship of church & state, with the consequent implications for religious liberty & Christian integrity, are key topics.
If you're a Quaker seeking a better understanding of your own faith, or an ecumenist trying to understand beliefs that were significant to Methodism, challenging to Calvinism & frequently in rapport with Catholicism, you will find Barclay's Apology enlightening.

Genres: Religion, Spirituality, Christianity, Theology, Faith, Classics

509 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1676

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads data base.

Robert Barclay (1648 - 1690) was a Scottish Quaker, one of the most eminent writers belonging to the Religious Society of Friends. He was a son of Col. David Barclay, Laird of Urie, and his wife, Lady Katherine Barclay. Although he himself never lived there, Barclay was titular governor of the East Jersey colony in North America through most of the 1680s.

Reviews

[Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book in a Flea Market in Fort Scott, Kansas. It was only $1. My Baptist self wanted to know more about the Quakers. I mean, I've heard about them all my life. I'm glad I spent the dollar.
No, I'll not be converting, but I appreciate the work Barkley put into this work. Well thought out, thought provoking, and in many regards similar to my own belief system. His use of Scripture and quoting the voices of the past was truly enjoyable, though truth be told, some sections required a lot of time for me to process.
Not the easiest read you'll ever have, but you will feel rewarded once accomplished.

[Rhiannon Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

(This isn't the edition that I read, but I can't find the 2002 Quaker Heritage Press edition listed on Goodreads.)

A complex book, partly for the semi-mythical location it occupies in Quaker theology ('the only' or 'none has happened since' or other difficult-to-support claims), and partly because a full understanding of it requires a good understanding of the other streams of theological thought with which it is in dialogue. I put some more specific reflections on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bookgeekrelng/sta...

[Don Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barclay's Apology is one of the important works on early Quakers. If one is interested in the history of the earliest Friends and their movement, it is an essential read. The archaic English is difficult at first, but quite beautiful in its way. I believe there is a modern English version available, as well. The original version is available for free as a Kindle book.

[Delonna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book offering the Friends perspective on the Bible and theology. I found it much easier to read than the Journal of George Fox.