Quaker Shaped Christianity: how the Jesus story and the Quaker way fit together

by Mark Russ

'What is Quakerism?' can be a difficult question to answer, especially when Quakers today struggle to find a shared religious language. In this book, Mark Russ answers this question from a personal perspective, telling his story of trying to make sense of Jesus within the Quaker community. Through this theological wrestling emerges a 'Quaker Shaped Christianity' that is contemporary, open and rooted in tradition. In reflecting on how to approach the Bible, the challenges of Universalism, and the key events of the Jesus story, this book offers a creative, inspiring and readable theology for everyone who has wondered how Christianity and Quakerism fit together.

Genres: Spirituality

104 pages, Paperback

Published November 25, 2022

About the author

Mark Russ is a writer, theologian and teacher. Since 2013 Mark has written useful, Quaker-shaped Christian theology on his blog jollyquaker.com. From 2015 to 2022 he was a member of the Learning and Research Team at Woodbrooke, the international Quaker learning and research organisation based in Britain. His theological interests include hope, whiteness, the roots of modern Quaker thought and the theology of Jürgen Moltmann. Before retraining as a theologian, Mark enjoyed a successful decade as a music teacher in London, and spent a year visiting and living in various faith-based intentional communities in the UK and USA. He holds an MA in Systematic and Philosophical Theology from the University of Nottingham. He lives with his husband in Birmingham, England.

Reviews

[Rhiannon Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to read a pre-publication copy of this excellent book. It brings together personal reflection and a broad range of theological resources to how explore the Quaker tradition and Christianity as a whole might relate to one another.

[J. Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mark Russ has given us a lovely little book that is part spiritual memoir and part spiritual invitation. He warmly invites into explore the bible and Jesus and their relationship to Quaker faith and its practice. Enlightening!

[Pip Usmar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part theology, part personal biography. As someone who loves being a member of Quaker community, but who longed for understanding of how one might be both a Quaker and a Christian, Mark’s words helped me to fall in love with theology again.