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Swarthmore Lecture

Lecture at the Quaker Britain Yearly Meeting


Lecture at the Quaker Britain Yearly Meeting

The Swarthmore Lecture is one of a series of lectures, started in 1908, addressed to Britain Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).

The preface to the very first lecture explains the purpose of the series.

This book is the first of a series of public addresses to be known as the Swarthmore Lectures. The Lectureship was established by the Woodbrooke Extension Committee, at a meeting held December 9th, 1907. The Minute of the Committee provides for "an annual lecture on some subject relating to the Message and Work of the [Religious Society of Friends

The Woodbrooke Extension Committee requested [Rufus M. Jones, M.A., D.Litt., of Haverford College, Pennsylvania, to give the first lecture on the evening preceding the holding of the Friends’ Yearly Meeting of 1908. In accordance with this decision, the lecture was delivered in the Central Hall, Birmingham, on May 19th.

The Swarthmore Lectureship has been founded with a two-fold purpose: firstly, to interpret further to the members of the Society of Friends their Message and Mission; and secondly, to bring before the public the spirit, the aims and the fundamental principles of the Friends. This first lecture presents Quakerism as a religion of experience and first-hand reality—a dynamic, practical religion of life.}}

Transcripts and recording of some of the lectures are available from the Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre website.

List of Swarthmore Lectures

YearAuthorTitleNotes
1908Rufus M. JonesQuakerism: a Religion of life
1909William Charles BraithwaiteSpiritual Guidance in the experience of the Society of Friends
1910Joan Mary FryThe Communion of Life
1911Thomas HodgkinHuman Progress and the Inward Light
1912Terrot Reaveley GloverThe Nature and Purpose of a Christian Societyid=33427title=Glover, Terrot Reaveley (1869–1943)first=Herbert H.last=Huxley}}
1913Joshua RowntreeSocial Service - its place in the Society of Friends
1914Edward GrubbThe Historic and Inward Christ: a study in Quaker thoughtid=71530title=Grubb, Edward (1854–1939)first=Thomas C.last=Kennedy}}
1915Silvanus P. ThompsonThe Quest For Truth
1916Henry T. HodgkinThe Missionary Spirit and the Present Opportunity
1917William LittleboyThe Day of Our Visitation
1918Lucy Fryer MorlandThe New Social Outlook
1919L.V. Hodgkin (later known as Lucy Violet Holdsworth)Silent Worship: The way of wonder
May 1920Herbert G. WoodQuakerism and the Future of the ChurchFor biographical information on the lecturer, see the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography article.
August 1920Rufus M. JonesThe Nature and Authority of ConscienceIn August 1920 there was an All Friends Conference held. Rufus M. Jones gave the second 1920 Swarthmore Lecture on the eve of this event.
1921T. Edmund HarveyThe Long Pilgrimage: human progress in the light of the Christian hope
1922Carl HeathReligion and Public Life
1923Helen Maria SturgePersonal Religion and the Service of Humanity
1924Gerald Kenway HibbertThe Inner Light and Modern Thought
1925John William GrahamThe Quaker ministry
1926A. Neave BrayshawThe Things that Are Before Us
1927Henry Thomas SilcockChrist and the World's Unrest
1928John S. HoylandLight of Christ
1929Arthur Stanley EddingtonScience and the Unseen worldU.S. Macmillan, UK Allen & Unwin.
1930Gerhart von Schulze-GaevernitzDemocracy and Religion: a study in Quakerism
1931Howard BrintonCreative Worship
1932Francis E. PollardEducation and the Spirit of Man
1933Shipley N. BrayshawUnemployment and Plenty
1934George Barker JefferyChrist, Yesterday And Today
1935William Ernest WilsonOur Response To God
1936Howard E. CollierTowards a New Manner of Living
1937Caroline Cassandra GravesonReligion and Culture
1938A. Barratt BrownDemocratic Leadership
1939David Elton TruebloodThe Trustworthiness of Religious Experience
1940John Armstrong HughesThe Light of Christ in a Pagan World
1941Edgar Bradshaw CastleThe Undivided Mind
1942Margaret M. HarveyThe Law of Liberty
1943Leyton RichardsPlanning for Freedom
1944W. Russell BrainMan, Society and Religion
1945Wilfrid AllottWorship And Social Progress
1946Joseph Edward HoareThe Warrant For Youth's Search
1947John W. HarveyThe Salt and the Leaven
1948There was no lecture this year
1949Roger C.WilsonAuthority, Leadership and Concern. A study in motive and administration in Quaker relief work
1950Konrad BraunJustice & the Law of Love
1951Richard Duncan FairnQuakerism — a faith for ordinary men
1952Thomas Farrimond GreenPreparation for Worship
1953Kathleen LonsdaleRemoving the Causes of War
1954Wilhelm AarekFrom Loneliness To Fellowship: A study in psychology and QuakerismArticle on Wilhelm Aarek at Norwegian Wikipedia.
1955Douglas V. SteereWhere Words Come From - an interpretation of the ground & practise of Quaker worship & ministry
1956Edgar Grieve DunstanQuakers & the Religious Quest
1957Henry J. CadburyQuakerism & Early Christianity
1958Margaret B. HoblingThe Concrete & the Universal
1959Harold LoukesThe Castle and the Field
1960Kenneth C. BarnesThe Creative Imagination
1961Richard Karl UllmannTolerance and the IntolerableBiographical article in German Wikipedia
1962J. Duncan WoodBuilding the Institutions of Peace
1963L. Hugh DoncasterGod in Every Man
1964Richenda C. ScottTradition and Experience
1965John MacmurraySearch for Reality in Religion
1966William E. BartonThe Moral Challenge of Communism: Some Ethical aspects of Marxist/Leninist Society
1967Kathleen M. SlackConstancy and Change in the Society of Friends
1968William Homan ThorpeQuakers and Humanists
1969Maurice A. CreaseyBearings, or, Friends and the new reformation
1970Kenneth E. BouldingProspering of Truth
1971Charles Frederick CarterOn having a sense of all conditionsid=77032title=Carter, Sir Charles Frederickfirst=Rogerlast=Middleton}}
1972Richard S. PetersReason, Morality and Religion
1973George H. GormanAmazing Fact of Quaker Worship
1974Wolf MendlProphets and Reconcilers, Reflections on the Quaker Peace Testimony
1975Ralph HetheringtonThe Sense of Glory - A psychological study of peak-experiences
1976W. Grigor McClellandAnd a new earth: Making tomorrow's society better than today's
1977Damaris Parker-RhodesTruth - a Path & not a Possession: A Quaker woman's journey
1978John Ormerod GreenwoodSigns of Life: Art and Religious Experience
1979John ReaderOf Schools and Schoolmasters. Some thoughts on the Quaker contribution to Education
1980Janet ScottWhat Canst Thou Say? Towards a Quaker theology
1981Adam CurleTrue Justice, Quaker peace makers and peace making
1982Gerald PriestlandReasonable Uncertainty: a Quaker approach to doctrine
1983Michael RutterA Measure of Our Values: goals & dilemmas in the upbringing of children
1984Laurence LernerTwo Cinnas: Quakerism, Revolution and Poetry. A dialogue
1985Christopher HoldsworthSteps in a Large Room: a Quaker explores the monastic tradition
1986Quaker Women's GroupBringing the Invisible into the Light. Some Quaker Feminists speak of their experience(Lecture performed at the University of Exeter)
1987John LampenMending Hurts
1988Harvey GillmanA Minority of One
1989S. Jocelyn BurnellBroken for Life, given at the University of Aberdeen
1990John PunshonTestimony and Tradition: some aspects of Quaker spirituality
1991Geoffrey HubbardPatterns and Examples. Quaker Attitudes and European Opportunities
1992Brenda Clifft Heales & Chris CookImages and Silence: Future of Quaker Ministry
1993Sydney D. BaileyPeace is a Process
1994Margaret HeathfieldBeing together: our corporate life in the Religious Society of Friends
1995Anne ThomasOnly Fellow-Voyagers. Creation stories as guides for the journey
1996Jonathan DaleBeyond the Spirit of the Age
1997Christine TrevettPrevious Convictions and end of the millennium Quakerism
1998Young Friends General MeetingWho do we think we are? Young Friends' Commitment and Belonging
1999Alex WildwoodA faith to call our own. Quaker tradition in the light of contemporary movements of the Spirit
2000Tim NewellForgiving Justice. A Quaker vision for criminal justiceOriginal:
2007 reprint:
2001Tony StollerWrestling with the Angel
2002Jackie Leach ScullyPlaying in the Presence: genetics, ethics and spirituality
2003Eleanor NesbittInterfaith Pilgrims: living truths and truthful living
2004Simon FisherSpirited living: waging conflict, building peace
2005Helen StevenNo Extraordinary Power: Prayer, Stillness and Activism
2006Roger and Susan SawtellReflections from a Long Marriage
2007Beth AllenGround and Spring: the foundation of Quaker Discipleship, BYM Press Release
2008Christine A. M. DavisMinding the Future
2009Peter EcclesThe presence in the midst: reflections on discernment, the 2009 Swarthmore Lecture was given during Yearly Meeting Gathering at University of York on Tuesday 28 July.
2010Paul LaceyThe unequal world we inhabit, the 2010 Swarthmore Lecture was given during Yearly Meeting in London on Saturday 29 May 2010.
2011Pam LunnCosting not less than everything: Sustainability and spirituality in challenging timesThe 2011 Swarthmore Lecture was given at Yearly Meeting Gathering in Canterbury on Monday 1 August 2011.
2012Rachel Brett*Snakes and Ladders: A personal exploration of Quaker work on human rights at the United Nations*The 2012 Swarthmore Lecture was given at Yearly Meeting in London, on 26 May 2012. It was published by Quaker Books. A free MP3 audio is available from the Woodbrooke website.
2013Gerald Hewitson*Journey Into Life: Inheriting the story of early Friends*The 2013 Swarthmore Lecture was given at Yearly Meeting in London, on 25 May 2013. . Available online as an Audio recording .MP3, Text (Word document) and Text (PDF) at the Woodbrooke website
2014Ben Pink Dandelion*Open for Transformation: being Quaker*The 2014 Swarthmore Lecture was given during Yearly Meeting Gathering at the University of Bath on Sunday 3 August 2014. . An online audio recording is available.
2015Diana Francis*Faith, power and peace*The 2015 Swarthmore Lecture was given during Britain Yearly Meeting at Friends House, London on Saturday 2 May 2015
2016Esther Mombo and Cécile Nyiramana*Mending broken hearts; rebuilding shattered lives - Quaker peace building in eastern Africa*The 2016 Swarthmore Lecture was given during Britain Yearly Meeting at Friends House, London, May 2016
2017Catherine West MP and Cllr Andy Hull*Faith in politics?*The Swarthmore Lecture 2017: Faith in politics? A testimony to equality was given by Catherine West on Monday 31 July 2017 as part of Yearly Meeting Gathering at Warwick University.
2018Chris Alton*Changing ourselves, changing the world*The 2018 Swarthmore Lecture was given during Britain Yearly meeting at Friends House, London on 5 May.
2019Eden Grace*On Earth as it is in Heaven; The Kingdom of God and the yearning of Creation*The 2019 Swarthmore Lecture was given during Britain Yearly meeting at Friends House, London in May.
2020Tom Shakespeare*Openings to the Infinite Ocean: A Friendly Offering of Hope*
2021Thomas Penny*Kinder Ground: Creating Space for Truth*
2022Helen Minnis*Perceiving the Temperature of the Water*
2023Esther LoukinHow we can change society
2024Ben JarmanGetting What We Deserve? Imprisonment and the Challenge of Doing Justice
2025Emily ProvanceA Testimony of Community

For further details see the list of lectures at the Woodbrooke Centre.

References

References

  1. [https://archive.org/details/quakerism00joneuoft The text of Rufus Jones' 1908 Swarthmore Lecture is available online at the Internet Archive]
  2. [https://archive.org/details/cu31924084550098 The text of W. C. Braithwaite's 1909 Swarthmore Lecture is available online at the Internet Archive]
  3. [https://archive.org/details/humanprogressand00hodguoft The full text of Thomas Hodgkin's 1911 Swarthmore Lecture is available online at the Internet Archive]
  4. [https://archive.org/details/naturepurposeof00glov The full text of T. R. Glover's 1912 Swarthmore Lecture is available on line at the Internet Archive]
  5. Huxley, Herbert H.. "Glover, Terrot Reaveley (1869–1943)".
  6. Kennedy, Thomas C.. "Grubb, Edward (1854–1939)".
  7. [https://archive.org/details/questfortruth00thomrich Online text of the 1915 Lecture by Sylvanus P Thompson on the Internet Archive]
  8. The lecture was published under the author's maiden name: L.V. Hodgkin
  9. [https://archive.org/details/silentworshipway00hodgiala The text of L.V.Holdsworth's 1919 Swarthmore Lecture is available online at the Internet Archive]
  10. [https://archive.org/details/quakerismandfutu00wooduoft Online text of the May 1920 Lecture by H. G. Wood on the Internet Archive]
  11. Kennedy, Thomas C.. "Wood, Herbert George (1879–1963)".
  12. [https://archive.org/details/natureauthorityo00jonerich Online text of the August 1920 Lecture by Rufus M. Jones on the Internet Archive]
  13. [https://archive.org/details/religionandpubli00heatuoft Carl Heath's 1922 Swarthmore lecture is available online at the Internet Archive]
  14. [https://archive.org/details/scienceunseenwor00eddi The text of the 1929 Swarthmore Lecture by Stanley Eddington is available online at the Internet Archive]
  15. [http://quaker.org/quest/Manousos-QT-17.html The 1948 lecture was cancelled as some Friends objected that the speaker was "too Liberal" ''see'' Anthony Manousos "Howard Brinton and the World Council of Churches:The Theological Impact of Ecumenism on Friends" in ''Quaker theology'' issue 17 (Summer 2010). Brinton spoke at Yearly Meeting in favour of Liberal theology.]
  16. [https://archive.org/details/quakerismfaithfo00fair Duncan Fairn's 1951 Swarthmore Lecture is available online at the Internet Archive]
  17. Middleton, Roger. "Carter, Sir Charles Frederick".
  18. Paskins, Barrie. (9 December 1999). "Guardian Obituary - Wolf Mendl". The Guardian.
  19. [http://nndr.org/2012/02/10/death-by-a-thousand-cuts/ Portrait of J L Scully, with comments on UK Government policy on disability benefits (2012)]
  20. Christine A M Davis, the 2008 lecturer, currently has an entry in ''Who's who'' (July 2011). [http://www.scotsman.com/news/obituaries/obituary-christine-davis-cbe-public-servant-1-3705568 Her obituary in ''The Scotsman'' 2 March 2015 by Rowena Loverance, with portrait photograph]
  21. 2009 Swarthmore lecture: Preview by John Fitzgerald in ''The Friend'' 6 March 2009, page 9
  22. "Quaker Centre Bookshop - The unequal world we inhabit - Swarthmore Lecture 2010".
  23. Pam Lunn, the 2011 lecturer is a tutor at Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre, Birmingham, who blogs at [https://woodbrookegoodlives.blogspot.com/ woodbrookegoodlives.blogspot.com].
  24. [http://www.nayler.org/?p=350 Review of 2011 Lecture by Jez Smith]
  25. [http://www.woodbrooke.org.uk/pages/swarthmore-2014.html Woodbrooke announcement of 2014 lecturer and topic.]
  26. [https://soundcloud.com/swarthmorelecture Swarthmore Lecture 2014 audio recording.]
  27. "Swarthmore Lecture 2018: 'Changing ourselves, changing the world' {{!".
  28. ''The Friend'' 2018-11-16 pp.10-11. Interview - Eden Grace interviewed by Oliver Robertson
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