Overview

How did the early Quakers understand the relationship between Quakerism and Christianity? Did they think faith in Jesus was necessary? What did they mean by the ‘Light within’? These were the central issues in the Keithian controversy: an explosive schism which broke out among Philadelphian Quakers in the 1690s when George Keith – arguably the most influential Quaker theologian of the seventeenth century – was accused of focusing too heavily on the Incarnate Jesus in his preaching. Keith left the movement under a cloud, and the Keithian controversy has often been explained away in terms of personality and politics. However, this volume presents a theological reading of the dispute. Through a study of Keith’s personal theological development, Madeleine Ward presents his departure from the movement as a significant case-study in the contested relationship between Quakerism and Christianity – and, ultimately, as a battle for the spiritual heart of the Religious Society of Friends.

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Reviews

""[...] In this small but important academic book, Madeleine Ward offers a theological reading of the Keithian controversy, which occurred in the American colonies and in England towards the end of the seventeenth century. It will be of interest to both historians of Restoration Quakerism and scholars of Quaker theology and doctrine [...] All this helps us to better understand the significant diversity of faith and practice that currently exists within global Quakerism. For these reasons, this work is highly recommended."" - Stuart Masters, Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre, in: Journal of the Friends Historical Society 70 ""[...] The Christian Quaker is an important and timely addition to the literature on both early Quakerism and early modern historical theology, which adds much to an emerging literature on Quaker theology. Ward ably fulfills her objective of showing that, in the seventeenth century, there was no contradiction between being a Christian and being a Quaker."" - Michael B. Riordan, Edinburgh, in: Journal of the Ecclesiastical History 70.4 (2019)

""(...) In this small but important academic book, Madeleine Ward offers a theological reading of the Keithian controversy, which occurred in the American colonies and in England towards the end of the seventeenth century. It will be of interest to both historians of Restoration Quakerism and scholars of Quaker theology and doctrine (...) All this helps us to better understand the significant diversity of faith and practice that currently exists within global Quakerism. For these reasons, this work is highly recommended."" - Stuart Masters, Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre, Journal of the Friends Historical Society 70. ""(...) The Christian Quaker is an important and timely addition to the literature on both earlyQuakerismand earlymodern historical theology, which addsmuch to anemerging literature onQuaker theology.Ward ably fulfills her objective of showing that, in the seventeenth century, there was no contradiction between being a Christian and being a Quaker."" - Michael B. Riordan, Edinburgh, Journal of the Ecclesiastical History 70.4 (2019).

"""(...) In this small but important academic book, Madeleine Ward offers a theological reading of the Keithian controversy, which occurred in the American colonies and in England towards the end of the seventeenth century. It will be of interest to both historians of Restoration Quakerism and scholars of Quaker theology and doctrine (...) All this helps us to better understand the significant diversity of faith and practice that currently exists within global Quakerism. For these reasons, this work is highly recommended."" - Stuart Masters, Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre, Journal of the Friends Historical Society 70. ""(...) The Christian Quaker is an important and timely addition to the literature on both earlyQuakerismand earlymodern historical theology, which addsmuch to anemerging literature onQuaker theology.Ward ably fulfills her objective of showing that, in the seventeenth century, there was no contradiction between being a Christian and being a Quaker."" - Michael B. Riordan, Edinburgh, Journal of the Ecclesiastical History 70.4 (2019)."

(...) In this small but important academic book, Madeleine Ward offers a theological reading of the Keithian controversy, which occurred in the American colonies and in England towards the end of the seventeenth century. It will be of interest to both historians of Restoration Quakerism and scholars of Quaker theology and doctrine (...) All this helps us to better understand the significant diversity of faith and practice that currently exists within global Quakerism. For these reasons, this work is highly recommended. - Stuart Masters, Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre, Journal of the Friends Historical Society 70.

Author Information

Madeleine Ward, D.Phil. (2017), University of Oxford, was the Henry J. Cadbury Scholar at Pendle Hill during the academic year 2017-18 and now works at Theos think tank. She publishes on seventeenth-century intellectual history, nonconformity, and Quaker theology.

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