March 23-25, 2012

As early as 1976, the Friends General Conference Gathering hosted a well attended Workshop for Nontheistic Friends. In the decades since, Friends have become increasingly aware of the theological diversity of our Religious Society. Through experience and statistical studies, we have learned a large proportion of our members and attenders are somewhere on a spectrum that include postchristians, agnostics, atheists, secularists, humanists. How can we be nontheists and Quakers too? If our Quaker life is not centered on belief in God, what is our center? What are our challenges? How can theists and nontheists enrich each other while holding views that differ? We will explore the faith and practice of Quaker nontheists and the richness of a spiritual life not necessarily dependent on belief in God. While sharing our theologies, we will remain grounded in what we “know experimentally.” We invite all seekers, to celebrate and deepen our own beliefs and practices, and our appreciation for the beliefs and practices of others, so that we may all enjoy what Henry Cadbury called “the natural variety in Quakerism.” Teens and young adult Friends are especially invited to this workshop.

Robin Alpern, a lifelong Friend, is a member of Scarsdale Meeting, is one of the originators of the Nontheism Among Friends workshop. She has co-led the workshop many times at the FGC Gathering since 1996. Robin contributed an essay to Godless for God's Sake: Nontheism in Contemporary Quakerism, David Boulton, ed. available from www.quakerbooks.org. Some of her other writings on nontheism can be found at http://www.nontheistfriends.org/

 Dave Britton, a member of Morningside Meeting, has been a nontheist Friend since he was eight, and has led workshops on nontheism among Friends at FGC Gathering for the past two years. A Vietnam era conscientious objector, he claims to have PSTD from the war on poverty and currently participates in the leadership of the Campaign to End the New Jim Crow (http://endnewjimcrow.org). He teaches psychology and studies neuroscience at the City College of New York, after having laid down his efforts to get rich in the technology sector. Dave plays the Irish flute and pennywhistle, and recently dusted off his banjo mandolin and has been known to get in trouble at Powell House for trying to entertain instead of wash pots after dinner.

 Register by Mar 7th: $220 adults, $170 full time students; $110 ages 13-18, $55 infants-12, & $110 commuters

 After Mar 7th: $240/$190/$120/$60

Children's Program and Childcare available with 3 weeks notice

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