The Quakers, Past and Present

The work traces the emergence of a 17th-century religious movement rooted in mystical currents and dissent from established churches, following its founder's spiritual quest and the communal practices he established. It examines the movement's distinctive worship, organizational structures, and ethical aims, explains how those features shaped public perception and internal change, and follows its expansion to the American colonies. Chapters consider doctrinal ebb and flow, relations with broader Protestant currents, the role of women, and the social contributions and challenges facing the community in the modern era, concluding with chronological and bibliographic aids.