Quakers Integrating Spirituality and Sexuality

Our purpose is to facilitate discussions that explore the connections between our spirituality and our sexuality. We hope to encourage Friends, individually and in our various meetings, to seek a Quaker approach to sexuality in today's world.

Our approach is to develop a loosely knit network of people sharing this purpose to support each other and exchange ideas. We seek to share resources and experiences. We offer suggestions for possible ways to share the concern. Given the wide range of perspectives that exist about both sexuality and spirituality, we would like to leave room for them all so that as many people as possible will share in the exchange. Mutual respect and tolerance are essential.

Our concern: Our sexuality and spirituality are connected fundamentally. Sexuality is part of our life force and can help take us out of ourselves and into closer relationship with the Divine. When we do not connect them, we often suffer pain and confusion. Our Quaker experience and testimonies have much to offer if we apply them to sexuality. We can learn much from non-Quakers as well. Drawing on these spiritual resources can help us not only to heal but also to illuminate how sexuality can deepen our faith and help make us whole. In turn, we can become more whole as a society.

Our network is continually taking shape. A concern about sexuality and spirituality has sporadically bubbled up among Friends over many years and in many places. Efforts to address the concern have waxed and waned. We are not aware of any single group or effort that has been sustained over a long period. We hope that a loose-knit network will provide a means to help sustain the effort and provide continuity as participation evolves. See the people page for background information on some of those currently involved.

About our email list

Our email list should help facilitate the exchange of ideas, efforts, and resources. It should also help connect people with each other and develop the network. While the website will attempt to share the fruits that come from the email exchange, we encourage you all to participate in the ongoing email discussion. Click here to subscribe.