Holy Silence: The Gift of Quaker Spirituality

INTRODUCTION: If you were every wondering what makes Quakers stand out from the rest of the Christian traditions, it is their simplicity, their emphasis on a worship comprised of 'holy silence' and their pacifist stand. They are also known as the "the Society of Friends." Reading this book I could only be tempted to visit the closest Quaker meeting place in my Santa Cruz. AUTHOR: In the tradition of Richard Foster (another great Quaker author - "Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth") - J. Brent Bill expands our horizon about Christian spirituality. Bill focuses on one primary aspect of Quaker life - silence. CONTENT: In this book I was introduced to the "holy hush" theology and practice of Quaker spirituality. The Friends have their origin in 17th century England, have no liturgy, no creed, no observance of a Christian calendar, no professional clergy, and above all no sacrament (maybe silence is the exception). The simplicity of the Quakers is centered in "silence" - both in their corporate worship and in their personal spiritual life. "Holy Silence" six chapters discusses how to find silence amid the noise of daily life, ways to practice silence both individually and communally, and how to listen to God with one's whole heart and mind. CONCLUSION: I have never read anything like this before. For someone who values moments of solitude, of escape from noise (external and internal), and deep personal peace, I had a lot to learn from fellow Christian J. Brent Bill. In our post-modern fast-paced society and our chatty & noisy personal lives, "holy silence" can be something very elusive to attain ... but a valuable treasure, nevertheless..

Bill's book is an excellent introduction to the uses of silence in worship, but I worry that people will get the wrong idea about Quaker worship from it. Bill is the pastor of a "programmed" Quaker meeting (i.e., with a liturgy, singing, preaching by a paid preacher), which is very different from that of the more familiar "unprogrammed" meeting setting, with a community of equals providing their own ministry. In particular, the attitudes towards silence appear to be very different. In an unprogrammed meeting, the vocal ministry is supposed to arise from the experience of holy silence, where in a programmed meeting -- at least as far as I can tell from Bill's book -- the silences are an end in themselves. You could get most of the way through Bill's book without learning that people speak in a traditional unprogrammed Quaker meeting! Certaintly some meetings I've been to have been totally silent -- but this is the exception, not the rule. Bill pays scant attention to the question of vocal ministry, but this is a key aspect of the "gift" of Quaker spirituality, and his account of it as a "deepening of silence" seems to me to be inadaquate. So, I can heartily recommend this book to those interested in the general question of silence in worship, and to those interested in programmed Quaker services -- but there are important aspects of the unprogrammed, traditional meeting, and thus important aspects of "Quaker spirituality" as it relates to quietude, that are not covered.

I found this book to be both inspirational and a delight to read. Anyone who is interested in what Quaker silent worship & contemplation is all about will find this book to be a Godsend. As a recent convert to Quakerism this book gave me all the insights I needed to truly understand how Quakers get in touch with "that of God in all of us." Granted, the idea of silent worship seems odd at first. Most people are used to church services where there is hymn singing & a sermon. But in silent worship the Quakers wait upon the spirit of God to move someone to speak. I have found that I get more out of the heartfelt testimonies of the Quakers than I have ever had just listening to a sermon. So for anyone interested in a different way of approaching spirituality I highly recommend this book. It will open your eyes to a whole new way to worship!

This is a terrific book! Even if you're not interested in Quaker spiritual disciplines it's hard not to get a lot out of this easy read. I think like most people I thought Quaker silence was merely taking time to be quiet. Bill does an excellent job of explaining the subtleties and nuances that are particular to his tradition. And he offers Quaker practice as universal, a gift that anyone can share. I most appreciated Bill's use of personal experience and anecdote. He does a terrific job of weaving his life into the practice of Quaker spirituality. Unlike many books of this genre, this one is simple, direct, applicable, and universal.

Some books on spiritual disciplines are fuzzy. Some lift the discipline up as a way to solve all problems, that if one can just get the technique right, life will be sunny and warm. This book is not one of those. This sturdy volume looks wisely at the living tradition of silence among the Friends. It neither promises too much or too little. The author knows his tradition, the deep value of listening to God, for God, and also the pitfalls of humans participating in such a discipline. Clearly, the author believes in the value of silence, believes that it has its own intrinsic worth. He is also wise enough to know that our attempts at listening are full of grace yet tinged with challenges. The author supplements observations about the tradition of the discipline with anecdotes from his own experience. The anecdotes are always interesting, helpful, and add just the right measure of whimsy and grace. Well-written, this book is conversational in style and almost perfect in form. In what setting would this book make most sense? It would work well for personal enrichment and even better for small group study, particularly the kind that could take place within the context of a faith community. This book tells about silence. More importantly, it invites us to participate in this rich discipline.