"We utterly deny . . .all outward wars and strife, and fightings with outward weapons, for any end, or under any pretense whatsoever; this is our testimony to the whole world . . .

"That the Spirit of Christ, by which we are guided, is not changeable, so as once to command us from a thing as evil, and again to move unto it; and we certainly know, and testify to the world, that the Spirit of Christ, which leads us into all truth, will never move us to fight and war against any man with outward weapons, neither for the kingdom of Christ, nor for the kingdoms of this world."

Imprisoned ten years earlier in 1650, George Fox  was invited to join the army by some soldiers who liked his leadership.  Fox declined, noting in his Journal that he told them 

". . .  I lived in the virtue of that life and power that took away the occasion of all wars."  

Along with the two-sentence version of the Peace Testiomony, this sentence expresses the intent embraced by most Quakers to be anything but pacific about strife and disagreement.

Recent Expressions of the Quaker Peace Testimony

• The Statement on Peace made by the Aoteroa-New Zealand Yearly Meeting (1987)
• The BYM reaffirmation of the Peace Testimony (26October02)

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Last update:  17th day 5th month 2004