The central belief of Friends is that there is something of the Divine in everyone and that each person can have a direct experience of God without an intermediary. Inward Light, Christ Within, That of God in Everyone - these are commonly used names for this doctrine. This sense of the immediacy of God is nurtured, Friends believe, by the Meeting for Worship with its absence of distractions.

Because there is no binding creed, it is difficulty to say with certainty that all Friends believe certain things. Most Friends have placed greater emphasis on guiding principles for their lives than on theological points. Howard Brinton, an articulate 20th century Friend, made an analysis of the effects of the Light from God streaming down into the waiting group.  He said that the resulting behavior could be described by the words Community, Harmony, Equality, and Simplicity. Another well-known Friend, William Wistar Comfort, believe that Quakerism has four essential tenets. The first tenet is that of Inward Light. The second is universality of grace, by which Comfort meant the power to resist evil and do good. The third he terms the "call to perfection" or the obligation to see perfection. His final tenet was the belief in a continuing revelation of God's will. Comfort considered, as did early Friends, the Bible as a source of truth, but not the only one. To him, as to them, God continues to be accessible to us and to guide us. An unknown Quaker wrote: the Bible is a signpost, not a campground.

Quakers believe that God communicates directly with each person, without the need for clergy or ritual to mediate it. The Meeting for Worship is basically a shared time for people to clear their minds of the clutter of their daily lives in order to be open to that communication. At times, people may feel strongly moved to share a leading they have received. These "vocal ministries" are to be spontaneous (people don't arrive at meeting planning to say anything -- nor planning not to say anything) and they are voiced only when people feel both that they have received this leading from God and that they are led to voice it during the meeting itself. There is also a period of announcements and open discussion after the meeting when other leadings can be shared.

Since Quakers do not have a "hireling ministry," the members of each meeting must share not only the spiritual duties usually performed by a minister, but also the practical ones. A "monthly meeting" like Merion Friends Meeting has a meeting once a month to handle these business matters. Business might be as mundane as arranging to have a roof replaced or as serious as deciding what actions we should take to respond to world events like a war or famine. Friends have a process for making decisions called "coming to unity." The meeting gathers just as it does in Meeting for Worship and members try to open themselves to God's leading in making decisions. All members must agree for a decision to be finalized; there are no votes nor majority rule. If anyone disagrees on a decision, they may choose to stand aside and let the meeting proceed while registering their disagreement, or they can continue to stand opposed based on their feeling of how God is leading them. In that case the decision is tabled for another time, as the one person opposed may be the one who has the clearest leading. (We often find the most serious decisions are the easiest to come to unity on and the simple ones drag on; God seems not to care what color the rugs are.) All are welcome to attend and contribute to the meeting for business (although in the case of a controversy the final decision would be made by unity of the members of the meeting). Quakers are also organized into quarterly meetings and yearly meetings, although the monthly meetings are where decisions must ultimately be accepted.

Quakers do not practice baptism by water. "There is that of God in everyone" already. Adults become Quakers by joining a particular meeting. Children are considered "birthright Quakers" until they become adults and make their own decision.

Yes, the Society of Friends went through several splits over the years, although most of the meetings in the Philadelphia area have reunited. Most of the meetings in this area have "unprogrammed" silent meetings for worship. Other Quakers, especially in the Midwest, have liturgical ceremonies and preaching as well as periods of silent worship. All Friends meetings have the same type of Meeting for Business, however. The Society of Friends began among Christians and the Bible is an important channel for God's communication. There is no historical controversy (even among non-Christians) over whether Jesus of Nazareth actually existed. The life of Jesus and his earliest disciples is the model for the radical Christianity the earliest Quakers sought to restore. However, Quakers may have different opinions on theological matters such as whether Jesus Christ is divine, whether particular biblical passages are authoritative, or what specific beliefs about Jesus one must hold in order to be considered "Christian." Texts other than the Bible are also valued, such as the writings of "weighty Friends" and other spiritual thinkers who have shared their leadings over the centuries. Quakers believe that "there is that of God in everyone," therefore God also communicates to non-Quakers and non-Christians. Many non-Christians are comfortable worshipping as Quakers since it is ultimately individual conscience that determines one's beliefs.

Some Quakers read the Bible. Many find it a source of inspiration and spiritual meaning. 

However, Quakers do not believe that the Bible is the final word of God, instead holding that the Divine can communicate to all directly through Continuing Revelation.

Each monthly meeting appoints a clerk, a treasurer, a recorder, and a recording clerk. Clerks preside at monthly  meetings for business, facilitating but not dominating the proceedings. The ideal of servant leadership is an important one to Friends. In very small Meetings, necessary activities may be carried out by everyone acting as a committee of the whole, but usually there are separate committees for care of members, conduct of worship, religious education, management of property, decisions on membership, and social action.

Committees carry out the work of the Meeting, reporting and making recommendations for action to the Monthly Meeting. After consideration and discussion of a recommended action, the Meeting makes a decision, based not on voting but on reaching what is known as the sense of the meeting. When a true sense of the meeting is achieved, those present feel a spiritual unity that goes beyond individual differences.  Some decisions are routine and do not require a lengthy deliberation. 

Individuals as well as committees may bring to the Meeting a proposal for an action. Sometimes a proposal can be referred to the appropriate committee for further study. Other times, especially when the proposal seems to come from a deeply-felt concern, the Meeting as a whole considers it.

Friends are not organized in a hierarchical manner, but through concerns and the committees that carry out these concerns they are able to accomplish a great deal.

The Monthly Meeting is the fundamental unit for Friends (named because we meet monthly for business, but worship weekly). This unit corresponds to a church, synagogue, or mosque. It is part of a wider organization, but it is autonomous. Its members meet monthly to plan and carry out its activities and responsibilities. All action concerning membership is taken in and by the Monthly Meeting.

The Quarterly Meeting consists of a group of neighboring Monthly Meetings that meet 4 times a year. Although some Quarterly Meetings are very active, others meet less frequently and seem not to feel the need for this level of organization.

The Yearly  Meeting is the largest unit, made up of the membership of the constitutent Monthly Meetings. Its holds annual sessions in the summer, which all are encouraged to attend. Yearly Meeting committees and others report on their work; the annual budget is approved; concerns are presented; specific actions are taken. For many, it is a time of spiritual refreshment and renewal.

Anyone who becomes a member of a Monthly Meeting also becomes a member of Quarterly Meeting and a Yearly Meeting. The structure is not hierarchical. Yearly Meeting officers and committee members are also members of Monthly Meeting. They do not hold positions of authority. Policies that they help to carry out are determined by the Yearly Meeting as a whole.

The unwillingness to urge membership on attenders who may not be ready to join can sometimes give the impression that a Meeting does not want new members. The decision to join the Religious Society of Friends is usually not a simple one. Someone who has enjoyed the music that is part of other church services may have to overcome a reluctance to give it up. Another person may appreciate Friends' way of worship but not feel in harmony with all of the testimonies, for instance.

An unprogrammed Meeting like Merion Friends Meeting cannot attract members because of its competent choir, its stained glass windows, or its inspiring sermons of its paid clergy. It is a community united in spirit but sometimes diverse in beliefs. A prospective member needs to feel comfortable in being part of such a community. THe time needed for that feeling to develop can vary greatly, but for most people the process is a gradual one, resulting from attendance at meetings for worship and business over time.  It is hoped that while the attender is exploring the idea of membership, Meeting members are reaching out to him or her, anticipating questions and demonstrating the friendliness of our Meeting.

The procedure is fairly simple. The first step is writing a letter to the clerk of the Monthly Meeting requesting membership. The letter need not be long or detailed, but it should reflect an understanding of Friends' beliefs and practices. The clerk will refer the request  to the Worship and Ministry Committee, who wil appoint a "clearness committee" to visit the applicant. 

The committee's visit is a time for questions to be answered, beliefs to be explored, and responsibilities to be explained. If the visit is mutually satisfactory, the committee will recommend acceptance of the application. The Monthly Meeting then approves the recommendation, accepts the person into membership and appoints a welcoming committee.

The first and most important responsibility is that of regular attendance at Meetings for Worship and at monthly meetings for business.  The Meeting is a spiritual community, and a sense of community is hard to maintain when attendance is sporadic.

Serving on Meeting committees as time and energy permit is also important. The list of ways to serve is long  - working on finances, watching out for repairs, organizing social gatherings, listening to people's concerns, and so on. Once a committee appointment has been accepted, the member should strive for regular attendance at committee meetings.

Financial contribution is also a responsibility. Once a year the treasurer sends a letter to members explaining operating needs and stating the amount the member should pay. To cover expenses those who can are asked to contribute a bit more to make up for those unable to give.

Expect to be welcomed. We love visitors. But we do expect to have plenty of visitors who will not choose to worship exclusively as Quakers. We are available to answer any questions you have, but do not aggressively proselytize. Feel free to come as often or as rarely as you wish, or to continue to worship at another church as well.

Although Quakers used to wear distinctive clothing, most do not now. Quakers value simplicity and integrity. We dress to show respect to those we meet, not to glamorize ourselves, and each person expresses that in his/her own way. Many women wear simple makeup and jewelry, for instance. You will not feel out of place in "business casual," however. Remember that the Merion Friends meetinghouse is over 300 years old and most of its original architecture has been preserved. It is not air conditioned. There is heat, but not insulation, so it can be drafty near the floor in winter. Dress appropriately to the seasons.

Quakers originally used the familiar pronoun "thee" to show that they felt there should be no distinctions between how one addressed people of different social classes. The rest of the English speaking world came to be of the same opinion and stopped using different second person pronouns for formal and familiar usage. However, "you" became the default word, rather than "thee." Most Quakers today also use "you," though you may hear it used as a term of affection among close friends and family members.