This We Can Say

This collection of writings is in the time-honoured tradition of Quaker faith and practice books. It introduces the beliefs and practices of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) as they have developed in Australia. The move for this book began in 1993 among Canberra Friends who felt that it was time to collect Quaker writings to reflect Australian experiences and to offer inspiration for the 21st century. Up till now we have relied on faith and practice books published by Britain Yearly Meeting and these are still much loved resources. Australia Yearly Meeting Faith and Practice Committee began a process of wide consultation in 1994. Through various themes and workshops, Friends from all over Australia contributed items to five working papers, published between 1996 and 2000. Wide discussion of those writings led to the drafting of a first chapter in 2001, accepted at the annual gathering of Australian Friends in January 2002. We completed the remaining chapters during 2002 and reworked the manuscript in 2003. Undoubtedly this first Australian version will be revised from time to time. Its focus is perhaps more contemporary than we had expected. It includes inspirational writings and personal stories about challenge and opportunity, which reflect on the geography and social history of this land. Nevertheless, traces of the history of Quakerism in Australia are evident in some much older writings, and a special chapter gives a fuller account of this history.