General Quaker interest, NFN Events, NFN website, Non-theism, Publications

Continuing the conversation

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Dear nontheist Friends (and anyone else who stumbles across the website/post)

The previous post was to draw attention to the uploaded edited transcript of Harvey Gillman’s talk to us on 3rd September. (https://nontheist-quakers.org.uk/articles/transtheism-script-of-talk-by-harvey-gillman-3-9-26/). We there invited comments, replies, feedback or further questions on the talk and it is possible to do this by scrolling to the bottom of the page and adding your comment/Leave a reply.

I’d also like to draw Friends attention to an article I wrote 5 years ago in response to Curt Gardener’s book ‘God just is’ and invite you to look further at the linked material there (the Quaker bookshop link offers you an e-book of Curt’s book whilst the amazon link offers a kindle and a single-copy used paper-back). The other links (to Michael Wright’s book and articles for example) also still work, although the final link in the article (baby dinosaurs) is not currently working – it might work later? AND invite you to Leave a reply or comment there. https://nontheist-quakers.org.uk/articles/whats-a-nontheist-doing-here/

You are also very welcome to start your own conversation (topic) by commenting/Leave a reply on our home page or any other page or post that allows comments (most of them). DON”T use the Contacts page for this purpose as a comment there will only be sent to me and not appear on the website.

In Friendship
Trevor (website editor)

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Harvey Gillman’s edited script of his talk on Transtheism

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We have now added Harvey’s edited scipt of his talk to our Articles page here: https://nontheist-quakers.org.uk/articles/

We would welcome comments (‘Leave a reply’ – which you can find at the bottom of that script page) – give feedback and continue the conversation.

General Quaker interest, MfW+Creative Conversation, Non-theism

Transtheism with Harvey Gillman – Quaker meeting+ Creative Conversation, Thursday 3 September 7pm

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Dear Friends,

Please join us on Thursday, September 3, 2026  at 7PM BST/2PM EDT for our next conversation.    Harvey Gillman will be presenting on the topic of “Transtheism.”

“I came to Friends almost fifty years ago to embrace the sacred through silence, community, and  a way of life. Though a man of many words I find words limited. I am neither theist, nor non-theist, nor atheist. I dare to talk of transtheism, but this is only a temporary oasis on the way to somewhere else. “
Friends might like to look that up in advance on Wikipedia: ‘Transtheism’.

We look forward to a lively conversation and hope that you will come and add your voice.We welcome your thoughts about how to make these conversations more meaningful.  Address your comments to the working group at nontheistfriend@gmail.com.

If you have not already done so, we urge you to visit our website at: https://nontheist-quakers.org.uk/
Yours,
NonTheist Friends Network  Steering Committee
The evening’s plan is as follows:
• Zoom Room opens at 6:45PM (UK time), please arrive early.
• 7PM: Welcome and Quaker Meeting (~20 minutes): Sharing silence with one another for quietly gathering ourselves and connecting.
• Creative Conversation and Discussion (~1 hour): Concern introduced; followed by interactive discussions.
• Conclusion: Thoughts and a few moments to share silence.
• After Announcements the Zoom Room will remain open for friendly chats and community.
• Duration:1hr:30m-2hr:00m
NOTE: You may unregister/unsubscribe from our monthly Meetings or NFN communication at any time by replying to the email address above.
MfW+Creative Conversation, NFN Events, Non-theism

‘Talking to the dead’ – Quaker meeting +Creative conversation, Thursday 4th June 2026

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Dear Friends,

Please join us on Thursday, June 4, 2026  at 7PM BST/2PM EDT for our next Creative Conversation.  Andrea Henley Heyn will share some thoughts about “Talking to the Dead.”  The talk is intended to stimulate a discussion about how we conceptualize the afterlife.

We look forward to a lively conversation and hope that you will come and add your voice.

We welcome your thoughts about how to make these conversations more meaningful.  Address your comments to the working group at nontheistfriend@gmail.com.

Note: Friends Journal recently sent out a request for submissions on the topic of Nontheist Friends for a future edition.  The request reads: “We invite articles from Friends coming from nontheist, atheist, or agnostic perspectives. We’re interested in both the theology (non-theology?) of belief and also the experiences of being a part of the Friends spectrum.” Submissions are due by 9/21/2026 for a December 2026 publication date.
https://www.friendsjournal.org/submissions/

Yours,
NonTheist Friends Network Quaker Meeting Working Group.

The evening’s plan is as follows:
• Zoom Room opens at 6:45PM (UK time), please arrive early.
• 7PM: Welcome and Quaker Meeting (~20 minutes): Sharing silence with one another for quietly gathering ourselves and connecting.
• Creative Conversation and Discussion (~1 hour): Concern introduced; followed by interactive discussions.
• Conclusion: Thoughts and a few moments to share silence.
• After Announcements the Zoom Room will remain open for friendly chats and community.
• Duration:1hr:30m-2hr:00m
NOTE: You may unregister/unsubscribe from our monthly Meetings or NFN communication at any time by replying to this email address.

General Quaker interest, MfW+Creative Conversation, NFN Events, Non-theism

Quaker meeting and Creative conversation Thursday 7th May 2026

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Dear Friends,

Please join us on Thursday,  May 7  at 7PM BST/2PM EDT for our next conversation.  Art D’Adamo will be presenting ” Religion 2.0: Science + Religion.”

We look forward to a lively conversation and hope that you will come and add your voice.

If you have not already registered,
Please email clerk@nontheist-quakers.org.uk or nontheistfriend@gmail.com
to register.

We welcome your thoughts about how to make these conversations more meaningful.  Address your comments to the working group at nontheistfriend@gmail.com.

Yours,
NonTheist Friends Network Quaker Meeting Steering Group-
Creative Conversations Working Group

The evening’s plan is as follows:
• Zoom Room opens at 6:45PM (UK time), please arrive early.
• 7PM: Welcome and Quaker Meeting (~20 minutes): Sharing silence with one another for quietly gathering ourselves and connecting.
• Creative Conversation and Discussion (~1 hour): Concern introduced; followed by interactive discussions.
• Conclusion: Thoughts and a few moments to share silence.
• After Announcements the Zoom Room will remain open for friendly chats and community.
• Duration:1hr:30m-2hr:00m
NOTE: You may unregister/unsubscribe from our monthly Meetings or NFN communication at any time by replying to this email address.

General Quaker interest, MfW+Creative Conversation, NFN Events, Non-theism

Quaker meeting and Creative conversation Thursday 2 April 2026

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Dear Friends,

Please join us on Thursday, April 2,  at 7PM BDT/2PM EDT for our next conversation.  We will be exploring “Journeys into nontheism. “

We look forward to a lively conversation and hope that you will come and add your voice.

If you have not already registered,
Please email clerk@nontheist-quakers.org.uk or nontheistfriend@gmail.com
to register.

If you have not already done so, you might want to visit our website.  It has a variety of resources that you might find useful on your nontheist journey.  It can be found at https://nontheist-quakers.org.uk/

We welcome your thoughts about how to make these conversations more meaningful.  Address your comments to the working group at nontheistfriend@gmail.com.

Yours,
NonTheist Friends Network Steering Group
Creative Conversations Working Group

The evening’s plan is as follows:
• Zoom Room opens at 6:45PM (UK time), please arrive early.
• 7PM: Welcome and Quaker Meeting (~20 minutes): Sharing silence with one another for quietly gathering ourselves and connecting.
• Creative Conversation and Discussion (~1 hour): Concern introduced; followed by interactive discussions.
• Conclusion: Thoughts and a few moments to share silence.
• After Announcements the Zoom Room will remain open for friendly chats and community.
• Duration:1hr:30m-2hr:00m
NOTE: You may unregister/unsubscribe from our monthly Meetings or NFN communication at any time by replying to this email address.

General Quaker interest, MfW+Creative Conversation, NFN Events, NFN website, Non-theism

Quaker meeting and Creative Conversation Thursday 5 March

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Dear Friends,

Please join us on Thursday, March 5,  at 7PM BST/2PM EDT for our next Creative Conversation.  Jim Cain will be presenting on the “Quaker Approach to Rituals.”

We look forward to a lively conversation and hope that you will come and add your voice.

If you have not already done so, you might want to visit our website.  It has a variety of resources that you might find useful on your nontheist journey.  It can be found at https://nontheist-quakers.org.uk/

We welcome your thoughts about how to make these conversations more meaningful.  Address your comments to the working group at nontheistfriend@gmail.com.

We also are always in need of programs.  If you have something you would like to present, please contact me at nontheistfriend@gmail.com

Yours,
NonTheist Friends Network Steering Group
Creative Conversations Working Group

The evening’s plan is as follows:
• Zoom Room opens at 6:45PM (UK time), please arrive early.
• 7PM: Welcome and Quaker Meeting (~20 minutes): Sharing silence with one another for quietly gathering ourselves and connecting.
• Creative Conversation and Discussion (~1 hour): Concern introduced; followed by interactive discussions.
• Conclusion: Thoughts and a few moments to share silence.
• After Announcements the Zoom Room will remain open for friendly chats and community.
• Duration:1hr:30m-2hr:00m
NOTE: You may unregister/unsubscribe from our monthly Meetings or NFN communication at any time by replying to this email address: nontheistfriend@gmail.com

General Quaker interest, MfW+Creative Conversation, NFN Events, Non-theism

Quaker meeting + Creative conversation Thursday 5 February

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Dear Friends,

Please join us on Thursday, February 5, 2026  at 7PM BST/2PM EDT for our next Creative Conversation.

Howard Grace will be the presenter and will be talking about “The Heart of Our Shared Humanity.”  He will show the trailer for his documentary, “The Hardest Bridge,” about reconciliation in Northern Ireland.

We look forward to a lively conversation and hope that you will come and add your voice.

We welcome your thoughts about how to make these conversations more meaningful.  Address your comments to the working group at nontheistfriend@gmail.com.

If you have not already registered,
Please email clerk@nontheist-quakers.org.uk to register.

We are still looking for someone who would be willing to share their spiritual journey to nontheism at a creative conversation in the spring.

The evening’s plan is as follows:
• Zoom Room opens at 6:45PM (UK time), please arrive early.
• 7PM: Welcome and Quaker Meeting (~20 minutes): Sharing silence with one another for quietly gathering ourselves and connecting.
• Creative Conversation and Discussion (~1 hour): Concern introduced; followed by interactive discussions.
• Conclusion: Thoughts and a few moments to share silence.
• After Announcements the Zoom Room will remain open for friendly chats and community.
• Duration:1hr:30m-2hr:00m
NOTE: You may unregister/unsubscribe from our monthly Meetings or NFN communication at any time by replying to this email address.

Yours,
NonTheist Friends Network (Quaker recognised body) Steering Group and
Creative Conversations Working Group

AGM, General Quaker interest, MfW+Creative Conversation, NFN Events, Non-theism

Quaker meeting + Creative conversation Thursday 8th January

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Dear Friends,

Please join us on Thursday, January 8  at 7PM UK/2PM EDT for our next conversation.
David Parlett will be talking about Samuel Butler (1835-1902*) as “a nontheist before his time.”

*I’m assuming this is the Samuel Butler (cf. Erewhon) David means. If he means Samuel Butler (1613-1680) or some other Samuel Butler then we might be in for a 17th century or other surprise.

David has now offered Butler exerpt(pdf) from Samuel Butler’s Erewhon revisited to read in advance.

We look forward to a lively conversation and hope that you will come and add your voice.

If you have not already registered,
Please email clerk@nontheist-quakers.org.uk to register.

We are still looking for someone who would be willing to share their spiritual journey to nontheism at a creative conversation in the spring.

We would also like to have a creative conversation about how nontheist Quakers utilize the silence.  Is that something that you might like to explore with us?

We welcome your thoughts about how to make these conversations more meaningful.  Address your comments to the working group at nontheistfriend@gmail.com.

The evening’s plan is as follows:
• Zoom Room opens at 6:45PM (UK time), please arrive early.
• 7PM: Welcome and Quaker Meeting (~20 minutes): Sharing silence with one another for quietly gathering ourselves and connecting.
• Creative Conversation and Discussion (~1 hour): Concern introduced; followed by interactive discussions.
• Conclusion: Thoughts and a few moments to share silence.
• After Announcements the Zoom Room will remain open for friendly chats and community.
• Duration:1hr:30m-2hr:00m
NOTE: You may unregister/unsubscribe from our monthly Meetings or NFN communication at any time by replying to either of the email addresses given above..
Yours,
NonTheist Friends Network Quarterly Meeting Steering Committee
Creative Conversations Working Group

(The QM+CC Working group 2026 is Al Palmer, William Purser, Gisela Creed, Jim Cain and  Tim Regan. Steering Group to be confirmed or appointed at AGM in  February)

General Quaker interest, NFN Events, Non-theism

Disagreement among Friends – The future of British Quakerism is up for debate

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And possibly, if you’re up early in the UK, on Radio 4 tomorrow morning 7 December on BBC Sunday at 7.10-7.54pm UK time (unlikely to be near beginning of programme) p see further note at bottom below.

“Disagreement among Friends

The future of British Quakerism is up for debate, as the movement updates its most important text. The biggest question: keep or dilute God?”

News from ‘Quake!’ (BYM 30 October)
Quake! bills this as ” • Prospect Magazine – Quakers discuss faith and practice” under Quakers in the media with no further comment.
https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/71397/disagreement-among-friends-why-quakers-are-questioning-god

Whilst it is a discussion (by one author with numerous quotes or references) and does deal at some length with ‘Book of discipline revision’, it also talks about same sex relationships, Quaker history,  god language and nontheism with references to one of NFN’s founders (Miriam Yagud), and cites NFN’s aims.

It is quite a searching account of ‘The biggest question: keep or dilute God?’ and quotes Paul Parker (BYM Recording clerk), Ben Pink Dandelion (Quaker theologian and Woodbrooke tutor) and Ben Wood (Quaker theologian and blogger that I’m doing a Woodbrooke online course with tomorrow night – Halloween – on ‘Quakers and the supernatural’). (written on 30 October)

NFN is further cited in “a report by the Nontheist Friends Network suggested that for some Quakers, a “religious vocabulary” centring on God is “problematic”. It hoped that the new book would reflect that “we are no longer an exclusively Christian church but an inclusive religious Society, a society of active seekers rather than satisfied finders.” ”

There is also an interesting closing section on ‘A new cohort of young people – looking for a definitively religious community’.

The author is Grace Spencer who must be (or have been?) a member of BYM, although I have not come across her before.

I will try and get this on the NFN website asap with a more carefully thought out comment and will also bring it to the attention of further NTF Friends in America through the google group and by email. – not more carefully thought out, sorry, but maybe timely?

It is an article well worth reading for all Friends and especially nontheists.

As a result of this article, Tim has been contacted by BBC Radio 4 for a possible interview which MIGHT  be broadcast on BBC Sunday at 7.10 am tomorrow morning 7 December. It may be possible to hear it later on ‘catchup’ on BBC Sounds app (or BBC News app internationally).
Trevor

Website and blog of the Nontheist Friends Network