Why Friends Are Friends: Some Quaker Core Convictions [Paperback]

Jack L. Willcuts (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1984

What is worship? What do Friends/Quakers believe about baptism and communion? How does the Quaker business meeting work? Those acquainted with Friends, and some Friends themselves, find some of the doctrinal differences of Quakers troubling and confusing. Why Friends Are Friends is an attempt to examine the Quaker past and connect it with the present and the challenges of the future. "These connections," writes Willcuts, "become again our own convictions as we return to the revealed Word and the leadings of the Spirit. This is why Friends are Friends." Topics include worship, the sacraments, the Friends concept of ministry, peacemaking, the Friends business meeting, and living a powerful Christian life.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jack L. Willcuts (1922-1989) served the Friends Church with energy, vision, and persistence. His ministry includes 26 years as a pastor, 8 years as a missionary in Bolivia, and 12 years as general superintendent of Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends. He was editor of Evangelical Friend magazine from 19678 to 1985.

Product Details

• Paperback: 98 pages
• Publisher: Barclay Press (March 1984)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0913342459
• ISBN-13: 978-0913342459
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.9 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,345,923 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Little Book, January 18, 2005

By 

Lucas M. Engelhardt (Columbus, OH United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Why Friends Are Friends: Some Quaker Core Convictions (Paperback)

Willcuts is a clear writer, and was devoted to both Christ Jesus and to those of His servants who call themselves Friends (or Quakers).

What this book gives you is a clear, concise (6 chapters, totallying only about 100 pages) description and defense of some Evangelical Quaker distinctives. Specifically, he speaks of evangelical Quaker worship, the Quaker view of the sacraments, calling to ministry, pacifism, and rule by consensus (or "getting the sense of the meeting"). So, if that's what you want, that's what you'll get.

If you're looking for a historical or comparative approach to these issues, this is not the book you want. Willcuts is specifically evangelical in his approach. You may want to try a book like A Living Faith, by Wilmer Cooper, if you want a historical comparative approach.

If you're looking for a history of Quakerism, this is also not the book you want. Willcuts is presenting the stance of evangelical Quakers of today.

If you're looking for a full-fledged defense of Quaker theology, you certainly won't get that here (try Barclay's Apology). Willcuts assumes basic Christianity as a background, and confines himself to talking about specifically evangelical Quaker issues.

As an Evangelical Friend who appreciates ecumenism, I found this book to be a good summary of what other Christians should be told if they want to know what is different about my denomination, and also provided a decent basis for them.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Conservative Friend Looks At Evangelical Friends, March 8, 2009

By 

Albion Guppy "Albion" (Northern Iowa) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Why Friends Are Friends: Some Quaker Core Convictions (Paperback)

As a Conservative (unprogrammed) Christ Centered Friend, I personally found this book to be very helpful.

It must be remembered that Jack L. Willcuts was an 'Evangelical Friends' "Pastor", and therefore he led worship in a programmed way.

Other Quakers (Friends) will know of what I speak.

However, that being said, when I first picked up Jack Willcuts book back in 1989 or so, I thought then, and I think even more so now, that it can explain the faith of Friends in a fairly comprehensive way.

Jack Willcuts breaks this book down into 6 different chapters:

1. The Wonder of Worship.

2. Sacred Spiritual Sacraments.

3. Called To Ministry.

4. Letting Peace Prevail.

5. Getting The Sense Of The Meeting.

6. On Being Powerful.

I think that unprogrammed Christ Centered Friends might find some oneness with all of these chapters, with the possible exception of chapter 3 and our differing views on "Ministry", and what that actually IS, and HOW it occurs.

Does "Ministry" happen when "a programmed Pastor", is doing an out of the box "sermon", or does Christ Jesus truly Direct and open us to His Ministry as we are led by the Spirit of Christ (Within)?

But aside from this chapter, I think that this might be a great gift for other Christ Centered Friends (Quakers).

Jack Willcuts seemed to be open to the Light of Christ Within, perhaps in a different way then unprogrammed Christ Centered Friends are, but for "a Pastor", I found his views to be very close to those held by other Christ Centered Friends who hold to NO pastoral ministry, or at least not in the way that Evangelical Friends understand the words: "ministry", and "Pastor".

But in a movement so small as Christian Friends (Quakers), I'd say that we need to find our alliances where The Lord might let us (lead us to?) find them.

I enjoyed Jack Willcuts little book, and I think if you are a Christ Centered Friend, that you might enjoy it too!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Definitive Guide to Quaker Beliefs, December 17, 2007

By 

Tricia Hagerty (.) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Why Friends Are Friends: Some Quaker Core Convictions (Paperback)

This is a very definitive encapsulation of Quaker (Friends) beliefs written in a forthright, easy to understand format. Jack Willcuts wrote this several years ago, but it stands the test of time and is a fantastic reference book to refresh Quakers on the core beliefs. I bought it for that purpose and found that it can also be an excellent reference for any church on how to work within the community in carrying out Jesus' ministry.