Friendly patriotism : British Quakerism and the Imperial nation, 1890-1910
In the arc of the years 1890 to 1910, British Quakers wrestled almost continually and inconclusively over the question of the Society of Friends' right relationship to the State, to the Empire, to politics, and to government. Conflicting pressures toward respectability and radicalism repeatedly tested the Society's loyalties to the Imperial nation and to its heritage of Dissent. It is in this period of what came to be known as the 'Quaker Renaissance' that I have located the emergence of what I call 'Friendly patriotism' - a complex set of attitudes by which public - spirited Quakers attempted to straddle multiple identities. Radical Dissenter and Evangelical Nonconformist; Christian Prophet and Subject of Empire - the 'Friendly patriot' of the period struggled to be true to sometimes wildly divergent traditions and impulses in his desire to embody an ideal of 'Christian citizenship'. No longer a 'Peculiar People', no longer relegated to a social or economic periphery, Quakers had been self-consciously integrating themselves into the mainstream of British life with enviable speed and success. At the close of the nineteenth century, the Society of Friends developed an acute sense of a special Quaker mission
Phillips, Brian David
Quakers in Britain 1890-1910
Friendly patriotism : British Quakerism and the Imperial nation, 1890-1910. In the arc of the years 1890 to 1910, British Quakers wrestled almost continually and inconclusively over the question of the Society of Friends' right relationship to the State, to the Empire, to politics, and to government. Conflicting pressures toward respectability and radicalism repeatedly tested the Society's loyalties to the Imperial nation and to its heritage of Dissent. It is in this period of what came to be known as the 'Quaker Renaissance' that I have located the emergence of what I call 'Friendly patriotism' - a complex set of attitudes by which public - spirited Quakers attempted to straddle multiple identities. Radical Dissenter and Evangelical Nonconformist; Christian Prophet and Subject of Empire - the 'Friendly patriot' of the period struggled to be true to sometimes wildly divergent traditions and impulses in his desire to embody an ideal of 'Christian citizenship'. No longer a 'Peculiar People', no longer relegated to a social or economic periphery, Quakers had been self-consciously integrating themselves into the mainstream of British life with enviable speed and success. At the close of the nineteenth century, the Society of Friends developed an acute sense of a special Quaker mission
friendly patriotism british quakerism imperial nation arc british quakers almost continually question society friends right relationship state empire politics_government conflicting pressure toward respectability radicalism repeatedly test society loyalty imperial nation heritage dissent period come_know quaker renaissance locate emergence call friendly patriotism complex set attitude public quakers attempt straddle multiple identity radical dissenter evangelical nonconformist christian prophet subject empire friendly period struggle true sometimes divergent tradition impulse desire embody ideal christian citizenship longer peculiar people longer relegate social_economic periphery quakers self consciously integrate mainstream british life speed success close society friends develop acute sense special quaker mission