Quaker Theological Discussion Group: October 16–17, 2026

The Quaker Theological Discussion Group (QTDG) will host two virtual panels on October 16–17, 2026, exploring the theme: “Living Testimony.” As Rachel Muers puts it, “Testimony is located at the point of confrontation between the truth of God and the paradoxically dominant untruth of the world-opposed-to-God” (Testimony: Quakerism and Theological Ethics, 2015, p. 46).

We invite Friends—and others with interest—to propose paper presentations that engage with how Quakers inhabit, and have inhabited, this point of confrontation. Some Friends have come to think of a specific collection of “testimonies,” ideal Quaker values, using the acronyms SPICE(S) or STEP (simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and sustainability, or simplicity, truth, equality, and peace). We wish to consider testimony beyond the acronyms: as a lived, holistic, and embodied reality, both individual and communal.

Panelists might touch on themes such as:

• Testimony as embodied theology.
• The relationship between biblical material and Quaker understandings of testimony.
• The discernment and naming of testimony.
• Testimony as negative (e.g. refusing to take up arms) and positive (e.g. working for peace).
• The theology at work in specific historical and contemporary examples of Quaker testimony.
• Testimony as communal as well as individual.
• Resisting “dominant untruth” in the Quaker community as well as the non-Quaker world.
• The relationship of testimony to violence and confrontation.
• Aspects of Quaker testimony that have been under-emphasized or neglected.

Each panelist will present for 12–15 minutes, followed by a moderated discussion. Presenters may be invited to revise and submit their papers for publication in Quaker Religious Thought (QRT).

We welcome proposals (approximately 250 words) describing your topic and what you hope to share. Please email proposals to both QTDG co-chairs, Cherice Bock (cbock@barclaypress.com) and Christy Randazzo (danchristy.randazzo@gmail.com), by July 1, 2026.

We welcome proposals that demonstrate originality, rigor, and clarity, and are relevant to the theme of “Living Testimony.” We also encourage proposals that reflect ongoing work-in-progress on this topic.

We anticipate selecting presentations that align with one of two areas:

Panel 1: The Vision of Living Testimony
This panel will reflect on the theological and biblical underpinnings of testimony, how testimony is discerned, and the truths of which Quakers witness, in historical or contemporary contexts.

Panel 2: The Joy and Sacrifice of Living Testimony
This panel will reflect on the lived reality of testimony, what it means to walk cheerfully over the world while expressing difficult truths, and the painful consequences often involved both for individuals and communities. Examples can be drawn from Quaker history or current practice.

Two panels of 3–4 presenters each will be convened on October 16 and 17, 2026 8–10am Pacific / 11am–1pm Eastern / 4–6pm GMT, with selected contributions considered for the 2027 volumes of Quaker Religious Thought.