Friends Association for Higher Education

Greetings to Friends, everywhere:

From June 3rd through 6th, 2024, Friends Association for Higher Education held its annual conference at Malone University. The theme of the conference was “Valiant for the Truth,” drawing on a phrase from George Fox’s 1656 letter to ministers written while he was in South Gate Prison in Cornwall. Friends were happy to be together, (almost) entirely in embodied (as opposed to digital) form.

Friends were welcomed to the conference on Monday evening by Greg Miller, president of Malone University. President Miller introduced participants to Malone’s rootedness in the Evangelical Friends Church – Eastern Region (EFC-ER). He emphasized that Malone embraces both the “evangelical” and “Friends” aspects of their identity, making Malone distinctive among broader evangelical and broader Friends circles. Following President Miller’s welcome, Jeff Dudiak, Professor of Philosophy at The King’s University, offered the first plenary session with the provocative title “Too Valiant for the Truth?” The talk challenged the audience to consider the polarized cultural context in their valiant pursuits for the truth and allow wisdom to temper their valiant efforts.

The first full conference day opened with unprogrammed worship led by Donn Weinholtz followed by four presentations. Richard Miller argued that the influence of Marx, Freud, and Nietzsche on intellectual life in the West has led to the diminishment of truth’s value. Mike Heller and Ron Rembert invited participants to discuss whether meekness can be an academic virtue. David Williams reflected on teaching discernment–listening to the still, small voice–to students from the “i-generation” who are exposed to ever increasing amounts of “noise, hurry, and crowds.” Finally, Helene Pollock presented via Zoom on her interviews with Quakers of various stripes on the writings of George Fox.

After these conference sessions, Friends took a moment for the annual Meeting for Business. Friends adopted a proposed budget for FAHE. They also received minutes of appreciation for those instrumental in hosting the conference, especially Jacci Stuckey, outgoing members of the executive committee, Phil Weinholtz for his work in publishing the Quakers in the Disciplines series, and Laura Rediehs for her excellent clerking of FAHE. Friends also received reports from the nominating committee, the working group on Quaker Leadings in Higher Education, and our Quakers in the Disciplines book series. Friends also were asked to consider the future of FAHE and our annual conference.

Following a full day of rich discussions on a wide variety of topics, Friends enjoyed a second plenary session offered by Tom Hamm, Emeritus Professor of History at Earlham College, titled “What George Fox Did When the Revolution Faltered, and What We Can Learn From That.” Hamm’s talk contextualized George Fox and other early Friends in English social and political life of the 17th century and argued that Friends were able to endure through a combination of accommodation, using the state against itself, as well as softening some of their edges. Friends in attendance at the conference discussed Hamm’s talk over cake provided in honor of the 400th anniversary of George Fox’s birthday.

The second full conference day opened with semi-programmed worship led by Jacci Stuckey. Worship was followed by four presentations. Paul Anderson offered the first presentation on George Fox’s “principles” of Quakers as “doctrine” challenging the common interpretation of Quakerism as “non-credal.” Cherie Parsons offered a talk and facilitated conversation on grief-responsive teaching. Welling Hall conducted a table reading of a one act play which imagines a posthumous conversation on race between Howard Thurman and Rufus Jones. Finally, Rebekkah Russell and Elizabeth Rowe discussed teaching social justice in a polarized world.

After the four presentations, participants gathered for the annual President’s Panel featuring Greg Miller of Malone University as well as Royce Frazier, president of Barclay College. Paul Anderson moderated the panel and asked the presidents to reflect on the ways the Quaker heritage of the schools animate their current activities, what excites them about their institutions as well as what challenges they face. Both presidents were clear-eyed about the challenges in higher education but optimistic about their futures as they lean into their faith traditions. Immediately following the President’s Panel, Mimi Holland led the group in a contemplative practice she called “Quaker Quotes and Queries.”

The second full day ended with Carole Spencer’s plenary titled “Quaker Women Forerunners in Science and Medicine.” The plenary both gave an overview of Quaker women in science and medicine from the 17th-19th centuries and focused on the philosophical and scientific contributions of Anne Conway. While other historians have focused on Quakers’(mostly men’s) contributions to science and medicine, Spencer’s research fills a gap on the unique contributions of women in the male-dominated disciplines. As Friends reflected both on Spencer’s talk and their week together, they were treated to the music of Rachel and the Peacemakers.

Friends were filled with gratitude for one another and departed for their respective homes on Thursday, June 6. Some Friends, however, took a tour to Gnadenhutten, the site of the 1782 massacre of Lenni Lenape, and grappled with both the legacy and ongoing effects of white settler colonialism.