What Does Love Require of Us? Quaker promptings towards love in action

Without love we are as nothing. Whatever the richness of our human gifts; whatever the extravagance of uor social wealth; if we do not love one another we are worthless. The prophets of the New Testament could not have expressed it more sharply and the Quaker Way has echied it, declaring from its beginning that the promptings of love and truth in our hearts are the leadings of God. But what does that mean in the practice of our daily lives which are bombarded with the debased sentimentality of a sensationalised culture? How do we move from sex to service, apathy to empathy, possession to compassion? 'What does Love require of us?' makes a bold attempt to answer this. It explores the forty-two Advices and Queries, guidelines and challenges, which Quakers have evolved over 350 years. These spiritual experiences strive to put love in action as a way of life and as the heart of Quaker worship. Supporting this is an examination of the path of the Elements from much earlier faith traditions, where the divine Ether was seen to give rise progressively to air, fire, water and earth evolving into today's sacred reality. There is much here for reflection at home or in a workshop group.