What kind of material is on QuakerInfo.com?

The articles are all related to the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) and can generally be categorized into three types:

1. Reference material - listings of groups, Internet addresses, information on major meetings, etc.
2. Informational articles - material on the history, faith and practice of Friends.
3. Essays - essays presenting perspectives on issues about Friends.

In addition to articles, there are news items from and about Quaker activities and groups.

Who produces the material on QuakerInfo.com?

Most of the articles are prepared by Bill Samuel, the Webservant for QuakerInfo.com. Articles are prepared by me unless another author is indicated. However, some articles are prepared by other Friends, often people with much more knowledge and experience in the particular subject matter. News items not from the mass media are generally produced by the Quaker groups whose activities are reported, but I also welcome reports prepared by attenders of yearly meetings, conferences and other gatherings. If you are interested in contributing material to QuakerInfo.com, please see Publishing at QuakerInfo.com.

What is the slant of QuakerInfo.com?

Those who know the wide spectrum of belief and practice among Quakers today may well wonder what part of the spectrum this site represents. This is a valid concern.

This site endeavors to present the Religious Society of Friends generally, not just from the perspective of any particular group of Friends or any particular point on the Quaker spectrum. Much of the material is written with a view to meeting informational needs of people with little or no experience with Friends who want to learn about Friends. Many of the articles present historical facts and widely held perspectives, and indicate where there are major differences of perspective among Friends today. I think someone very familiar with the differences among Friends could read many of the articles without being able to discover the personal views of the authors.

However, there are opinion pieces and occasionally opinion sections in general articles. It is the site's aim to make quite clear when something is a matter of personal opinion and not a fact that Friends from across the spectrum could agree about. The opinion parts of this site should not be considered representative of Friends generally or of any particular group of Friends.

My own personal perspective, which is represented in several articles, doesn't fit neatly into any of the traditional divisions among Friends. I have both agreements and disagreements with the general perspectives and practices of each of the major "branches" of Friends. I am firmly committed to the centrality of a personal and corporate relationship with Jesus Christ. In practice, I am open to drawing not just from Quaker tradition, but also more broadly from Christian experience.

You will find some personal perspectives from other authors on this site. I do not select other authors based upon their position on the Quaker spectrum, so their views will vary.

I accept news items from across the Quaker spectrum. So to the extent that these present the perspective of a particular segment of Friends, they should vary widely in the perspective presented.

Is the site independent?

The site is independent of any Quaker organization, although some of the material comes from Quaker organizations and is used with their permission. I own the domain. I personally pay for the costs of the domain and hosting. The host (HostNexus) is a general purpose host which hosts all sorts of sites and exercises no control over content.

How is the site financially supported?

The out-of-pocket costs of the site are not very high. I donate my time, and no compensation is offered to authors. I have an affiliate relationship with Amazon Books. They pay a small commission to me on most sales, which does not affect the price you pay.

If you wish to support the site, you can do so by using a link on the site whenever you are going to purchase something from Amazon. You can do this by using any of the recommended book links or the Big Selection of Quaker Books ad. QuakerInfo.com will get a commission on most items sold by Amazon, whether or not they are items mentioned on the site, and including many items other than books. QuakerInfo.com is not organized as a nonprofit, and I do not accept donations.

What if I want to use a copyrighted article?

In the United States, all published works are automatically covered by copyright law whether or not notice of copyright is provided with the publication. This means that with the exception of “fair use” of brief excerpts, permission must be obtained from the copyright holder to use the work elsewhere. If you want to use something I have written, email me with what you want to use and how you want to use it. I'm usually pretty permissive about noncommercial use, as long as proper credit is given. For articles written by others, please contact them for permission. My understanding with other authors is that they are free to have their material published anywhere else on whatever terms and conditions they deem appropriate.

What is your privacy policy?

See our Privacy Policy page.

What if I have other questions about QuakerInfo.com?

Please feel free to email me with any questions about the site. I endeavor to be responsive to my readers.