FOUNDED: 1652 C.E.
RELIGION AS A PERCENTAGE OF WORLD POPULATION: 0.006 percent

Overview

The Religious Society of Friends, also known as Quakers, emerged in the 1650s in England and soon expanded to the American colonies and else-where. The term "Friend" derives from John 15:14, where Jesus says, "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." According to one account, the name "Quaker" was given to Friends by a judge who observed their tendency to tremble under divine conviction.

The immediacy of religious experience is held by Friends to be the core of the spiritual quest. In their commitment to integrity and authenticity, Friends have provided several "testimonies" about the unmediated character of worship, the spiritual nature of the sacraments, peace and nonviolence, plainness in speech and lifestyle, and a method of decision making in which believers are led by...