REVIEW Quaker Roots and Branches By John Lampen. Christian Alternative, 2018. 64pages. $10.95/paperback; $5.99leBook. The One Thing Needful: William Shakespeare, George Fox & Walt Whitman By Diana and John Lampen. The Hope Project, 2017. 27pages. $7/pamphlet. Reviewed by Mitchell Santine Gould Throughout many years, Diana and John Lampen have contributed to conflict resolution in Northern Ireland, South Africa, Yugoslavia, and the former Soviet Union. John is the author of Mending Hurts and some Pendle Hill pamphlets. These two new booklets are the Lampens' attempt to mine the lessons of Quaker history for guidance concerning the grave and manifold crises that now confront the human race. "The symptoms are undeniable," write the Lampens, citing pollution, water wars, depletion of mineral reserves, among others. Although the subject matter differs, Quaker Roots and Branches and The One Thing Needful are both sufficiently provocative to inspire further reflection, despite the free-wheeling, overly ambitious scope of such slim essays. Roots and Branches covers the environment; war and peace; punishment; "the arts, especially music"; and "experience, belief, and theology" in 64 pages. In a mere 27 pages, One Thing Needful covers themes treated in the writings of George Fox, William Shakespeare, and Walt Whitman: deceit, love, justice, war, politics, mercy, forgiveness, and the Light Within. Is there anything that Quakers in particular can contribute to the search for solutions? There are many Friends, say the Lampens, following Fox's rejoinder to act as society's "patterns," who "are living in a way which shows that there can be an alternative." This tradition of ecological consciousness dates to the time of William Penn, who described our world as a "rare and sumptuous palace [furnishing] groves, plains, valleys, hills, fountains, ponds, lakes, and rivers," which sustain cities and agriculture, and who called upon us to recognize "what careless and idle servants we are, and how short and disproportionate our behaviour is to [H]is bounty and goodness." British abolitionist Thomas Clarkson was struck by the kindness Quakers displayed to their own animals, and by their aversion to hunting and hawking, concluding, "Quakers are of opinion that rights and duties have sprung up—rights on behalf of animals and duties on the part of men." In 1772, John Woolman specifically laid the blame on capitalism: "So great is the hurry in the spirit of this world that in aiming to do business quick and to gain wealth, the creation at this day doth loudly groan." Given the gravity of the other issues, John Lampens inclusion in Roots and Branches of the obsolete Quaker ban on music may seem frivolous or indulgent, but a careful reading of this section suggests a compelling parallel between that early, admittedly misguided, urge to reduce the distractions of the era's light entertainment and very modern concerns about exposure to sex, violence, materialism, and propaganda in mass media, not to mention the hypnotic trance of electronic screens. One Thing Needful is clearly inspired by Whitman's 1888 deathbed essay on George Fox, which at one point attempted to compare and contrast Fox with Shakespeare. Unfortunately, that essay serves as a particularly ill-advised inspiration for the Lampens, given that it is tenuous, rambling, and unfocused. Although the authors do not address the complex question of whether Whitman was indeed a Quaker (and the subtle truth is Walt Whitman was far too good of a. Quaker to be a Quaker), they acknowledge that he was "preoccupied with the deepening of our spiritual lives," and "encourage [d] us to look at two authors whom he saw as pioneers" in understanding human nature. A typical example of the Lampens' manner is their treatment of mercy in the works of Shakespeare and Fox. King Lear exclaims, "Expose thyself to feel what wretches feel, / That thou mayst shake the superflux to them / And show the heavens more just." Likewise, Fox preached to the merchants of London: "Spare one of your dishes, and let it be carried to the place for the poor, and do not make them to come begging for it either . . . consider what abundance of riches is in this city, and what good you might do with it." They conclude this section with a touching quotation from Fox, which really reveals the unique spirit of Quakerism: "At another place they . . . said that if they had enough money they would hire me. So I said it was time for me to go away, for then they would not come to their own [Inward] Teacher." Mitchell Santine Gould lives on the Oregon coast with his camerado, Rusty. He is the leading authority on Walt Whitman's Quakerism. 24 November 2018 Friends Journal ~ Friends Journal, USA

British Quaker Lampen (The Peace Kit) distills central ideas and beliefs of Quakerism in this quick introduction to the pacifist faith. Lampen centers his presentation on what Quakers, also called Friends, term “testimonies”: areas of particular preoccupation that have attracted the efforts of Friends over centuries to establish or improve. He provides an overview of Quaker work for peace, the environment, and prison reform—all distinctive Quaker concerns. For instance, he writes of how Quaker Elizabeth Fry led a campaign for significant reforms within Victorian prisons—a tradition of appeal that has extended to modern calls for full abolishment of institutional incarceration. Lampen then looks somewhat apologetically at Quaker stances on the arts, where Friends’ earnestness historically led them to look askance at artistic expression, especially in music, for an embarrassingly long time. He concludes with a chapter on Quaker theology and its varieties of expression; American readers will note a distinctly British slant to the contemporary material he draws on. Lampen’s work brings to light important moments in Quaker history, and though many readers will quarrel over what is left out, none can complain about the Quaker simplicity this little handbook embodies. ~ Publisher's Weekly

John Lampen has a gift for connecting the contemporary concerns of Friends with the rich heritage of the Quaker past. In his latest collection of essays, he shows us how the experiences of Friends like George Fox, William Penn, and Elizabeth Fry offer us wisdom and guidance in confronting the problems we face today. ~ Thomas Hamm, Professor of History, Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana, U.S.A.

From his insight that modern-day Quakers are the product and carriers of an inspiring tradition, John Lampen paints a compelling picture of the Quaker character: clear intellectual enquiry, resolute moral integrity, and quiet, unsung heroism. The lives he describes are led by the guidance emerging from silent worship. In describing the resonance of these Quaker lives with his personal experience, John makes these stories relevant for us today.   ~ Gerald Hewitson, author, Journey Into Life: Inheriting the Story of Early Friends

This exploration of Quaker identity shows how modern Quaker ways have developed out of, but are clearly rooted in, the lives of earlier generations. It is engaging and very readable. John Lampen gives frequent examples of real Quakers seeking to follow ‘guidance’. There are some familiar stories, and some quite tantalising glimpses into less well-known characters which left me wanting to know more. They illustrate how today’s Quaker practice is frequently on a continuum with the past, but at other times breaks significantly with tradition – and it is helpful to be aware of which is which, and why. A worthwhile read for anyone wanting to understand early 21st century (British) Quakers! ~ Helen Rowlands, former Head of Education, Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre, Birmingham, UK.