Quakers in Britain Launch Resources Comparing 1915 Peace Work With Today

Quakers in Britain has released new resources that draw parallels between Quaker work for peace in 1915 and the present day. The materials are marked for the centenary of the First World War, and the organisation says they aim to bear witness for peace, remember the many victims of war and work toward a world without war, a commitment linked with peacemaking (Matthew 5:9).

The first resource is *The Testimony*, a fictional newspaper inspired by Quaker activities during the First World War. According to the source, it gives a flavour of 1915 through articles and statements from the time, alongside up-to-date stories of peace work.

The second is *Remembering for Peace*, a new assembly outline. It is designed to encourage children to think about the impact of war and about ways of remembering for peace. The source states that it was produced by the Quakers in Britain Peace Education team with the Peace Education Network. It belongs to the Teach Peace series and is intended for pupils of upper primary and lower secondary age.

*The Testimony* records that in May 1915 London Yearly Meeting issued a statement against the war. The source says it was the only church in Britain to do so. Some Quakers joined the armed forces, but many joined the growing peace movement. The newspaper notes that the Fellowship of Reconciliation and the No-Conscription Fellowship were both created in response to the war.

The newspaper also reports on steps toward conscription and on Quaker work behind the scenes to include a “conscience clause” in the Military Service Act of 1916. The source states that Britain was the first country to enshrine in law the right to individual conscience.

Source: Read the original report