Eye likes to think that we render a very useful service to readers by spotting media material which might have passed them by (or the media has forgotten to tell them).
One such startling piece which appears to have kept its head down is from Ziaddin Sardar, writing in the New Statesman (19 June).
Sardar reports on a fatwa issued by Deobandi mullahs in India. They had gathered at a conference the week before in Delhi, which most Indian Muslim sects attended. Sardar reports: 'the gathering declared that jihad and terrorism have no connection. The very idea of a terrorist glorying in violence and describing himself as a jihadi was denounced as an abomination. The conference saw terrorism as the greatest threat facing Muslim societies today. Finally, all the mullahs present signed an oath of allegiance: "We are bound by the fatwa of Darul Uloom Deoband [a religious seminary] and undertake that we shall condemn terrorism and spread Islam's message of global peace."'
The Deoband seminary, we learn, is greatly respected throughout the Muslim world. Its scholars led a revolt against the British in 1857. Young militants studying religion in Pakistan and Afghanistan go to Deobandi establishments, according to Sardar. They are tough on oppressors of Islam, so this fatwa should have had wide coverage in the west. We wonder why it hasn't.

Labels: Islam, news

Interesting news has reached Eye on the whereabouts of original architectural designs for the West China Union University in Chengdu so badly damaged in the recent earthquake (27 June) The campus was designed by Frederick Rowntree and British Friends had been among those founding the university.
Patrick Wood, a Quaker in China who sent dramatic dispatches to the Friend during the earthquake, wondered whether we could locate original drawings which might help the repair work. We drew a blank with the ancestors of the original company of architects but we have now heard from Richenda George, great-granddaughter of Fred Rowntree.
'We have a number of plans, drawings, photographs and other archive material stored here at home in Wiltshire', she writes. In addition to published material, Richenda has plans and elevations of the library block, education building, normal school (including the original competition drawing which won Rowntree the tender), biology building, the president's official residence, the main entrance and clock tower, the medical block and the medical dental college. Later on, Richenda will seek a suitable permanent home for these treasures. In the meantime we will alert Patrick Wood to their existence.

• Can any of our erudite readers tell us which one is correct: Chengdu, Chengtu or Chendu? We have seen all three now in various dispatches.

Labels: Chengdu, china, earthquake, Fredrick Rowntree

Mice don't have many friends in the human world. Except of course the Dr Hadwen Trust, Eye's favourite charity, which works tirelessly to discover alternatives to using animals in research. The Trust is outraged that millions of genetically modified mice are sacrificed to genetic research. Ever since human DNA was decoded, the little furry ones have been more in demand than ever in laboratories. The genetic research on mice has been based on the assumption that a specific gene in a mouse is the same as the equivalent gene in a person. But Dr Hadwen reports that researchers in Michigan have shown that this assumption is way off. They identified essential genes in people and 'knocked' them out in mice. The mice should have died, but not all of them did. In fact, twenty-two per cent of these essential genes weren't so essential in mice. Eye feels that at least this research might prove beneficial to mice in future.

Labels: Dr Hadwen, mice

The London Family History Centre of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) has recently acquired a mass of records of Quaker births, marriages and deaths over 150 years up until 1837 (when we believe civil registration began). A talk on this comprehensive slice of Friends' history will be given at the Centre at 64-68 Exhibition Road (across from the Science Museum in London) at 2pm on 19 August. Giving the talk will be Elder Inskip of the church. He told us 'we have 300 films of the records - that’s four drawers' worth, thousands of records which have been inherited from the National Archive.' He is willing to give tailored talks about them to any Quaker meeting.
Any reader going along to his talk might consider writing us a story on this period of our history.

Labels: archiving, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, history, Mormons

Attention Faslane retirees!

The BBC's renowned musical religious show is looking for older people who have eschewed their slippers for a life of activism and protest.

The programme will be filmed in September and October for screening on 23 November. Janis Knox, the programme researcher, told Eye that she's looking for people in their early sixties onwards.

'The programme will explore ageing and in particular the freedom older age brings to become involved in things you feel strongly about, political and social issues for example.'

Janis asked us if we knew of any older people who have been involved in non-violent resistance. 'You've come to the right place!', we told her.

She needs to hear from potential interviewees right away, so contact her on Janis.knox@bbc.co.uk or write to her at Room 5012, BBC North, New Broadcasting House, Oxford Rd, Manchester M60 1SJ.

Labels: bbc activists

Alan Pearce, who wrote our article on healing in the 11 July issue, is the ideal green consumer.

As a trustee of Claridge House, he and another trustee, Pat Piqué, went along to Grosvenor House in London to see how Claridge House would do in the annual catering and hotel industry awards.

He knew that Claridge House was in the first three in a new accessibility category. He didn’t possess the black tie kit, so he trawled the charity shops. Out stepped the smart trustee in black suit, black shoes and bow tie – all for a total of £22.50!

So he looked good to pick up the first prize for Claridge House.

Labels: claridge oxfam

A box of brightly coloured pens turned up in the office recently with just a note from our doughty senior Friend Leslie Fuhrmann.

The pens are wreathed in smiles and carry one of Leslie’s neat verses: Our lives are measured not just in days and years or pounds, dollars, euros but by the difference we make as links in the chain of God's love.

That's a lot to get on a pen but Leslie has managed it. He had the idea of the message in a dream, he tells us, and he had 400 pens produced which he gives out to people he meets who are helpful.

Eye hears that participants on the Quaker United Nations Office summer school in Geneva received a boon to their learning earlier this month when they witnessed the UN's human rights committee in session.

The summer school coincided with the committee taking the UK government to task over its implementation of the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights.

The UK government delegation was challenged by the committee on issues such as ASBOs (Anti-Social Behaviour Orders), length of pre-charge detention, enfranchisement of prisoners and many other issues.

'I was genuinely ashamed and angry by the responses of the UK delegation but really heartened by the astute grilling they received from the experts', said Sam Walton, one of the British Quaker participants on the summer school.

We hear that the committee's concluding observations are due out shortly. Eye looks forward to seeing some fired-up young Friends engaging with the issues.

How often does the Lambeth Conference take place? Eye knows that it is not every five years, which sneaked into print in David Zarembka’s latest article on 4 July.

A reader who works as a proof-reader pointed out the error, but used the website Wikipedia as her source. So to the rescue came Anne van Staveren, the Quakers' very own press officer, who drew to Eye's attention a page on the Anglican Communion’s website that states: 'The Lambeth Conference of bishops meets every ten years solely at the personal invitation of the Archbishop of Canterbury'.

So now we know.

It may have something to do with the looming recession, but Quaker simplicity looks set for a revival. Stylists have often turned to religious groups – think of the Shaker influence in furniture – for a 'new look' and it seems our time for one of these makeovers has arrived. Famous couturiers are promising to introduce plain motifs for their autumn and winter collections this year, drawn from past Quaker garb. There will be plain grey, high collars, wide hats and the mannequins will have scrubbed faces and clean side-partings when they parade their exotic apparel on catwalks.

Eye has had a glimpse of this from the fashion pages of Intelligent Life magazine, which is in the Economist stable. We read that Prada, Roberto Cavalli and Giambattista Valli are all paying keen attention to those old black and white drawings of what the Quakers wore.

We were impressed that the magazine, a rather glossy lifestyle publication, had found a neat quote to suggest that even the early Friends had an appreciation of what style could do for a cause. The Countess of Kildare says in the Journal of the Life of Thomas Story, a seventeenth century American Quaker: 'If we should dress ourselves plain, people would gaze at us, call us Quakers, and make us the subject of their discourse and Town-talk'.

We're glad that the couturiers are looking at the past – open-toed sandals, socks and Gore-Tex trousers might not have inspired them to launch a 'Quaker look'.

Labels: economist, intelligent life, international quakers, thomas

Compliments from a Methodist, Steve Wild, writing in the Methodist Recorder. Steve is about to leave his post of director of evangelism at Cliff College and in a farewell article he commends the Quaker way of welcoming newcomers. Apparently Steve’s wife Laura, who has an Anglican background, visited a l ocal Meeting and was immediately greeted by an ‘accompanying Friend’, who explained all and afterwards at coffee introduced her to other Friends. ‘We discovered later this was a strategy’, writes Steve. Later on Laura encountered a ‘nurturing friend’, and further still, a ‘spiritual friend’. Of course, some people might not have welcomed all this attention but the Wilds obviously did. ‘I have been deeply impressed with this system’, says Steve, ‘I don’t know how widespread it is in Quaker meetings, but it worked for my Laura.’
We’re also making a hit with the Baptists. The interview our newshound Oliver Robertson had with Jessica Kellgren-Hayes, the young Friend who is an aspiring model (4 July), has been reprinted in The Baptist Times (10 July, p16). Oliver, of course, is in the United States at the moment, taking a look at American Quakerism in all its different guises. He has been sending Eye little vignettes as he encounters new world Friends. American enthusiasm appeals to Oliver – he met one FUM staffer who absolutely loves our Faith & Practice book and quotes it at every opportunity. Another Friend eulogised anti-bacterial soap and gave thanks for its appearance at the triennial.
Oliver was lucky enough to spot the largest chest of drawers (left) in the US on his travels. Note the sock spilling out of the centre and the sign (for scale) on the right.

Labels: kellgren-hayes, methodist, oliver, steve, wilds

The success of our own Circles of Support and Accountability lies, it seems, in greater supervision of offenders after their release from jail. Now there is some evidence from the US that this may indeed be the case.
Studies in California and Minnesota have shown drops in the re-offending rates of sex offenders. Has harsher sentencing had a deterrent effect? That speculation has been largely refuted, so researchers and offender management personnel have been left with the conclusion that better supervision after release – increasingly happening in more states – is the likely cause of improving statistics.

Labels: circles of support accountability scotland

Chelmsford's Christian festival looks a lively affair. Good gospel singing and stand up comedians along with more serious interviews. Friends are on the route of a Church Crawl this Saturday, starting at 2pm and taking in the Methodists, Baptists, Catholics, Anglican cathedral and the URC. A must for ecu-tourists.

Have you ever seen a queue leading to a Meeting house? Michael Woolley from Chichester Meeting reports that they had them during the city's 'Festivities'. They held two successful events, one with former Guantanamo detainee Moazzam Begg and the other with Quaker Paul Ingram, director of BASIC –an independent research organisation that analyses security issues.

Michael told Eye that Moazzam's clear quiet exposition, backed by strong faith and an ability to forgive and accept was inspiring to all present. Proceeds went to the organisation Cage Prisoners.

Paul talked about the developing international arms situation. 'His excellent and well-informed talk was very well received', said Michael.

Michael explained to Eye that there were various outreach messages – that Friends are hospitable, prepared to engage with Muslims, that they support civil rights and are concerned about peace. Of course, in the closing notices, it was explained Friends meet for worship every Sunday and welcome visitors.

Michael reported that the key to their success was planning the event six to twelve months before it took place. With three months until National Quaker Week, Eye reckons that now would be a good time to start preparations!

Labels: chichester, moazzam begg, national quaker week, paul ingram

Eye was delighted to hear that Westminster Friends recently appeared in a BBC World Service programme Heart and Soul. A specially convened Meeting for Worship was recorded at a BBC studio for the programme. Jennifer Kavanagh of London West AM was interviewed for the programme, broadcast in June. One Friend at Westminster was heard to jokingly ask if any others had heard him being silent in the programme!

The Friend often runs reviews of TV and radio programmes of interest to Quakers, but readers ask us to let them know in advance about these programmes (Eye is mindful of those without the clever ‘play it again’ technology, or without the skill to operate it).

But this is tricky – we don’t always know ourselves, and the broadcasting public relations people only tell us in advance of major religious series or programmes. So if readers spot in references to coming programmes a known Quaker interest, please email the information to editorial[at]thefriend.org.

Labels: radio, tv, world service

A little bit of Quaker history has surfaced in a busy part of Nelson, New Zealand. A Friend has sent some local newspaper clippings of a story which started way back when Europeans settled in Nelson in the mid-nineteenth century. There were Quakers among them who together bought an acre in the new settlement from the New Zealand Company – quickly nicknamed the 'Quaker acre' by locals.

The Friends made headway, becoming shopkeepers and surveyors, later building their own Meeting house on the Quaker acre, said to be the first in New Zealand.

But all was not plain sailing for these early pioneers. As we know from more recent history, settlement brings conflict with native populations and the Quakers were concerned with Maori welfare, speaking out about harsh treatment of tangata whenua (indigenous people of the place or land). And in what is described as a Maori affray, Quaker surveyor John Cotterell stuck to his pacifist principles and was killed on surrender after refusing to fight.

Now the city has opened its first 'quiet garden' on the site of the Quaker acre. With two years of preparation by Grace Sutherland of Nelson Meeting a near derelict site in the city centre has been transformed into a simple space with plain benches. Close by are the graves of Samuel and Martha Strong, Quakers who died in the 1800s. Their graves constituted a 'cemetery' – the smallest in the city –and this was why the piece of land was never developed.

The Quakers and the city council got together to give the Nelsonians a place of solitude right in the middle of one of their noisier intersections. We trust our Friend there will take full advantage of this oasis.

Labels: maori, new zealand, quaker

Eye is waiting with anticipation for some hilarious alternatives to Quaker clichés in the wake of Chuck Fager's recent piece on the language Friends use (27 June). While we're waiting for some of your linguistic innovations, here's a verse from Kurt Strauss, a Friend in York:
I often get a queasy turn
When hearing the Quaker cliché 'discern'.
Is it now a touch too crude
To use 'establish', 'find', 'conclude'?

We have been reading the religious press this week. Eye does keep a watching brief of the church media to see how it is handling some of its controversies (and also to see if Quakers get a mention), but we were particularly impressed to see the new face of Third Way, which declares its role as a 'Christian comment on culture'. TW's recent revamp has turned it into an attractive glossy monthly publication and the summer issue has a star interview with the Hamas leader Khalid Mish'al, who looks remarkably like George Clooney.

Eye finds the sprucing up of the religious message in most of the 'spiritual' media an encouraging trend. The periodicals are so much more interesting to read these days (we hope we fall into this category too!). Third Way's topics include an attempt to reclaim Darwinism for the Christians instead of leaving him to the atheists and how Christians struggle with addictions just like anyone else. We were dismayed but not alarmed to see the columnist Jude Simpson finding Quakers a little uninspirational on her first encounter. It started off well – 'there was a warmth, a sense of acceptance, a feeling of genuine fellowship which deeply impressed me.' She checked herself – yes, there were thirty-nine other people in the room and she felt well-disposed towards all of them. Then they started ministering. It appeared to go downhill from there for her. 'Was that man honestly inspired by the Holy Spirit to extract spiritual lessons from yesterday’s supermarket shop? Did that woman really need ten minutes to remind us that God loves unconditionally? And why would the Lord ever reveal anything to a man wearing peach-coloured socks with green crocs?' Oh dear. Perhaps people expect too much first time.
We learned from The Tablet that the feared dictator Mugabe is still a Catholic, and that an ally of the pope is trying to bring back the old tridentine mass to Britain. One of the objections to the new rite, we learn, was that some priests had not taken mass seriously enough – in one case dressing as a clown, and another was alleged to have worn a miniskirt. Apparently Vatican II still sends shivers down the traditionalist spine.

Labels: catholic, mugabe, quaker, the tablet, third way

The new president of the United Nations Human Rights Council has paid our Geneva UN office a compliment on one of its reports – with just a little regional adjustment. At his election Martin I Uhomoibhi spoke warmly of the publication: 'In August 2007 a respected organisation in Geneva, the Quaker United Nations Office, published a treatise with the interesting title Neither Mountain nor Anthill – the Human Rights Council: One Year On. Almost one year after the publication of the said paper one is tempted to ask the question "has the HRC become a mountain or has it remained an anthill?"'
Actually, QUNO chose moles for its title metaphor – Neither Mountain nor Molehill, but there appears to have been a swap of underground creatures by the time the new president, who is Nigerian, got to read it.

Labels: geneva, office, quaker, UN