Quakers, 1656–1723

This landmark volume is the first in a century to examine the “Second Period” of Quakerism, a time when the Religious Society of Friends experienced upheavals in theology, authority and institutional structures, and political trajectories as a result of the persecution Quakers faced in the first decades of the movement’s existence. The authors and special contributors explore the early growth of Quakerism, assess important developments in Quaker faith and practice, and show how Friends coped with the challenges posed by external and internal threats in the final years of the Stuart age—not only in Europe and North America but also in locations such as the Caribbean. This groundbreaking collection sheds new light on a range of subjects, including the often tense relations between Quakers and the authorities, the role of female Friends during the Second Period, the effect of major industrial development on Quakerism, and comparisons between founder George Fox and the younger generation of Quakers, such as Robert Barclay, George Keith, and William Penn.Accessible, well-researched, and seamlessly comprehensive, The Quakers, 1656–1723 promises to reinvigorate a conversation largely ignored by scholarship over the last century and to become the definitive work on this important era in Quaker history.In addition to the authors, the contributors are Erin Bell, Raymond Brown, J. William Frost, Emma Lapsansky-Werner, Robynne Rogers Healey, Alan P. F. Sell, and George Southcombe.

“It is welcome, valuable, and stimulating, and a necessary companion for anyone inquiring into this dynamic period of our faith community.”—Brian Drayton, Friends Journal, “It is important reading for experienced scholars of the period’s religious history, but will also be vital for post-graduates looking for up-to-date scholarship on the history of dissent, undergraduates seeking a handle on complicated political, social and religious matters, and a general readership with a keen interest in history. It is a tribute not just to the quality of the individual chapters, but to the work of Allen and Moore in ensuring consistency in tone and content, that so many groups will be so well served by what will surely be received as the definitive history of this period of Quaker history for the coming generation.”—Adam Morton, Journal of the Friends Historical Society, “The Quakers, 1656–1723 is a really significant contribution to Quaker studies scholarship and an impressively coherent collection of some of the best and latest thinking about the enigmatic ‘second period.’ This book offers us a clear way through the nuances and complexities of a period of massive change for the Quaker movement.”—Ben Pink Dandelion, author of The Quakers: A Very Short Introduction, “A new, up-to-date history of early Quakers, the first in over a century, is particularly welcome. Quakers have been the subject of many recent specialized studies, but this new work sets out to address some of the latest concerns: the role of women, changes in Quaker authority and theology, the decline in religious radicalism and the growing compromises with 'the world,’ and the engagement of Friends in Europe and America.”—David Wykes, Director of Dr Williams’s Library, London, “This is an important book that revitalizes our understanding of a neglected period of Quaker history. The book’s focus on the Atlantic world is particularly welcome, and this will be an invaluable resource for historians of early modern religion in both Britain and America.”—Andrew C. Thompson, author of George II: King and Elector

Richard C. Allen is Visiting Fellow in History at Newcastle University.Rosemary Moore is the author of The Light in Their Consciences: The Early Quakers in Britain, 1646–1666, also published by Penn State University Press.