by Pamela Haines

Most of us are intimidated by economics, made to feel too ignorant to understand, question, or challenge its system. But, just as we do with peace, we can step boldly into that arena with our faith and values intact, daring to imagine a living economy for a livable world. Here are six big ideas that help capture the moral issues.

Every five years, Congress takes up a massive piece of legislation called the Farm Bill. We stand at a crucial juncture where we must address the pressing need to sustain farmland, maintain biodiversity, protect farmworkers, and feed families.

by Gray Cox

The Quaker Institute for the Future (QIF) recently published Gray Cox's book on Human Ecology and Artificial Intelligence.

Current breakthroughs in Artificial Intelligence (AI) need to be evaluated holistically as part of serious, systematic threats to our human ecology. These threats are intimately related to the economic, political, military, technological, and ethical flaws and institutional flaws that lead to existential threats like the sixth great extinction, the climate crisis, the collapse of democracy, wars of mutually assured destruction, and out-of-control technology.

by Mary Coelho

We are invited to continually seek to discern the ways in which we are alienated, often without conscious awareness, from the sacred nature of the natural world. Considering two unexpected sources helps us become more aware of our narrowed consciousness.

By Elsa Hoover

I just finished as a Quaker Voluntary Service Fellow in Minneapolis. Through QVS, I worked at the Minnesota State Horticultural Society, aka “The Hort”. To say I did not know what I was getting into when I accepted the position would be an understatement.

This is an excerpt from QEW’s Earthcare for Friends: A Study Guide for Individuals and Faith Communities. Written by Bill Cahalan and Ruah Swennerfelt.

You can now go on a “deep listening walk” if you want, wandering or stalking (moving slowly and silently, pausing a lot, versus “hiking”) for an extended time through the nearby wild areas, being led intuitively by your emotional responses to what you see, hear, or smell. 

With the local temperatures soaring to 96 degrees during the Friends General Conference Gathering and the global average temperatures breaking records, Earth Quaker Action Team (EQAT) gathered an intergenerational group of Friends from across the country in an action against JP Morgan Chase and Vanguard.

At the Gathering, high schoolers get to create their own self-governing community, where many discerned that they would join EQAT’s action. Here are a few inspirations and reflections that they shared with QEW:

Browse QEW's online collection of articles and reflections on a wide-range of relevant topics.

Enjoy reading BeFriending Creation?

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Invite QEW to visit your Friends community virtually. We have a great list of presenters on many topics.