Women Who Refused to Be Silent: The Real Quaker Beginning
🌐 Guest Link: https://www.stuartkmasters.com/In 17th-century England, women weren’t meant to preach, write, or speak in public. And yet, in the chaotic swirl of civil war, collapsing institutions, and religious upheaval, early Quaker women did exactly that. Women Who Refused to Be Silent spoke, they travelled, they wrote, and they claimed spiritual authority—risking imprisonment, public flogging, and social humiliation. This was The Real Quaker Beginning.In this episode, Stuart Masters joins host Philipp Kobald to discuss the radical faith that made this possible. The early Quaker movement empowered ordinary people—women and men alike—to experience a direct, inward connection to the Holy Spirit. This faith encouraged personal transformation, bold public action, and a spiritual agency previously denied to most, particularly women.You will learn how the social, political, and religious turmoil of the time created the perfect conditions for a revolutionary movement to emerge. The episode also traces the charismatic lives of early Quaker leaders like George Fox, James Naylor, and Margaret Fell, whose courage, vision, and devotion shaped the movement’s enduring principles.📌 Key Takeaways How early Quaker women defied societal limits to speak, travel, and preach The ways social and political upheaval created space for radical spiritual movements The embodied, transformative power of faith in action How Quaker principles of truthfulness, peace, and equality were forged under persecution Why their courage and radical inclusivity still resonate in a modern context💬 Quotes from the Episode “Women preached in public, travelled, wrote, and confronted authority—and society treated it as a direct attack.” —Stuart Masters “Only an Englishman can stay this calm while talking about flogging.” —Philipp Kobald👤 Guest BioStuart Masters is a researcher, writer, and teacher who has spent nearly twenty years with Woodbrooke, an international Quaker research and learning centre.CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction to True Faith 00:30 Welcome to Holistic Circle Podcast 00:35 Meet Stuart Masters 03:15 Historical Context of Quakerism 05:24 Emergence of Quakerism 06:52 Quaker Beliefs and Practices 11:00 Quakerism's Radical Social Impact 21:57 Persecution and Suffering of Early Quakers 26:58 George Fox and the Early Quaker Movement 27:28 James Nailer: A Charismatic Leader 28:01 Margaret Fell: The Organizer and Advocate 29:47 Dramatic Public Signs and Persecution 31:17 Survival and Adaptation of the Quakers 34:21 Women's Role in the Quaker Movement 36:50 Core Beliefs and Practices of Quakers 43:36 Challenges and Reflections on Quaker Life#holisticcircle #philippkobald #quaker #womeninhistory #spiritualconversation #radicalfaith#historypodcast #englishcivilwar #religionandpowerP 82/25 (E 0101) - Nov 27, 2025