Synopsis
What does it mean to be a witness to Truth? Thomas Gates draws from the experiences of the captive Hebrews as told in the Book of Isaiah, as well as the discoveries and practices of early Friends, to offer perspective and insights for twenty-first century Quakers who are trying to live in faithful witness to the Light. What is our testimony today, and how can we best express it in the context of a modern world filled with “false idols,” such as the lure of wealth and comfort, side-by-side with overwhelming powers that wreak havoc on peace and environmental sustainability? Poised between the temptations of complacency and despair, how do we live our witness?
About the Author(s)
Thomas Gates is a member of Lancaster (Pennsylvania) Monthly Meeting, where he has served for many years on Worship and Ministry. He is a graduate of The School of the Spirit’s Spiritual Nurturer Program (2002–03) as well as The Way of Ministry (2008–09). Tom is a graduate of Williams College and Harvard Medical School. He spent the first eight years of his medical career as a family doctor in rural New Hampshire. From 1991–1994, he and his wife Elizabeth and their two sons lived and worked at Friends Lugulu Hospital in Kenya. Upon their return, he spent a year studying at Earlham School of Religion. Since 1995, he has been a member of the faculty of the Family Medicine Residency at Lancaster General Hospital. After delivering these talks at New England Yearly Meeting in August of 2014, Tom embarked on a process of discernment that led him to resign from his position in order to return to Africa. In October, he will join Partners in Health, working in rural Malawi.
Pendle Hill Pamphlet #435
