Stephen Angell | Earlham College (original) (raw)
Papers by Stephen Angell
Quaker Studies, 2024
Reflecting on two research notes in this edition of Quaker Studies, this conversation piece consi... more Reflecting on two research notes in this edition of Quaker Studies, this conversation piece considers the commonalities between them and what they tell us about the direction of future research. The content of each note concerns Quakerism in a local context – examining specific civic, parochial, and educational debates in the East of England – suggesting a need to write Quaker history in a plural fashion. Both authors equally reflect, however, on the migration of disputes across regional and even national boundaries, as well as the insights close readings of texts can give us into their dispersion and the theological and practical relations between denominational groups. Looking forward, both authors affirm the need for a continued attendance to these topics, in addition to the representation of female agency as an authorial and inscribed presence.
Quaker Religious Thought, 2003
Quakers and Mysticism, 2019
Angell examines African-American educator and theologian Howard Thurman’s encounters with, and ap... more Angell examines African-American educator and theologian Howard Thurman’s encounters with, and appeals to, Quakerism and Buddhism, in light of Thurman’s intense emphasis on human experience. Thurman first encountered a Buddhist, possibly Chinese teacher Jia Linbin, while preaching in Oberlin, Ohio. Thurman’s relationship with Quaker theologian Rufus Jones and his mid-1930 encounters with Asian religions in South Asia are considered, as well as Thurman’s sermons on Buddhism delivered in 1950 and 1953. Angell argues that Thurman’s encounters with Buddhists were an important factor in the origin and development of Thurman’s distinctive religious philosophy focused on finding common ground and transcending divisive aspects of creeds and racial and cultural identities.
Church History, Sep 1, 1995
Cambridge Journals Online (CJO) is the e-publishing service for over 270 journals published by Ca... more Cambridge Journals Online (CJO) is the e-publishing service for over 270 journals published by Cambridge University Press and is entirely developed and hosted in-house. The platform's powerful capacity and reliable performance are maintained by a combination of our own expertise ...
This is a review of Ruben Van Luijk's "Children of Lucifer: The Origins of Modern Religious Satan... more This is a review of Ruben Van Luijk's "Children of Lucifer: The Origins of Modern Religious Satanism" (Oxford University Press, 2016). The review was published in the "Journal of the American Academy of Religion" 86:2 (June 2018). Van Luijk's book was awarded a prize by the American Academy of Religion for the Best Book by a First-Time Author in the History of Religions, in 2017. Because I served on the Jury that deliberated on the award, and agreed to award it to Van Luijk, I was asked to write a book review on it for JAAR.
![Research paper thumbnail of benjamin lay penn's heir [question mark].docx.pdf](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/56151598/thumbnails/1.jpg)
](A review of Marcus Rediker, "The Fearless Benjamin Lay: The Quaker Dwarf who Became the First Rev... more A review of Marcus Rediker, "The Fearless Benjamin Lay: The Quaker Dwarf who Became the First Revolutionary Abolitionist"
This essay traces the development of Quaker doctrines of Scriptural authority, concentrating on t... more This essay traces the development of Quaker doctrines of Scriptural authority, concentrating on the years between 1653 and 1662. Utilizing controversies conducted by Richard Farnworth and Samuel Fisher with a series of non-Quaker critics, this study focuses on four areas: the possible status of Quaker epistles as revelation; whether the Bible, for Quakers, was human words, or God's words, or both; Quaker views of the Scriptural canon; and Quaker views of the propriety of using the Bible to settle religious controversies. This essay onds that defenders of Quaker views of Scripture steadily were pressed away from their original radical, spiritualist stances on Scriptural authority, toward a more orthodox, ecumenical, Puritan-oriented construction of that issue.
This essay traces the ups-and-downs of Senator Charles Sumner's relationship as friend and mentor... more This essay traces the ups-and-downs of Senator Charles Sumner's relationship as friend and mentor with the younger AME minister, Henry McNeal Turner.
This appeared in Quaker Studies journal in 2004.
In 2012, sixty-two local Quaker church congregations in eastern Indiana (part of Indiana Yearly M... more In 2012, sixty-two local Quaker church congregations in eastern Indiana (part of Indiana Yearly Meeting) were surveyed in terms of their views in a planned separation over issues of ecclesiastical & Biblical authority, especially as these related to homosexuality. This essay analyzes the responses that were received.
The Changing World Religion Map, 2014
American Historical Review, 2008
Quaker Studies, 2024
Reflecting on two research notes in this edition of Quaker Studies, this conversation piece consi... more Reflecting on two research notes in this edition of Quaker Studies, this conversation piece considers the commonalities between them and what they tell us about the direction of future research. The content of each note concerns Quakerism in a local context – examining specific civic, parochial, and educational debates in the East of England – suggesting a need to write Quaker history in a plural fashion. Both authors equally reflect, however, on the migration of disputes across regional and even national boundaries, as well as the insights close readings of texts can give us into their dispersion and the theological and practical relations between denominational groups. Looking forward, both authors affirm the need for a continued attendance to these topics, in addition to the representation of female agency as an authorial and inscribed presence.
Quaker Religious Thought, 2003
Quakers and Mysticism, 2019
Angell examines African-American educator and theologian Howard Thurman’s encounters with, and ap... more Angell examines African-American educator and theologian Howard Thurman’s encounters with, and appeals to, Quakerism and Buddhism, in light of Thurman’s intense emphasis on human experience. Thurman first encountered a Buddhist, possibly Chinese teacher Jia Linbin, while preaching in Oberlin, Ohio. Thurman’s relationship with Quaker theologian Rufus Jones and his mid-1930 encounters with Asian religions in South Asia are considered, as well as Thurman’s sermons on Buddhism delivered in 1950 and 1953. Angell argues that Thurman’s encounters with Buddhists were an important factor in the origin and development of Thurman’s distinctive religious philosophy focused on finding common ground and transcending divisive aspects of creeds and racial and cultural identities.
Church History, Sep 1, 1995
Cambridge Journals Online (CJO) is the e-publishing service for over 270 journals published by Ca... more Cambridge Journals Online (CJO) is the e-publishing service for over 270 journals published by Cambridge University Press and is entirely developed and hosted in-house. The platform's powerful capacity and reliable performance are maintained by a combination of our own expertise ...
This is a review of Ruben Van Luijk's "Children of Lucifer: The Origins of Modern Religious Satan... more This is a review of Ruben Van Luijk's "Children of Lucifer: The Origins of Modern Religious Satanism" (Oxford University Press, 2016). The review was published in the "Journal of the American Academy of Religion" 86:2 (June 2018). Van Luijk's book was awarded a prize by the American Academy of Religion for the Best Book by a First-Time Author in the History of Religions, in 2017. Because I served on the Jury that deliberated on the award, and agreed to award it to Van Luijk, I was asked to write a book review on it for JAAR.
A review of Marcus Rediker, "The Fearless Benjamin Lay: The Quaker Dwarf who Became the First Rev... more A review of Marcus Rediker, "The Fearless Benjamin Lay: The Quaker Dwarf who Became the First Revolutionary Abolitionist"
This essay traces the development of Quaker doctrines of Scriptural authority, concentrating on t... more This essay traces the development of Quaker doctrines of Scriptural authority, concentrating on the years between 1653 and 1662. Utilizing controversies conducted by Richard Farnworth and Samuel Fisher with a series of non-Quaker critics, this study focuses on four areas: the possible status of Quaker epistles as revelation; whether the Bible, for Quakers, was human words, or God's words, or both; Quaker views of the Scriptural canon; and Quaker views of the propriety of using the Bible to settle religious controversies. This essay onds that defenders of Quaker views of Scripture steadily were pressed away from their original radical, spiritualist stances on Scriptural authority, toward a more orthodox, ecumenical, Puritan-oriented construction of that issue.
This essay traces the ups-and-downs of Senator Charles Sumner's relationship as friend and mentor... more This essay traces the ups-and-downs of Senator Charles Sumner's relationship as friend and mentor with the younger AME minister, Henry McNeal Turner.
This appeared in Quaker Studies journal in 2004.
In 2012, sixty-two local Quaker church congregations in eastern Indiana (part of Indiana Yearly M... more In 2012, sixty-two local Quaker church congregations in eastern Indiana (part of Indiana Yearly Meeting) were surveyed in terms of their views in a planned separation over issues of ecclesiastical & Biblical authority, especially as these related to homosexuality. This essay analyzes the responses that were received.
The Changing World Religion Map, 2014
American Historical Review, 2008
This is one of a series of reviews of H. Larry Ingle's new book on Richard Nixon's religious comm... more This is one of a series of reviews of H. Larry Ingle's new book on Richard Nixon's religious commitments. These reviews were read at the Annual Sessions of the American Academy of Religion in November, 2015.