A longstanding tradition among Friends is to record in a paragraph or two a spiritually grounded moral or conscientious position on a topic of concern in contemporary society. For instance, a number of minutes have been written and circulated over the years opposing the death penalty. The minute is intended as a public witness on the issue, and proceeds from a palpable sense of the meeting, not just a lukewarm “okay.” Sometimes, it is reached after a long struggle and represents a new understanding. Copies are often sent to pertinent politicians and/or others and sent to newspapers as letters to the editor.
Minutes of conscience that meetings have shared with us are categorized and listed in the menu to the right.
Please submit additional minutes using the link below. These pages are updated approximately once every six weeks.
This list was first assembled by Mathilda Navias and Carl Stanton in 2022. Last updated by FGC staff on August 12, 2025.