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.

The list below represents minutes of conscience that were discovered via web search in 2022, as well as a few submissions. Please contact the Communications Manager via the contact page if you have a submission.

Anti-Racism

• Anti-Racism Minute, Atlanta (GA) Friends Meeting
• Hatred, Racist Violence, and Domestic Terrorism Minute, Atlanta (GA) Friends Meeting
• Minute on Reparative Justice and Reconciliation, Atlanta (GA) Friends Meeting
• Minute on Responding to Systemic Racism and Police Violence, North Columbus (OH) Friends Meeting
• Statement Against Expression of Racism in Our Country, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting

Environment and Sustainability

• Sustainability, Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting

Indigenous Concerns

• Minute of Northern Yearly Meeting of Quakers to Renounce the Doctrine of Discovery
• Minute on Native Boarding School Legislation (2022), North Carolina Yearly Meeting (Conservative)

LGBT Concerns

• Sexuality and Gender Equality, Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting
• Minute Welcoming and Affirming Transgender People, North Columbus (OH) Friends Meeting
• Minute on Transgender Rights, Friends Meeting of Washington (DC)

Marriage Equality

• Minute of Welcoming and Affirming Marriage, North Columbus (OH) Friends Meeting
• Defense of Marriage Laws, Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting

Peace

• Terrorism and War, George Fox
• Peace Testimony Statement, North Carolina Yearly Meeting (Conservative)
• Declaration on Peace and Violence, Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting
• Minute on Nuclear Weapons, Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting
• Gaza and Israel, Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting
• Statement on Abolition of Nuclear Weapons, Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting
• Religious Freedom Peace Tax Fund Act, Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting
• Minute in Support of the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, Frederick (MD) Friends Meeting
• Minute on Escalation in Iraq, North Columbus (OH) Friends Meeting
• Minute on the War in Ukraine, Friends Meeting of Washington (DC)

Reproductive Health

• Minute on Reproductive Health, Oxford (OH) Friends Meeting

This list was first assembled by Mathilda Navias and Carl Stanton in 2022. Last updated September 18, 2023.