Think Quakers are all pacifism, porridge and quiet meetings? 🕊️🥣 Think again.

In this electrifying History Rage LIVE episode recorded at the Gloucester History Festival, host Paul Bavill welcomes historian Dr. Erica Canela to uncover the shocking, dramatic and often law-breaking beginnings of Quakerism.

From the 17th-century English Civil Wars to miracle attempts on the banks of the Severn, Erica reveals how early Friends were anything but mild-mannered. Discover:

• Why the Quaker Oats brand has nothing to do with Quakers
• How George Fox built a radical movement of spiritual seekers
• The “infestation of locusts” style missionary tactics that terrified authorities
• Fierce female ministers preaching equality centuries ahead of their time
• The failed resurrection of William Poole in Worcester
• The infamous “Great Book of Sufferings” chronicling persecution and prison life

If you’ve only known the Quakers as a peaceful, progressive religious society, this episode will change everything. You’ll gain a fresh, deeper understanding of how a disruptive 17th-century sect transformed into a global movement renowned for social justice, abolitionism and pacifism — what Dr. Canela calls the Quakers’ “incredible glow-up.”

Connect with Dr. Erica Cannella:

- Follow Erica on Social Media: @ericanela

Buy the Book: The Dark Side of the Early Quakers:

https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9781036112141

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Stay curious, stay passionate, and most importantly, stay angry!

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