Editing Inward light (section)

== Contrast with rules and creeds ==

Historically, Friends have been suspicious of formal creeds or religious philosophy that is not grounded in one's own experience.  Instead one must be guided by the Inward Teacher, the Inner Light.  This is not, however, a release for Friends to decide and do whatever they want; it is incumbent upon Friends to consider the wisdom of other Friends, as one must listen for the Inner Light of others as well as their own.  Friends have various established procedures for collectively discerning and following the Spirit while making decisions.

Friends procedure is to collect together their best advice in a book of "Faith and Practice", which is revised gradually over time.  Many or most books of Faith and Practice contain the following, which was originally attached to a list of "Advices" published in 1656, and illustrates Friends' emphasis on the Inward Light:

: Dearly beloved Friends, these things we do not lay upon you as a rule or form to walk by, but that all, with the measure of light which is pure and holy, may be guided: and so in the light walking and abiding, these may be fulfilled in the Spirit, not from the letter, for the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.nyym.org/quakerism/fnp/6.shtml |title=NY Yearly Meeting on Faith |access-date=2 March 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040328031133/http://nyym.org/quakerism/fnp/6.shtml |archive-date=28 March 2004 |url-status=dead }}</ref>