Friends Journal is a monthly Quaker magazine that combines first-person narrative, reportage, poetry, and news.[1]Friends Journal began publishing in 1827 and 1844 with the founding of The Friend (Orthodox, 1827—1955) and The Friends Intelligencer (Hicksite, 1844—1955).[2][3] In 1955 the magazines joined together as Friends Journal, coinciding with the reconciliation of Hicksite and Orthodox branches of Friends in Philadelphia.[4][3][5] The united magazine was originally published weekly and then bi-weekly; it became a monthly periodical in 1988.[6] The first editor-in-chief of the Friends Journal as such was William Hubben, from 1955—1963.[7]
Friends Journal is an independent publication of Friends Publishing Corporation, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its mission is "to communicate Quaker experience in order to connect and deepen spiritual lives."[8] The magazine is a founding member of Quakers Uniting in Publications.[9] It publishes poetry, news about Quaker affairs, letters, information about Quaker meetings, and book reviews.[10]
The journal’s archives were digitized around 2012.[11] In 2014, Friends Journal launched QuakerSpeak, a YouTube channel featuring interviews with friends on core questions of Quaker faith.[12] In 2016, Friends Journal received the Best in Class award from the Association of Church Press.[13] In 2018 Friends Journal relaunched Quaker.org as a general information website for the Religious Society of Friends.