An Apology for the True Christian Divinity

work by Barclay

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June 18, 2026

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An Apology for the True Christian Divinity (1678) is a foundational work by Robert Barclay, a prominent Quaker leader. The book serves as a comprehensive statement of Quaker doctrines, defining Quakerism as a religion centered on the "Inner Light".1

Barclay argued that neither the church nor the Scriptures possess ultimate authority, asserting that the Holy Spirit, or the Inner Light within believers, is paramount. This perspective challenged both Roman Catholicism and traditional Protestantism. The Apology was written to further elaborate on 15 propositions of the Quaker faith that Barclay had previously published.2

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Robert Barclay
…was a Quaker leader whose Apology for the True Christian Divinity (1678) became a standard statement of Quaker doctrines. His friendship with James II, then duke of York, helped obtain the patent to settle the province of East Jersey, in the New World.
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…was a Quaker leader whose Apology for the True Christian Divinity (1678) became a standard statement of Quaker doctrines. His friendship with James II, then duke of York, helped obtain the patent to settle the province of East Jersey, in the New World.
Read More

Inner Light
…doctrines of the Friends, An Apology for the True Christian Divinity (1678), stated that “the Inner Light is never separated from God nor Christ; but wherever it is, God and Christ are as wrapped up therein.”
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…doctrines of the Friends, An Apology for the True Christian Divinity (1678), stated that “the Inner Light is never separated from God nor Christ; but wherever it is, God and Christ are as wrapped up therein.”
Read More