The rhetoric of silence: The society of friends' unprogrammed meeting for worship

1 March 1988

journal article
research article
Published by Taylor & Francis in Communication Quarterly

Vol. 36 (2) , 145-156
https://doi.org/10.1080/01463378809369715

Abstract

The Society of Friends' unprogrammed Meeting for Worship is examined as a unique form of rhetoric. The philosophical bases of Quaker worship are seen to contribute to a participatory form of rhetoric in which silence is the primary means of group identification and in which source and audience merge in the emergent vocal ministry. The strength of unity and common mission achieved through the rhetoric of silence is illuminated by the socio‐political contributions which Quakers have made in every area of modern society for the last two centuries. The silent meeting is held as a potential model for achieving participatory identification in a variety of non‐religious contexts.

Keywords

This publication has 3 references indexed in Scilit:

Contemporary rhetorical theory and criticism: Dimensions of the new rhetoric
Speech Monographs, 1975
The functions of silence: A plea for communication research
Western Speech, 1974
The Theory of Silences
The Journal of General Psychology, 1955