Patricia Dallmann on the role of sin:
It is better to see the sin of the world as uniform and single rather than to view its manifestations as particular properties belonging to specific corrupted persons. That is to say, in its uniformity, the world’s sin is more like an expanse of mud than it is like separate rocks situated at intervals in a field! Seeing sin as a uniform force helps the intellect direct the incensive power toward sin itself, and away from particular offenders who have succumbed to and embody demonic power.
I like how she pulls from fourth-century spiritual texts but uses them as a way to understand our own modern-day psychological responses. Modern Friends don’t often explore the dynamics of sin and I think we sometimes lose out by simply discounting it. The language of temptation — and the Quaker interpretation by early ministers like Samuel Bownas – has helped me understand moments when the easy path of acclaim is not necessarily the right choice.