There have been various groups and individuals throughout history who supported equality of men and women before God, religious tolerance, and nonviolence. Here are a few notable examples:
* Quakers (Religious Society of Friends): From their beginnings in the 17th century, Quakers have been strong advocates for gender equality, religious tolerance, and pacifism. They believed in the "inner light" present in all people, regardless of gender or religious belief, and rejected violence.
* Unitarians and Universalists: These groups, particularly during the 18th and 19th centuries, often championed religious tolerance, egalitarianism, and social reform. They emphasized individual conscience and reason, which led them to support women's rights and peaceful means of resolving conflict.
* Baha'i Faith: Founded in the 19th century, the Baha'i Faith explicitly teaches the equality of men and women, promotes religious tolerance as a core principle, and advocates for world peace through nonviolent means.
* Certain Hindu and Buddhist traditions: Some schools of thought within Hinduism and Buddhism, particularly those emphasizing compassion, non-harming (ahimsa), and the inherent potential for enlightenment in all beings, have implicitly or explicitly supported gender equality, religious tolerance, and nonviolence.
* Individual Religious Figures: Throughout history, there have been many individual religious leaders, theologians, and activists within various faiths who have advocated for these principles, even if their views were not always representative of the mainstream beliefs of their religion. Examples include some Christian mystics, Sufi poets, and progressive Jewish thinkers.