Workshop 1: George de Benneville

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Part of What Moves Us: Unitarian Universalist Theology

In This Section

Introduction
From What Moves Us

The spirit of Love will be intensified to Godly proportions when reciprocal love exists between the entire human race and each of its individual members. — George de Benneville This workshop introduces George de Benneville’s Liberal Theology of Boundless Universal Love. The workshop tests the…
Workshop-at-a-Glance
From What Moves Us

Activity Minutes Opening 5 Activity 1: Recalling Experiences of Being Loved 10 Activity 2: Surprising Emotions 10 Activity 3: Introducing George de Benneville 15 Activity 4: Testing de Benneville 30 Activity 5: Large Group Reflection 15 Closing 5…
Spiritual Preparation
From What Moves Us

Use the following exercises and questions to help you find connections between your own faith journey and de Benneville’s: In his narrative, de Benneville says his soul sank into nothingness and humiliation before experiencing an ocean of love….
Opening
From What Moves Us

Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Small worship table and cloth Chalice, candle and lighter or LED battery-operated candle A copy of Singing the Living Tradition, the Unitarian Universalist hymnbook Newsprint, markers, and tape Optional: Microphone Preparation for Activity Set up th…
Activity 1: Recalling Experiences of Being Loved
From What Moves Us

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Newsprint, markers, and tape Notebooks with unlined pages, to be used as journals, for all participants Variety of writing and drawing implements Timepiece (minutes) Preparation for Activity Obtain notebooks with unlined pages, enough for all…
Activity 2: Surprising Emotions
From What Moves Us

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Newsprint, markers, and tape Participant journals Variety of writing and drawing implements Timepiece (minutes) Optional: Bell or chime Preparation for Activity Prepare a piece of newsprint with these questions: Did this experience challenge your…
Activity 3: Introducing George de Benneville
From What Moves Us

Activity time: 15 minutes Materials for Activity Newsprint, markers, and tape Handout 1, Introducing George de Benneville Story, “Remarkable Passages (Excerpt)” Participant journals Variety of writing and drawing implements Optional: Microphone Preparation for Activity Review the story so you can…
Activity 4: Testing de Benneville
From What Moves Us

Activity time: 30 minutes Materials for Activity Newsprint, markers, and tape Timepiece (minutes) Optional: Bell or chime Preparation for Activity Write on newsprint and post: Have you ever experienced a spiritual crisis? If so, how did the spiritual crisis differ from a purely emotional crisis?…
Activity 5: Large Group Reflection
From What Moves Us

Activity time: 15 minutes Materials for Activity Optional: Microphone Description of Activity Gather participants in one large group and invite comments, observations, and insights….
Closing
From What Moves Us

Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Small worship table and cloth Chalice, candle and lighter or LED battery-operated candle A copy of Singing the Living Tradition, the Unitarian Universalist hymnbook Taking It Home handouts for all participants Preparation for Activity Review the Tak…
Leader Reflection and Planning
From What Moves Us

After the workshop, co-leaders should make a time to get together to evaluate this workshop and plan future workshops. Use these questions to guide your shared reflection and planning: What have you learned about your own ability to explore personal experiences as part of your own strategy to…
Taking It Home: George de Benneville
From What Moves Us

The spirit of Love will be intensified to Godly proportions when reciprocal love exists between the entire human race and each of its individual members. — George de Benneville (1703-1793) Think of an action you might take to offer an unbounded moment of love to someone without expectation of a…
Remarkable Passages Excerpt
From What Moves Us

Excerpted from Some Remarkable Passages in the Life of Dr. George de Benneville, translated by Rev. Elhanan Winchester (Germantown, PA: Converse Cleaves, Publisher, 1890), with material to explain the context for each.George de Benneville was raised by his godmother, Queen Anne of England….
Handout 1: Introducing George de Benneville
From What Moves Us

Information drawn from Albert D. Bell, The Life and Times of Dr. George de Benneville (1703-1793) (Boston: The Universalist Church of America, 1953) and David Robinson, “George de Benneville,” The Unitarians and the Universalists (Westport CT: Greenwood Press, 1985). George de Benneville is the…
Leader Resource 1: De Bennevilles Theology in the Congregation
From What Moves Us

This is a 30-minute activity. You will need copies of Singing the Living Tradition, the Unitarian Universalist hymnbook, one for every two participants; paper and pens/pencils; and newsprint, markers, and tape. Engage participants to consider how contemporary Unitarian Universalism reflects de…
Leader Resource 2: Engaging as Religious Professionals
From What Moves Us

This is a 30-minute activity. You will need newspaper, markers, and tape. Write the reflection questions on newsprint, and post them. Invite participants to form groups of three or four and reflect for 25 minutes on de Benneville’s life and theology using the posted questions as a guide. Then…
Find Out More
From What Moves Us

Albert D. Bell, The Life and Times of Dr. George de Benneville (1703-1793), (Boston: The Universalist Church of America, 1953). John C. Morgan and Nelson C. Simonson, George de Benneville entry on the Dictionary of Unitarian and Universalist Biography website.

Download all of What Moves Us (Word) (PDF) to edit or print.

The UUA is no longer updating Tapestry of Faith programs.

Workshop 1: George de Benneville

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