Workshop 6: Sophia Lyon Fahs Part of What Moves Us: Unitarian Universalist Theology In This Section Introduction to Workshop 6: Sophia Lyon Fahs From Tapestry of Faith The emotional impulses that urge [human]kind to be religious are a part of human nature everywhere and apparently always. We truly need to be religious. — Sophia Lyon Fahs This workshop introduces Sophia Lyon Fahs' Theology of Religious Naturalism. For more than 80 years, Fahs developed and used... Workshop-at-a-Glance From What Moves Us Activity Minutes Opening 5 Activity 1: Recalling Emotional and Religious Experiences 15 Activity 2: Introducing Sophia Lyon Fahs 25 Activity 3: Testing Fahs 25 Activity 4: Religious Experience and Unitarian Universalist Experience 15 Closing 5... Spiritual Preparation From What Moves Us Read Leader Resource 3, Thoughts on the Word God. Use these questions to help you find connections between your own theology and Fahs'. You may wish to write your answers in your theology journal: What does the term God mean to you? To what does the term refer for you?... 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 Emotional and Religious Experiences From What Moves Us Activity time: 15 minutes Materials for Activity Newsprint, markers, and tape Participant journals Variety of writing and drawing implements Timepiece (minutes) Leader Resource 1, Sophia Lyon Fahs Portrait Optional: Computer and digital projector Preparation for Activity If participants may need... Activity 2: Introducing Sophia Lyon Fahs From What Moves Us Activity time: 25 minutes Materials for Activity Newsprint, markers, and tape Handout 1, Introducing Sophia Lyon Fahs Handout 2, Learning by Heart - Sophia Lyon Fahs Story, "Fahs' Religious Education Experiences" Participant journals Variety of writing and drawing implements Timepiece (minutes)... Activity 3: Testing Fahs From What Moves Us Activity time: 25 minutes Materials for Activity Newsprint, markers, and tape Participant journals Variety of writing and drawing implements Timepiece (minutes) Newsprint from Activity 2 with Fahs' list of five basic impulses, needs, and emotions Optional: Bell or chime Preparation for Activity... Activity 4: Religious Experience and Unitarian Universalist Experience From What Moves Us Activity time: 15 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 Write on newsprint and post: Do you call the ways in which your basic emotional needs a... 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: Sophia Lyon Fahs From What Moves Us The emotional impulses that urge [human]kind to be religious are a part of human nature everywhere and apparently always. We truly need to be religious. — Sophia Lyon Fahs What core emotional needs of yours are foundational to your personal Unitarian Universalist faith? Reflect on how these needs... Fahs Religious Education Experiences Sophia Lyon Fahs From What Moves Us Excerpted from Worshipping Together with Questioning Minds, by Sophia Lyon Fahs. Copyright (C) 1965 by Sophia Lyon Fahs. Reprinted by permission of Beacon Press, Boston. Two first-person anecdotes from Fahs' experiences as a religious educator, each followed by her analysis.... Handout 1: Introducing Sophia Lyon Fahs From What Moves Us One of the creators of modern American theological liberalism, Sophia Lyon Fahs was also the progenitor of American Unitarian religious education as a modern theological science of human emotions. Born in 1876 to Presbyterian missionary parents in China, she embraced progressive educational... Handout 2: Learning By Heart: Sophia Lyon Fahs Polly Peterson From What Moves Us This story is included in the second and third grade Tapestry of Faith curriculum, Faithful Journeys. "Mama, Mama, why do we just keep going and going and not going anywhere?" asked little Sophie. Her family was crossing the wide Pacific Ocean on a big ship bound for America. Sophie Lyon was an... Leader Resource 1: Sophia Lyon Fahs Portrait From What Moves Us Leader Resource 2: Why Teach Religion in an Age of Science Sophia Lyon Fahs From What Moves Us This was Sophia Lyon Fahs' 1960 Rufus Jones lecture, published by the Committee on Religious Education, Friends General Conference, Philadelphia, PA, 1960. Used by permission. ... Leader Resource 3: Thoughts on the Word God Sophia Lyon Fahs From What Moves Us No matter how much of a humanist one may be, it would seem impossible (at least to me) for a thoughtful and sincere person who is trying to be a citizen of the world, who knows sympathetically something of man's religious history, to feel it necessary to discard completely all the ideas or concep... Leader Resource 4: Fahs Theology in the Congregation From What Moves Us This is a 30-minute activity.... Leader Resource 5: Engaging as Religious Professionals From What Moves Us This is a 30-minute activity. Materials Newsprint, markers, and tape Preparation Prepare and post a sheet of newsprint with these questions: In what ways do you agree with Fahs? In what ways do you differ? Is “God-talk” an issue in your congregation? How do you as a professional work with a... Find Out More From What Moves Us Sophia Lyon Fahs, Today's Children and Yesterday's Heritage (Boston: Beacon Press, 1952). Sophia Lyon Fahs, Worshipping Together With Questioning Minds (Boston: Beacon Press, 1965). Edith F. Hunter, Sophia Lyon Fahs: A Biography (Boston: Beacon Press, 1966) Christopher L.... PREVIOUS: Find Out More UP: What Moves Us NEXT: Introduction to Workshop 6: Sophia Lyon Fahs Download all of What Moves Us (Word) (PDF) to edit or print.