Mark Hicks

The Angus MacLean Associate Professor of Religious Education at Meadville Lombard also directs the activities of The Fahs Collaborative. As a scholar and practitioner of religious education, Dr. Hicks calls upon the disciplines of philosophy and education, transformative learning, critical pedagogy, and arts education as foundations for holistic teaching and learning. His teaching and scholarship have been acclaimed by colleagues for their impact, and also by learning communities who are grappling with how to think with their hearts. 

Dr. Hicks brings to The Collaborative his experience of establishing a gold-standard professional development program for public school teachers in greater Washington DC (1996-2009). As the director, he merges his interest and gifts for developing communities of inquiry, collaboration, innovation, and social action. One can see his ideas come to life in curriculum projects such as the UUA Tapestry of Faith’s  Building the World We Dream About and as general editor of Beloved Conversations: Meditations on Race and Ethnicity, and We Who Defy Hate, a curriculum companion to a PBS documentary on Nazi resistance during World War II.  

Dr. Hicks’ scholarship has appeared in referred publications such as The Oxford Handbook on Religion and American Education, Voices: The Art and Science of Psychotherapy, The Journal of Transformative Education, Multicultural Perspectives, and Educational Studies. In addition, he has chapters in volumes such as A People So Bold and Teaching Hearts and Minds for Social Change. He lectures and leads workshops regularly for national conferences, district meetings, and retreats, as well as summer gatherings of lay and professional educators. [See Dr. Hicks' CV for a complete listing.]

In the intellectual and pedagogical tradition of Sofia Fahs and Angus MacLean, he completed his Master’s in adult education and a doctorate degree in philosophy and education, both at Teachers College, Columbia University in New York City. He is a lay leader at All Souls Church, Unitarian in Washington, D.C. and, formerly, a parish commissioner at The Riverside Church in New York City.

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