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What It Means to be an
Episcopal School
By Rev. George E. Andrews
II, Saint Andrew's Episcopal School, Boca Raton, Fla.
Background
and Meaning of Episcopal School Affirmation within the
Christian Tradition
It is significant to note
that the Rev. Hunter Wyatt-Brown, an Episcopal priest at
All Saints Episcopal Church in Ft. Lauderdale, secured the
blessing of the first Episcopal Bishop of the Diocese of
South Florida (now Southeast Florida), the Rt. Rev.
William Louttit, to organize the Episcopal School
Foundation. The Rev. Hunter Wyatt-Brown served as the
President of the Episcopal School Foundation, which
convened for the first time on May 7, 1959. From the
outset, the primary function of the Episcopal School
Foundation was to establish in South Florida an Episcopal
boys' boarding and day school, and it was the foundation's
vision, leadership and commitment which led to the
creation of Saint Andrew's School. It is also interesting
to note that the Rev. Hunter Wyatt-Brown served as the
school's first Headmaster when the school opened on
September 21, 1962.
Saint Andrew's School has
enjoyed a close and meaningful affiliation with the
Episcopal Church from the beginning, and our identity as
an Episcopal school was established in the original
Articles of Incorporation first adopted by the Board of
Trustees on July 19, 1961. As stated in Article II:
The purposes for which
this corporation is organized are as follows:
To found, establish,
conduct, maintain, operate and perpetuate an Episcopal
school (or schools) in Palm Beach County, Florida, and/or
the counties which comprise the Diocese of South Florida,
State of Florida, under the Episcopal jurisdiction of the
Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United
States of America of the diocese in which the school is
located, where students may obtain, upon such terms as may
be determined, a general education with particular
reference to fitting and preparing students morally,
spiritually, mentally and physically for higher education
in high school, colleges and universities.
The
Philosophy of Education of an Episcopal School
In order to gain a fuller
understanding and appreciation of what we mean by the use
of "Episcopal" in our Vision and Mission
Statements, we need to understand the mission of the 1,100
Episcopal preschools and schools throughout this country
and abroad. As members of the National Association of
Episcopal Schools (NAES), we affirm their definition of
the mission and ministry of Episcopal schools, which
states:
"within a Christian
tradition of tolerance and open inquiry, NAES affirms the
spiritual dimension of learning which values faith and
reason, and promotes moral, spiritual, physical and social
development of children in a school setting."
I believe this statement
captures and expresses the essence of what Saint Andrew's
School means when we use the phrase "traditional
Episcopal school education." This was clear in our
original Articles of Incorporation, and it continues to be
what we strive to provide each student today.
In a recent brochure
produced by NAES explaining the remarkable growth of
Episcopal schools, there is a section entitled,
"Episcopal Schools integrate faith with
learning." I want to share what was written in this
section because it, too, expresses what I believe lies at
the very heart of our mission as an Episcopal school:
"In an Episcopal
school, faith and reason are partners in an ethos that
places learning solidly in the context of each person's
lifelong search for truth. An Episcopal education teaches
students to welcome and respect diverse and differing
points of view."
This is a critical point
in understanding Episcopal education, for it emphasizes
that at Saint Andrew's we affirm each person's search for
truth, and we welcome and respect the different paths in
pursuit of truth. The NAES statement concludes by stating,
"Episcopal schools take seriously the spiritual life
and spiritual formation of every student, maintaining
Episcopal identity and ethos in an atmosphere of
appreciation for the diversity and values of all religious
traditions and beliefs." This, too, expresses for me
an understanding of the Episcopal education we affirm at
Saint Andrew's: namely, the importance of each student's
spiritual development and growth and the development
within each student of a deeper understanding and
appreciation of all religious traditions and beliefs, both
inside and outside our school community. We must affirm
and celebrate our identity while respecting all religious
traditions and beliefs.
Saint
Andrew's Requirements
Saint Andrew's has two
primary requirements through which we directly affirm our
identity as an Episcopal school. The first is each
student's required participation in school worship in
Chapel, and the second is each student's required
participation in the religion curriculum requirements. We
currently have Chapel twice a week in the Upper and Middle
Schools and once a week in the Lower School. The only
change we are planning for next year is to have Chapel
twice a week for our Lower School students.
What
happens in Chapel?
The Chapel service is
conducted within the context of an abbreviated form of the
worship service of the Episcopal Church, with the Book of
Common Prayer providing the framework for the order of
worship. Opening sentences from Holy Scripture are
followed by a processional during the singing of an
opening hymn. We read one or two selections from Holy
Scripture (both the Old and New Testaments), and then
either a faculty member, student or guest speaker presents
a program. The topic or theme of the presentation depends
upon the presenter and includes a wide variety of
subjects. For instance, Chapel programs in February
included a presentation by Peter Cobb (Executive Director
of the Council for Spiritual and Ethical Education) on the
topic "Do what is right." Other presentations
consisted of a song and dance performance by the
International Club; academic awards for students; and a
talk by the Rev. Lloyd Allen, an Episcopal priest and
Headmaster from Honduras, speaking about service
opportunities for our faculty and students in Honduras.
One purpose of our Chapel
program is to deepen our students' understanding and
appreciation of the beliefs and holy days of the major
religious traditions. Another purpose is to teach and
share personal stories regarding the meaning and
importance of values, virtues and principles (i.e., our
core value-honor; stewardship; respect for the dignity and
worth of every person). And Chapel is also used as a time
to raise and address issues and concerns which exist both
inside and outside school.
In addition, Chapel
provides our students exposure to the presence of God and
His loving and Holy Spirit and to the spiritual dimension
of their lives by gathering them together in a sacred
place. Through exposure to and participation in a worship
service in a House of God, they are provided with the
opportunity to enhance the spiritual dimension of their
own lives and to ask: What do I believe and why? What are
the faith beliefs that guide and direct my life? What are
the virtues, principles and values that serve as the basis
on which I conduct my life?
Another very important
and meaningful aspect of Chapel is the opportunity it
provides us to gather as a school community and to join
together for a shared experience. This time provides our
students with a sense of belonging, enables them to
experience the fact that they belong to a body greater
than themselves, and teaches them that as members of our
school community they have a responsibility to uphold the
mission, goals and expectations of Saint Andrew's.
Chapel provides the
occasion for celebrating the positive contributions,
accomplishments and joys of our school community, as well
as sharing as a community in the discouraging,
disappointing and sad events that occur in our lives. In
addition, Chapel provides our students with the
opportunity to learn that God calls us to recognize,
affirm and celebrate our own gifts as well as the gifts
and accomplishments of others, and to learn that the
obstacles we experience can become opportunities for
positive growth. Chapel encourages our students to reflect
on their lives as children of God. Most important, Chapel
exposes each student to the truth that nothing falls
outside the love of God.
Perhaps the most
significant and challenging tenet of our common worship in
Chapel is the affirmation of our school's Christian faith
and traditions while at the same time affirming and
respecting the religious convictions and traditions of our
Jewish students and those of students who hold convictions
in other faiths. As an Episcopal school within the
Christian tradition, we sing Christian hymns, read
Biblical passages from the Gospels and New Testament
letters, offer prayers "through Jesus Christ our
Lord," and conclude the worship service with a
blessing from the Book of Common Prayer. The life and
teachings of Jesus are used as illustrations of how to
conduct our lives and also to explain what the Christian
faith believes. This happens in Chapel as an expression of
our identity as an Episcopal school, for we need to be
what we say we are in our Christian tradition as an
Episcopal school. Most important, all we say and do... our
words and actions ... both inside and outside Chapel must
be guided and governed by our "respect for the
dignity of every human being" (Book of Common Prayer,
the Baptismal Covenant, p. 305) and our commitment to
"value the individuality of all community
members" and encourage each member of our school
community to "seek and find the best of the human
spirit in themselves and others" (Vision Statement,
Saint Andrew's in the Year 2005 Strategic Plan).
As an Episcopal school,
our most important role is to affirm and celebrate the
Christian faith and traditions, which are the historical
foundation of our school, while at the same time affirming
and respecting the faith and traditions of Judaism and
other major religions. We need to recognize and affirm
that differences do exist, and, yet, most important,
within our school community we must celebrate that which
we have in common.
Experiences
I would like to move from
attempting to explain what is meant by the affirmation
that Saint Andrew's is an Episcopal school to discussing
the experience of what it means to be an Episcopal school.
I want to share with you three recent experiences I had
which deepened my understanding and appreciation of what
it means to be an Episcopal school. These three
experiences had a profound impact on me personally and
also enabled me to experience a real "fullness of
heart" and special gratitude for being a member of
our Saint Andrew's School community.
The first occurred in
Middle School Chapel on Friday, April 6. The Middle School
met in the Parish Hall for their Chapel service to
participate and share together in an introduction and
explanation of the Passover Seder, led by Cantor Ann
Turnoff of Temple Beth El with the assistance of seven
Middle School students. In addition, eight Middle School
parents and two faculty members prepared the food and
script of the sacred holiday for all of us. It was a very
meaningful and special experience for me as a Christian,
for I learned of the special relationship between the
ingredients of the Passover meal and the Israelites'
flight from the bondage of slavery to freedom. I emerged
with a deeper appreciation of the value of understanding
and respecting all religious traditions and beliefs.
The second experience
took place on April 4 in the home of Peggy and Steve
Ruzika, who hosted the Interfaith Dialogue presentation
and luncheon for interested parents. The presentation was
on "Buddhism" and was presented by the Chair of
our Theology Department, David Gould. It was wonderful to
share this experience with parents of different faiths who
gathered together to learn, share in fellowship, and
celebrate that which we have in common. The presentation
concluded with a prayer thanking God for that which unites
us, and I was reminded again of the real meaning and value
of respecting all religious traditions and beliefs.
The third experience
again took place in our Chapel on Thursday morning, April
12. The Chapel of Saint Andrew's offers a daily
celebration of the Holy Eucharist; and each Thursday
morning at 7:00 am, I serve as the Celebrant for this
service in the Little Chapel. However, on this particular
Thursday morning I was given a very special gift from God,
for to my complete surprise a large number of my
colleagues on the faculty and staff appeared! They had
(unbeknownst to me!) been notified I was celebrating the
30th Anniversary of my ordination to the priesthood in the
Episcopal Church and joined me to demonstrate their love
and support on this special occasion. Those who came
together in our Chapel on that morning represented
different religious traditions and beliefs, and I was
reminded again of how grateful I am to God for the
privilege of serving in a school community where I can
continue to learn and grow in my Christian faith, share
and express my faith, and also learn, grow and experience
other religious traditions and beliefs.
Saint Andrew's is a
school, and, therefore, I believe our sacred
responsibility is the education in mind, body and spirit
of each child entrusted to us. In the spiritual education
we strive to provide each student, our mission at Saint
Andrew's as an Episcopal school within the Christian
tradition is to affirm each student's search for truth and
to welcome and respect the different paths in pursuit of
truth. To affirm and celebrate our Christian identity as
an Episcopal school, while at the same time affirming and
respecting the faith and traditions of other major
religions, will always generate a certain tension, for
there are differences that exist in belief and practice.
Most important, as an educational institution we have the
unique opportunity to teach and educate our students
through our Chapel programs and religious curriculum to a
deeper understanding and appreciation of all religious
traditions and beliefs, to share and celebrate that which
the different religious faiths have in common, and to
encourage and provide opportunities for students to
nurture and grow in their specific faith traditions.
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