Anglican Schools Commission
The Anglican Identity of
our Schools
The Revd Peter Laurence OAM, CEO, Anglican Schools Commission
I’m often asked how I describe the Anglican ‘distinctiveness’ of our schools. What does it mean to be an Anglican school in Australia today? How are our schools places of welcome and inclusion, yet also communities with a clear affinity to the beliefs and practices of the Anglican Church?
A couple of months ago, The Revd Dr Dan Heischman from the USA came to Perth and worked with our Principals and Chaplains, governors and leaders, teachers and students to explore this very topic. He contests that there are five ‘markers’ of a school’s Anglican Identity.
- Faith
For Anglican schools, faith is ‘incarnational’, ‘invitational’ and ‘interactive’. It is grounded in our belief in Jesus Christ, God incarnate. Anglican schools are not ashamed to affirm and follow Christ, as the foundation for all that we are as a school community. Faith is invitational, as we invite our students to deepen their own Christian convictions or plumb the depths of whatever faith tradition they come from and/or currently profess. Anglican schools have always understood that breadth of viewpoints is a strength of our communities. Faith is interactive, as it is about what we do with one another each day. - Reason
Anglican schools have long maintained that the intellect is a gift from God, hence our reputation worldwide for the pursuit of academic excellence. We seek to place reason within the larger context of what makes us both human and children of God. While we do not tell students what to think, we expect them to do the hard work of thinking. That task does not work against their current or potential faith but serves to enrich and deepen it. - Worship
Worship is one of the defining markers of an Anglican school. It is also educative, as is everything we do at school. It is through worship that students learn about the Christian faith, and in some cases have opportunities to learn about other faiths. Through worship students learn to appreciate something larger and older than themselves, opening them to the possibility of engaging with God on God’s terms, while having the chance to learn of the value of stillness, silence, and reverence in a well-balanced life. It may seem odd that, within a school community, a group of largely ‘unchurched’ people are ‘doing church’. Yet this points to a fundamental reality of all Anglican worship – participation often precedes understanding; experiencing worship paves the way to deeper meaning. - Inclusion
By their nature, Anglican schools are diverse places. For many years, there have been far more students of other faiths and denominations or no faith at all attending our schools, than those who call themselves ‘Anglican’. Anglican schools should be welcoming places, enriched by the presence of those who practice other faiths as well as those who have no faith. Anglican schools tell a particular story but ensure that the stories of others also will be heard, explored and respected. By virtue of saying who we are, we allow others to do the same. - Character and Service
Serving others builds character, while strong moral character leads to a desire to serve others. They are intertwined. Anglican schools ground our character formation in the teachings of Jesus, who encourages us to think of the needs of others and not just of ourselves. Anglicanism has always had a deep attachment to its local communities, and Anglican schools have an opportunity to build our relationships with the local community through our commitment to serving it.
Daily school life provides opportunities for our students to grow in grace, compassion, and self-understanding. Through serving others, our hope is that students may cultivate a lifelong love of God through the love of others.
The distinctive Anglican character of our schools is what we call their Anglican Identity. It is exciting to see our school leaders purposefully exploring both established and new ways to enhance their schools’ Anglican Identity.
