Spirituality

An Episcopal education begins from the premise that everyone in the community — faculty, students, administrators, and staff — are explorers together, each continuing to learn and grow. It encourages all members of that community to pursue questions wherever they lead, to engage their critical faculties, and to value the knowledge and thought we have inherited from the past. Rather than enforcing unquestioning acceptance of a fixed set of doctrines, it raises open questions of meaning, identity, and ultimate truth.

This spirit of inquiry is rooted in the broader values of the Episcopal tradition. As a denomination, the Episcopal Church encourages openness toward other religious traditions — including non-Christian ones — and does not promote a posture of superiority or exclusivity. Scripture is read with attention to its historical and literary context, rather than as an infallible or purely literal text.

Perhaps most importantly for education, Episcopal values place the student at the center. Students are welcomed as they are. The community does not expect them to change their identity — their faith background, race, sexual orientation, or gender identity — in order to belong. Students are not expected to be Episcopalian or even Christian. This inclusive vision shapes everything from the classroom to the admissions process, and introducing these values early — including during the application process — helps teachers and families understand the kind of community they are joining from the very start.