WES or St. Andrews
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Anonymous
| NP -- I know a number of kids have come to SAES form Grace in recent years, but the mix really varies over time (I'm a 7th year parent). In addition to the schools noted above, I would add Green Acres and to a lesser extent St. Patrick's as common feeders, and I know one class with multiple kids from Lowell. Each year we get a few transfers from other independents that go to 12th grade but for whatever reason were not good fits for specific kids, and we loose a few on that basis as well. So there really is a nice mix of kids from different backgrounds. In some recent years, I think public schools have been a key feeder. |
Anonymous
As an Episcopalian, I think the earlier poster is correct in suggesting WES change its name. We really like WES and will keep our son there until he graduates, but we will also admit that there is very little remaining about the school that marks it as Episcopalian. The previous chaplain, Father Tim, I believe tried to make it feel more like an Episcopal school. Given that he left after one year and has been replaced by a lay religion teacher suggests to me that the Episcopal identity is not a real priority among the current leadership. I will say that our son really enjoyed Father Tim and still does imitations of him at home. |
Anonymous
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Anonymous
Episcopalians respect all faith traditions and believe in seeking God in everyone. We believe that everyone is a minister of God -- not just the clergy. Exclusivity is not what we're about. |
Anonymous
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Anonymous
| The Ugly WES Poster is back. |
Anonymous
So, on a thread about the Episcopal identity of the school, several people who self-identify as Episcopalians expressed their opinions on what constitutes an Episcopal identity, and from what I read, they did it in a respectful way. I don't see any name-calling, etc. In response to their opinions, they are referred to as Ugly WES posters? Apparently dissent is not tolerated in the WES community. |
Anonymous
It is NOT OK to show disrespect in an anonymous forum to the new Chaplin of WES without getting to know him. Also, the views of one rightly frustrated poster should not be reported to represent the views of the WES community. It is also not surprising that WES (N-8) does not dominate SAES intake at the 9th grade as the school size is small: there were about 20 graduates last year. They all moved to excellent area independent high schools, Episcopalian and otherwise. I would like to hear your and others response to the comment at 09:00 "Episcopalians respect all faith traditions and believe in seeking god in everyone... Exclusivity is not what we are about". Yes, if you seek exclusivity, WES is likely not for you. Disclaimer: I am a current WES parent and the views expressed above should not be reported to represent the views of the WES Board and/or the community |
Anonymous
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
Bingo. |
Anonymous
What "Episcopal teachings" do you "expect" to find missing at WES? Could you be more specific? (This also goes for the poster who wrote "Bingo") |
Anonymous
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Well, ^^ for starters, there should be an ordained priest. From what 13:22 has said (I have no idea who that is), the newly hired counselor is not an ordained priest and has no intent of becoming one:
13:22 "That is not the case in the situation with WES. The new chaplain is not in an ordination process, so he is neither a transitional deacon nor a priest, and he will not become one for many many years." There can be no celebration of the eucharist without an ordained priest. Second, there should be some adherence or understanding of the Book of Common Prayer. I never once heard the BCP mentioned in all my years at WES. Third, the Episcopal Church is welcoming but what some have described above is the Universal Unitarian church, not the Protestant Episcopal Church of the USA. The Episcopal Church has the BCP and beliefs, and rites. Fourth: I would expect an Episcopalian School to hire Episcopalian faculty and administration. That has never been the case with WES. Fifth. You asked what "Episcopal teachings" I would like to see which are absent? Here is what the Protestant Episcopal Church of the USA believes (from wiki so presumably neutral): Worship and liturgy Varying degrees of liturgical practice prevail within the church, and one finds a variety of worship styles: traditional hymns and anthems, more modern religious music, Anglican chant, liturgical dance, charismatic prayer, and vested clergy of varying degrees. As varied as services can be, the central binding aspect is the Book of Common Prayer or supplemental liturgies. Often a congregation or a particular service will be referred to as Low Church or High Church. In theory: High Church, especially the very high Anglo-Catholic movement, is ritually inclined towards the use of incense, formal hymns, and a higher degree of ceremony. In addition to clergy vesting in albs, stoles and chasubles, the lay assistants may also be vested in cassock and surplice. The sung Eucharist tends to be emphasized in High Church congregations, with Anglo-Catholic congregations and celebrants using sung services almost exclusively. Low Church is simpler and may incorporate other elements such as informal praise and worship music. "Low" congregations tend towards a more "traditional Protestant" outlook with its emphasis of Biblical revelation over symbolism. The spoken Eucharist tends to be emphasized in Low Church congregations. Broad Church incorporates elements of both low church and high church. A majority of Episcopal services could be considered to be "High Church" while still falling somewhat short of a typical Anglo-Catholic "very" high church service. In contrast, "Low Church" services are somewhat rarer. However, while some Episcopalians refer to their churches by these labels, often there is overlapping, and the basic rites do not greatly differ. There are also variations that blend elements of all three and have their own unique features, such as New England Episcopal churches, which have elements drawn from Puritan practices, combining the traditions of "high church" with the simplicity of "low church". Typical parish worship features Bible readings from the Old Testament as well as from both the Epistles and the Gospels of the New Testament. Some latitude in selecting Bible readings is allowed, but every service includes at least a passage from one of the Gospels, as well as the praying of the Lord's Prayer. In the Eucharist or Holy Communion service, the Book of Common Prayer specifies that bread and wine are consecrated for consumption by the people. A valid communion is made in either species, so those wishing for whatever reason to avoid alcohol can decline the cup and still make a valid communion. A Eucharist can be part of a wedding to celebrate a sacramental marriage and of a funeral as a thank offering (sacrifice) to God and for the comfort of the mourners. The veneration of saints in the Episcopal Church is a continuation of an ancient tradition from the early Church which honors important people of the Christian faith. The usage of the term "saint" is similar to Catholic and Orthodox traditions. Those inclined to the Anglo-Catholic traditions may explicitly invoke saints as intercessors in prayer. Book of Common Prayer The Episcopal Church publishes its own Book of Common Prayer (BCP) (similar to other Anglican prayerbooks), containing most of the worship services (or liturgies) used in the Episcopal Church. Because of its widespread use in the church, the BCP is both a reflection of and a source of theology for Episcopalians. The full name of the BCP is: The Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments and Other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church Together with The Psalter or Psalms of David According to the use of The Episcopal Church. Previous American BCPs were issued in 1789, 1892, and 1928. (A proposed BCP was issued in 1786 but not adopted.) The BCP is in the public domain; however, any new revisions of the BCP are copyrighted until they are approved by the General Convention. After this happens, the BCP is placed into the public domain. The current edition dates from 1979 and was marked by a linguistic modernization and, in returning to ancient Christian tradition, it restored the Eucharist as the central liturgy of the church. The 1979 version reflects the theological and worship changes of the ecumenical reforms of the 1960s and 1970s. On the whole, it changed the theological emphasis of the church to be more Catholic in nature. In 1979, the Convention adopted the revision as the "official" BCP and required churches using the old (1928) prayer book to also use the 1979 revision. There was enough strife in implementing and adopting the 1979 BCP that an apology was issued at the 2000 General Convention[83] for any who were "offended or alienated during the time of liturgical transition to the 1979 Book of Common Prayer". The 2000 General Convention also authorized the occasional use of some parts of the 1928 book, under the direction of the bishop. The 1979 edition contains a provision for the use of "traditional" (Elizabethan) language under various circumstances not directly provided for in the book, and the Anglican Service Book was produced accordingly, as "a traditional language adaptation of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer together with the Psalter or Psalms of David and Additional Devotions." Belief and practice The center of Episcopal teaching is the life and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The basic teachings of the church, or catechism, include: Jesus Christ is fully human and fully God. He died and was resurrected from the dead. Jesus provides the way of eternal life for those who believe. God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit, are one God, and are called the Holy Trinity ("three and yet one"). The Old and New Testaments of the Bible were written by people "under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit." The Apocrypha are additional books that are used in Christian worship, but not for the formation of doctrine. The two great and necessary sacraments are Holy Baptism and Holy Eucharist. Other sacramental rites are confirmation, ordination, marriage, reconciliation of a penitent, and unction. Belief in heaven, hell, and Jesus' return in glory. Emphasis on living out the Great Commandment to love God and neighbor fully, as found in the Gospel of Matthew 28:18 - 20 The full catechism is included in the Book of Common Prayer and is posted on the Episcopal website. The threefold sources of authority in Anglicanism are scripture, tradition, and reason. These three sources uphold and critique each other in a dynamic way. The Episcopal Church follows the via media or "middle way" between Protestant and Roman Catholic doctrine and practices: that is both Catholic and Reformed. Although many Episcopalians identify with this concept, those whose convictions lean toward either evangelicalism or Anglo-Catholicism may not. A broad spectrum of theological views is represented within the Episcopal Church. Some Episcopal theologians hold evangelical positions, affirming the authority of scripture over all. The Episcopal Church website glossary defines the sources of authority as a balance between scripture, tradition, and reason. These three are characterized as a "three-legged stool" which will topple if any one overbalances the other. It also notesThe Anglican balancing of the sources of authority has been criticized as clumsy or "muddy." It has been associated with the Anglican affinity for seeking the mean between extremes and living the via media. It has also been associated with the Anglican willingness to tolerate and comprehend opposing viewpoints instead of imposing tests of orthodoxy or resorting to heresy trials. This balance of scripture, tradition and reason is traced to the work of Richard Hooker, a 16th-century apologist. In Hooker's model, scripture is the primary means of arriving at doctrine and things stated plainly in scripture are accepted as true. Issues that are ambiguous are determined by tradition, which is checked by reason.] Noting the role of personal experience in Christian life, some Episcopalians have advocated following the example of the Wesleyan Quadrilateral of Methodist theology by thinking in terms of a "Fourth Leg" of "experience." This understanding is highly dependent on the work of Friedrich Schleiermacher. A public example of this struggle between different Christian positions in the church has been the 2003 consecration of the Right Reverend Gene Robinson, an openly gay man living with a long-term partner. The acceptance/rejection of his consecration is motivated by different views on the understanding of scripture. This struggle has some members concerned that the church may not continue its relationship with the larger Anglican Church. Others, however, view this pluralism as an asset, allowing a place for both sides to balance each other." I have never seen any mention of the BCP or the above teachings mentioned in a WES classroom, perhaps because none of my kids' teachers were Episcopalian (or if they were, I never knew - they were mostly Jewish, Catholic, Evangelical or Nothing - religion was never discussed). |
Anonymous
PP, what you've quoted above is about the EPISCOPAL CHURCH - which can be very different from Episcopal schools. This discussion made me curious about what the National Association of Episcopal Schools' official position is on such matters. Their site is quite interesting and makes a strong, detailed case for, "it depends." Here are some excerpts: The vast majority of chaplains are ordained Episcopal priests, as the sacramental life of the school is a critical component of its Episcopal identity. That said, [i]there are also lay chaplains and chaplains ordained in denominations other than the Episcopal Church. These latter positions are most often found in larger school with more than one chaplain on staff. - See more at: http://www.episcopalschools.org/career-center/career-paths/chaplaincy-teaching-religion#sthash.BpUxuaCB. WHAT IS MEANT BY “CHAPEL” AND “WORSHIP”? Simply put, chapel is the means through which the school community comes together for worship, and worship describes what Episcopal schools do in chapel. [b]Episcopal school chapel takes many forms, from the full liturgy of the Holy Eucharist to celebratory gatherings steeped in school tradition and informal gatherings of song, story, and prayer. It can take place in a variety of settings, such as a church, a cathedral, a school chapel, or a secular space used for sacred purpose. It might be held outside or inside and occur daily, weekly, or monthly. Regardless of style, structure, or frequency, however, chapel is distinguished from other school gatherings in that: It has a sacred purpose. It unfolds in an intentional and predictable pattern. It has a ritual beginning and ending. It includes prayer, song, the reading of sacred texts, and opportunity for reflection. It is rooted in the Anglican tradition in both structure and approach. It is clearly delineated from other school gatherings. It is scheduled on a regular and predictable basis for children of all ages. - See more at: http://www.episcopalschools.org/library/articles/2012/03/15/principles-of-good-practice-for-chapel-and-worship-in-episcopal-schools#sthash.urwu3Pb2.dpuf In other words, The Eucharist is not expected at an Episcopal worship service. And there is HUGE VARIATION in what all Episcopal schools do. More from episcopalschools.org: Episcopal schools have been established, however, not solely as communities for Christians, like a parish church, but as ecumenical and diverse ministries of educational and human formation for people of all faiths and backgrounds. Episcopal schools are populated by a rich variety of human beings, from increasingly diverse religious, cultural, and economic backgrounds. In fact, the intentional pluralism of most Episcopal schools is a hallmark of their missions. It is also a distinguishing characteristic of these schools that they seek to integrate religious and spiritual formation into the overall curriculum and life of each school community. Episcopal schools are clear, yet graceful, about how they articulate and express their basic identities, especially in their religious curricula and traditions. They invite all who attend and work in them—Episcopalians and non-Episcopalians, Christians and non-Christians, people of no faith tradition—both to seek clarity about their own beliefs and religions and to honor those traditions more fully and faithfully in their own lives. Above all, Episcopal schools exist not merely to educate, but to demonstrate and proclaim the unique worth and beauty of all human beings as creations of a loving, empowering God. - See more at: http://www.episcopalschools.org/episcopal-schools/episcopal-identity#sthash.9K6GHVi5.dpuf |
Anonymous
| 22:35: Thank you. |