Deputy Head of College
What does it mean to be a ‘non-denominational school, founded on Christian principles’? It is not without some trepidation that I have decided to write about the question; it is one that is often asked by prospective parents and carers and which is perhaps easier to answer by describing what it looks like at Oxley, rather explaining what this means.
‘Non-denominational’ is a relatively easy place to start. Oxley is one of around 73 non-denominational independent schools in NSW; around 14% of students at independent schools attend one of these schools.1 Untethered from any Christian denomination, Oxley is entirely free to shape its vision and values, develop strategic plans and policies, set its budget and appoint staff. Being non-systemic, non-denominational and truly independent, is perhaps a key reason that the College’s values play such a prominent role in the life of the school and in decision making. Such independence enables flexibility, adaptability and distinctiveness.
The phrase ‘founded on Christian principles’ has appeared in numerous College brochures since 2015. This statement begs other questions: which Christian principles are they? Are they principles of faith, or ethics or both? To what extent do these founding principles still apply today? These are difficult questions to answer – it is much easier to avoid asking them at all and to just sit with the ambiguity! However, some clarity is provided by a closer examination of the foundational documents for the College. The committee that was formed in 1979 to found what would become Oxley College envisaged ‘a non-denominational school based on the Christian ethic and humanitarian principles’;2 it is interesting that the word used was in fact ‘ethic’, derived from the Greek ethos – meaning character or disposition.
‘Elvo’ (anagram of ‘love’) took its name almost 100 years before the school was founded – and it could not be more appropriate to be the building at the heart of the College; it is also an appropriate symbol that connects the Christan ethic and humanitarianism. Whilst there is no singular, universal understanding of what ‘the Christian ethic’ is, love – that is, the principle of selfless, unconditional love or compassion for others – is central to it. Understood in this way, the phrase connects perfectly to ‘humanitarian principles’’ – the non-discriminatory compassion, respect and care for all human beings; it has and continues to be a consistent feature of United Nations resolutions.
Since the College’s founding, critical, independent and imaginative thinking have been distinctive elements of an Oxley education. Whilst reason has always been a distinctive feature of humanism, it is far from unique to it; reason has always been important in the Christian tradition as well. Developing empathy for others through understanding different perspectives and worldviews, as well as service to others, whilst also using reason to interrogate and challenge ideas, helps promote a more nuanced and richer understanding of what it means to be human. Oxley’s core values of ‘be kind, show courage, seek wisdom’ derive from both traditions and underpin this approach.
The challenges that humanity faces in the coming years can only be met through dialogue and this type of thinking, which is based on these universal human values. The retreat into the safety of castles and the abandonment of the middle ground continues to be exacerbated by social media. We once hoped that the arrival of the internet age would open minds, but it is increasingly doing the opposite. The complexity of the human experience is sacrificed for the comfort of certainty and simplicity; occupying the safety of echo chambers avoids the uncomfortable and challenging conversations that we need to be having, if we are to understand one another better, work together and survive the existential dangers we face. Much like the Ship of Theseus, despite change over time, at its heart the College remains true to its origins. Oxley is distinctively placed to instil the values, dispositions – and hope – that will be needed by the next generation and the world they will inherit.
Yours sincerely
Mr Mark Case
Deputy Head of College
1 Independent Schools in NSW Snapshot 2023 Edition.pdf (aisnsw.edu.au)
2 Minutes from a public meeting in Bowral Memorial Hall, 18 October 1979; cited in Emery, Linda: A Lovingly Woven Tapestry 1983-2004 – Oxley College, Bowral. p. 29