CHAPLAINCY
As with every area of school, the Chaplaincy element of school life flourished a little more following the relaxing of Covid protocols, enabling us to gather together. A small number of students were able to go on retreat in November prior to confirmation and we were delighted to return to Christ Church for a whole school Christmas service.
In March, Headington held a Chaplaincy Week.
‘Without questions, there is no learning’, so wrote the late W Edwards Denning, a former Yale Professor of Statistics. In March's Chaplaincy Week, an invitation was given to all pupils, to consider the claims and place of the Chrsitian faith in their lives. This week was supported by the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics (OCCA). OCCA’s remit is to provide speakers who are trained to debate sensitively, to pose relevant cultural questions and to suggest reasoned intelligent arguments in support of the Christian faith.
There were 18 events spanning Chapel Prayers, Boarders’ services, PSHE, Philosophy and Religious Studies lessons and lunchtime talks. Each event was framed around a question or was simply an invitation for pupils to pose any question they had to a panel from OCCA. The OCCA speakers included philosophers from Oxford University, former lawyers and scientists.
Questions included
- Why does God allow suffering?
- Why trust the Bible when it was written such a long time ago?
- What makes me special in a world of 7 billion?
- Who am I and what gives me self-worth?
- Does Truth exist and does it matter?
The latter talk felt especially stimulating and timely, with ‘post-truth’ recently declared a word of the year and with the ongoing polarisation of our politics (and more besides) being fueled by a diminishing sense of shared truth.
The highlight of the Chaplaincy Week, however, was a lecture by Prof Nigel Crook, Professor of AI and Robotics and founder and co-director of the Institute for Ethical AI. His lecture was the question - can we equip AI with a moral compass? Nigel, who is a Scientist-in-Residence at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, (the evangelical theological college which helped set up Headington) spoke of the theology of philosopher Dallas Willard and intricacies of AI (it’s probably the only lecture in the world where you’ll be introduced to both!).
In May, we were able - finally - to resume our Explore evening events - and over 30 pupils were invited to gather together at a local house, to build community, have fun - swim/play games - and to further consider how our faith in the life and person of Jesus makes a genuine difference today.
Chapel Prayers and Boarders’ Services continue each week and we’ve also had the privilege to have some stunning guest speakers. One particular school Chapel Prayers (assembly) remains with me - and that was one that was focused on our response to the ongoing war in Ukraine. With Russians and Ukrainians within our school community, it was important to share a sense of community that honoured all and respects the loss, anger, sadness and confusion for all involved. I am acutely aware, too, that there are members of our community who have opened their homes to strangers from Ukraine - and nothing could be more Christlike (Matthew 25).
Finally, as we approach the end of the school year, the leavers’ events take place. I am always intrigued by what words tutors and other key members of staff give as their final words. They are obviously always quite sage. But I’m drawn to one of St Paul’s final exhortations to Timothy. It’s our motto: Fight the Good Fight of the Faith. In a world of division and injustice, there are things we must fight for (and against) - but to choose the Good Fight is of the utmost importance.