Episcopal Identity
Who We Are
Episcopal School of Nashville is founded by people who believe that serving others is an integral part of our lives and our service to God. As such, we find God in and through each other. Our Episcopal identity informs our vision for diversity, inclusiveness, and a sense of community.
Our Episcopal identity is central because it informs who we are, how we learn, and how we foster our school community.
This does not create a religious requirement for our students, but it shapes our deep belief of every student’s intrinsic value, supports the personal and professional care we provide your children, and helps guide how we measure success as we move through the year.
Diversity, inclusiveness, and a sense of community are vitally important at Episcopal School of Nashville.
We know that all persons are special in the eyes of God; therefore we have intentionally cultivated a culture of inclusiveness that values each student’s uniqueness and celebrates differences as a reflection of our Episcopal identity.
We welcome the intellectual, spiritual, physical, and financial contributions of people of all faiths as we seek to uplift the values that unite us. The Episcopal School of Nashville is proud to be a member of NAES, the National Association of Episcopal Schools. NAES schools generally share the following characteristics:
-
They are established not solely as communities for Christians but as ecumenical and diverse ministries of educational and human formation for people of all faiths and backgrounds, including Episcopalians and non-Episcopalians, Christians and non-Christians, and people of no faith tradition.
They welcome 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.
-
They seek to integrate religious and spiritual formation into the overall curriculum and life of each school community.
-
They 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.
Weekly Chapel
Chapel is integral to who we are as a school community. While chapel incorporates liturgical elements that are distinctly Episcopal, the overall goal is to give every student the opportunity to support and explore his/her own spiritual development.
We will not seek to convert others; rather, we will encourage others to have a faith that builds and grows over a lifetime. Remembering that we are all on spiritual journeys, we will join with students and families as we learn and grow together.
IN PRACTICE, THESE PRINCIPLES AND IDEALS ARE EXPRESSED THROUGH:
-
School worship that is creative, inclusive, draws fully upon the liturgical resources of the Episcopal Church and is a regular part of school life for all faculty and students.
-
Community life, in which reflection, prayer, and matters of the spirit are honored and cultivated and the physical, mental, and emotional health of all are supported and nurtured.
-
Religious formation and study that is meaningful, academically substantive, and age-appropriate; and in teaching the Christian tradition, fosters dialogue with other faith traditions.
-
Social justice, which is the integration of the ideals and concepts of equity, justice, and a just society throughout the life of the school and the embracing and honoring of diversity
-
The inclusion of community service and service-learning as an integral part of the life of the school.
By weaving these principles into the very fabric of the school’s overall life, Episcopal schools ensure that their missions are built on the sure foundation of a Christian love that guides and challenges all who attend our schools to build lives of genuine meaning, purpose, and service in the world they will inherit.
