CHRISTIAN VALUES and THEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND
Autumn One: Koinonia
But God has combined the members of the body ….so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it (1 Corinthians 12:24-26)
In Christian teaching Koinonia describes how Christians come together as a family. The members of our school family are interdependent: all are needed and valued and each person is important to the whole. We are working together to ensure all feel included and valued.
Through Christ we all share fellowship with one another as one big family. Koinonia comes from the Greek word meaning community or fellowship. This shows the special relationship we have with each other where as a community we look after each other, where we are welcomed and accepted, no matter who we are. Together we can grow in our relationship with one another and with God. We come together with Christ at the centre of our school.
.jpg?width=640&height=480&scale=LIMIT_MAXSIZE)
Autumn Two: Love
A core Christian Value is Love. In our school our vision encourages all to love themselves, love each other, love learning, love life for God is Love. The Bible explicitly tells us that God is Love and that those who live in love live in God and God lives in them. (1 John 4:16)
Belief that God has revealed Himself to us as love is at the very heart of the Christian faith. The original Greek word that the New Testament uses to describe the love of God is agape. Agape does not mean romantic love or even the love we might feel for our family or close friends. It means putting of others before ourselves whether they deserve it or not – a kind of selfless love-in-action. God’s love calls us to serve others freely without expectation of reward – even people who we don’t like or who don’t like us – because they are made in the image of God.
At the centre of the teaching of the school is that we are all created in the image of God; that we are all individuals and that we are treated equally. Genesis 1: 27 “So God created humans in his own image. He created them to be like himself.”
The value of ‘Love’ underpins everything we do in school. We believe that through a focus on Love by working together as part of a strong and supportive family, we can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us.
.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&scale=LIMIT_MAXSIZE "love value(2)")
Spring One: Courage
Courage is often about continuing to do what you would normally do even when faced with extraordinary situations. Many Christians believe that God asks us to offer our skills, talents and abilities in the face of adversity, and that he will use that courageousness to achieve great things. The word ‘courage’ comes from the Latin word ‘cor’ = heart. In the book of Joshua, God tells his people to...
‘Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened, for the Lord God is with you wherever you go.’
This reminds us to stand against injustice and to be the best we can be when things are difficult. We have courage to stand by our beliefs and are committed to what is right and true.
Summer One: Service
Words relating to ‘servant’ and ‘service’ are central in Christian theology. Some of the most important prophecies in Isaiah speak of the coming of the ‘Servant of the Lord’ and his role as a ‘suffering servant.’ That is why Jesus said that he ‘came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’
Jesus washed the feet of his disciples at the Last Supper. This turned upside down the normal relationship between master and disciple, leader and follower. In many ways, this astonishing action symbolizes the essence of the Incarnation: God stooping to share the human condition. Jesus is very clear about the meaning of his action: ‘Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done.’
The parable of the Good Samaritan shows we should serve those in need whoever they are. Such service is not offered to gain some advantage for ourselves. ‘Going the extra mile’ involves sacrifice, putting ourselves out for someone else’s benefit. Serving God means serving others. It also means that we cannot serve other masters as well – such as money. However, the Christian message is equally clear that service is not all about restrictions. It is precisely in a life of service that we become most truly free.
