task, delivers his or her best work, and shares that work with others. And the most compel- ling part of this authentic learning experience is that the participants in Chapel don't even know this is the culmination of their teach- ing and learning experience. Tis is because Chapel has settled deeply into the soul of our school community; thus it will never feel like or appear to be ‘work,’ though it will contin- ue to display the best of our students, faculty and our entire community.”


Openness to Religious Diversity


A question I periodically hear from parents is a variation on -- “Our family is not Chris- tian. How will my daughter feel at Chapel?” Tis question is deeply meaningful to me. Baptized and confirmed Presbyterian, my own journey and family story contains strong elements of Christian, Jewish, and Buddhist influences. My spiritual mentors have ranged from priests to pastors, rabbis to rinpoches, clergy to academics. I lived much of my life at the religious crossroads. It is on this point of openness to religious diversity that our Chapel program, in my opinion, has so much to offer in educating compassionate citizens for the 21st


Century. Ecumenical at heart,


Chapel combines the roots of Episcopal heritage with the growth of an increasingly diverse school community. Ali Akhtar (class of 2010) read from the Quran in Arabic, the candles of Hanukah have been kindled, and the connection between Shiva Nataraja and the crucifixion has been explored. Te ad- dition of a Comparative Religion course in the Upper School further indicates the com- mitment to understanding a global religious perspective.


Tis openness, however, does not simply entail the statistics of religious diversity; it manifests in another more subtle philosophi- cal way. I can express it best through the ap- proach of the prominent Jewish philosopher Martin Buber, a core topic in my Introduc- tion to Religion course. Buber distinguishes between religion – “the sum total of cus- toms and traditions,” “the acceptance of the handed-down command” – and religiosity – “man’s sense of wonder and adoration,” “a living communion with the unconditioned.”1 Most importantly, Buber says religion needs religiosity to be true, and religiosity needs re- ligion in order to find expression. In working with young people, I’ve found independent school Chapel to be a profound setting for


students to experience this intersection be- tween religion and religiosity. Candle light- ing; moments of silence; tears of courage; 1st grade teacher Robin Albertson-Wren closing her Chapel by saying "Wherever your path takes you, on this lifelong journey of learn- ing, know this: You are loved"; 5th


graders


sharing concerns prior to the Prayers of the People – all of these nurture the experience of awe. Tese moments – whether they’re called religiosity, the Tao, the mystical body of Christ, or the zone – transcend religious and secular boundaries. From my vantage point as Director of Religious Life, they reflect the ongoing nature of authentic spirituality at St. Anne’s-Belfield. Tey’re also a beautiful sup- port to religious and philosophical education outside of school.


Alumni on Chapel


Perhaps the best way to understand Chapel is to hear directly from alumni.


Katie Vogel, Class of 2007. “Chapel was al- ways my favorite part of the week (and fa- vorite part of STAB). Te communion of spirituality and academics is rarely done well, and I think it worked so well at STAB. Tis


summer. And, like in past summers, from carpentry, to plumbing, to electrical work, to roofing, to hanging sheetrock, we would do all of the work ourselves. My father would never pay others to do what we could do ourselves.


We met early the next morning, and my father gave me the blueprints for the house and told me that the first load of materials would be delivered the next day. Te task ahead of me was huge, and I felt the weight of the world was on my shoulders. I had less than four months to build this house before I returned to school.


I invite you to close your eyes, as I fast forward to the summer of 2002. Now, imagine that you and eight other people are trapped in an area about the size of the carpet under our chapel furniture in the front of this room. Te space is only four feet high, is partially filled with frigid 55 degree water and, for most of the time, totally dark – so dark that you cannot see your hand raised in front of your face. Such was the case, for nine miners who were trapped 240 feet below ground in a mine in western Pennsylvania. For more than three days, the miners were huddled together and trapped in a cavern of water.


Tat summer, the days were very long – oſten 7:00a.m. until 10:00p.m. – and the days off were far and few between. My father returned a few times during the summer and helped as much as he was physically able, but, more oſten than not, it was my sister and I who were the only ones working at the house. I’m sure it sounds odd, but spending most of my waking hours working, despite the tre- mendous stress and pressure, allowed me to feel as though I could control that over which I had no control – my father’s courageous and horrific battle with cancer. We defied the odds, finished the house on time, and I returned to school for my senior year. Unfortunately, it was the last house the other carpenter in my life and I would ever build together.


We don’t dictate to God what He needs to do for us. Trough our prayers, we speak to God; we move closer to him; He listens to us; He empowers us.


Tey wondered if rescuers were trying to or could save them or if their plight was hopeless. Would they run out of oxygen? Would their small space fill completely with water? Would they ever see their loved ones again? Knowing that their headlamps would only last eight to twelve hours, they used them sparingly and spent most of their time in total darkness.


Please open your eyes. As I waited for my son to return home from a night out – by the way, he missed his curfew, but that’s another Cha-


ST. ANNE’S-BELFIELD SCHOOL – 15


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