CENTRE FOR ETHICS AND SPIRITUALITY Discussing ethical issues
Executive Principal Garth Wynne has introduced a new Centre for Ethics and Spirituality at College.
“This initiative will be led by the Chaplain and will engage
students, teachers, parents and the wider community in discussions on contemporary moral issues, beliefs, values and spirituality,’’ Mr Wynne says. “The discussion will be through public lectures, and occasionally through workshops and conferences. The aim of the centre is to promote critical and creative thinking, intercultural understanding and engagement with the ethical and spiritual issues facing young New Zealanders in the 21st century. “In every way, the Centre complements the Chapel and religious education programme currently in place at College.’’ Chaplain Reverend Bosco Peters says “In the addresses, we want to challenge the boys who may be our future leaders and decision- makers to consider ethical questions and to engage in debate to challenge their perceptions. For example, they may end up doing medical research or become a scientist and need to make ethical decisions about what they are doing. We want to provide frameworks to help them discuss issues intelligently. “We will be taking an academic approach and this will be particularly relevant for our Year 11 religious education students where we present different ethical theories underpinning issues.’’
had only seven kilos of personal belongings over the four months they were away. They talked about the universal nature of pilgrimage, what to do after a pilgrimage, how each journey is different and how all these things are metaphors for life and spirituality.
Reverend Peters and his wife Helen gave the first address to over 160 people about their sabbatical last year when they took a spiritual journey across the Camino in Northern Spain to Santiago de Compostella. They talked about what they had learned from spending 40 days walking the 1000km trail with hundreds of fellow pilgrims. Reverend Peters says the walk was a metaphor for life and they had to deal with the challenges and highs of the journey.’ The couple discussed the concrete, physical realities of the pilgrimage including showing what they carried, equipment, training and preparation. It was necessary to travel light and they
UPCOMING SESSIONS
On 8 September at 7.30pm, Reverend Ron Hay will talk on Finding the Forgotten God - credible faith for a secular age.
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College Issue 31 2016
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