Spirituality
It has often been remarked that the War Memorial Chapel is situated right at the centre of the school grounds and is also the tallest building on the campus. Yet this repetition does nothing to minimize the assertion that what the chapel provides in its Christian witness and example is indeed at the centre of Bishops life – for all three schools. Bishops is an Anglican church school, but also a school that recognizes those of other faiths in the development of their spirituality – an understanding that spiritual rather than material considerations ought to be the compass to a good life.
Both Chapels have been given attention during this quarter century in the understanding that these places of worship deserved to be looked after. The Memorial Chapel had been beautified by being repainted in its original colours – a process guided by Graham Viney, an expert in church architecture and history – in 1998. In 2013, the two lecterns which had been erected in the 1950s were removed, both to make more space in the nave of the chapel to allow all boys to see the sanctuary, but also to restore the original 1926 plan. In 2023, the sanctuary steps were tiled to what the original design had called for (but for which at the time there was not enough money). In 2017, the architects realised that the foundations of the Brooke Chapel were becoming waterlogged, and so an extensive process was put in place to ensure that the foundations could dry out and could survive. The 2008 Matrics presented the school with a stained glass window for the Brooke Chapel, and in 2013, the matrics presented the school with a large wooden cross above the entrance to the Memorial Chapel. In 2018, the Currey family gave a window to the Brooke Chapel which honoured Charles Currey, former Vice-principal. As part of the 175 celebrations, funds were raised (the only fundraising instituted by the school in that year) to complete the three remaining windows in the Brooke Chapel, which will honour Desmond and Leah Tutu and past Bishops teacher, Christina Gwavu.
The arrangements regarding whole school services are sensitive to the fact that there are boys of different faiths, or of no professed faith; nonetheless there are many circumstances in which Christian boys are able to practise and grow their faith in school-arranged activities, such as the Christian Union group, the confirmation classes each year, and the house-based cell groups.
During this quarter century, there have been five Chaplains, the Reverends Trevor Tyers, Martin Coomer, Terry Wilke, Bob Commin, and Monwabisi Peter. The chaplains have played a prominent part in the school, from leading the services in Chapel, to providing spiritual guidance and counselling to those who approach them, but also being a key part in opening new buildings with a formal blessing. The chaplains engage with all three schools, and Prep and Pre-Prep boys come to regular services in the Memorial and the Brooke Chapels. And then there are the other occasions, such as the opening of new buildings, or when the chaplain blesses the boots of the boys about to go on Epic. There have been three youth pastors at the Prep, Michael Hampton (2009-2014), Justin Woolls (2016-2019), and Lutho Tsotso (2022-).
The Spirituality Group in the 2010 Conference conducted a vibrant discussion on the role of spirituality in the school. The Spirituality Action group met after the conference, led by Bishop Christopher Gregorowski, and the group put together a “Statement on Spirituality” for the school. This was accepted by Council and forms the basis for the Christian and spiritual life of the school. Here are two paragraphs which are at the core of the Statement.
A community of various faiths
Bishops is pleased and proud to welcome people of various faiths into our community and to respect these faiths. We are committed to nurturing the spiritual life of all members of our community, and encouraging those who are not Christian to discover within their own faith the path to becoming the people we strive to be. We are mutually enriched as we grow to understand one another’s beliefs, recognising and valuing what we have in common.
The Christian way
As an Anglican Church school we follow the Christian way, aiming to live and learn the values of Jesus Christ, and to bear the fruit of the Spirit which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22).
Over the years, there have been many sermons delivered at College Evensongs by visiting priests from outside Bishops, and the Archbishops and local bishops have also been regular visitors to the school. The school is part of the Cape Town Anglican Diocese and regularly makes its facilities available to other parts of the Diocese. The Elective Assemblies that elected Desmond Tutu (Sep 1986), Njongonkulu Ndungane (Sept 1996) and Thabo Makgoba (Sep 2007) were all held in the Memorial Chapel.
Many members of the teaching staff have been licensed as Lay Ministers and have played their part in the services, as well as many other staff members who have led the weekday services in the Chapel. Boys from the Christian Union have also led services.
The Induction services of the Grant Nupen, Greg Brown, Vernon Wood, Guy Pearson and Tony Reeler took place in the Chapel, and these services were led by the Archbishop or his appointee. This act serves to set the Christian basis for the authority of the Principals and Headmasters to run the school.
The Bishops calendar shows the occasions when the whole College gathers in the Chapel – weekday services, the three Eucharists during the term, College Evensongs, the Vespers services, Remembrance Day, the Valedictories, Carol services, weekly House services in the Brooke Chapel, and the Christmas Day services. The Bishops Praise services, started in 2003 and still continuing annually have also been led by a variety of visitors. These services are held in the Mallett Centre and everybody on the property attends – staff and boys of all three schools as well as all the support staff. Both Prep and Pre-Prep have their own regular services in the Memorial and the Brooke Chapel. Parents often come to the Evensongs and Carol services, and there are several Parent Prayer groups which meet regularly. And when Covid disrupted the normal pattern of chapel attendances, services continued either as online gatherings led by the Chaplain, or else in-person gatherings outside on the fields.
The Scripture Union have led a number of Christian Focus weeks on campus.
Much attention is given to music in the Chapels. The choir is large, and the music department plays a lot of attention to providing appropriate music for the services. There is also a lasting tradition of the boys’ powerful singing in Chapel – especially Psalm 150 in the Charles Villers Stanford setting, and hymns such as Cym Rhonda “Guide me, O Thou Great Redeemer” and “I Vow to Thee, my Country”, with music from Gustav Holst’s “The Planets”.
