Episcopalians, like all Christians, believe that our life is founded on the life of Jesus, and that as a Church, we are called to offer the redeeming love of God to all people.

Episcopal schools are concrete expressions of the Church's care for young people and their families, and of the belief that God calls us to love all of God's children. What Episcopal schools strive for, teach, believe, emphasis and cultivate, grows out of present needs and looks forward to the demands of the future.

An Episcopal school is comprehensive and inclusive
The Episcopal Church encourages respect for the other person's beliefs. Therefore, an Episcopal school should not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, or national origin, and should actively seek out faculty and students of diverse backgrounds and traditions. We do so in the belief that they bring something to be valued and respected, and because we wish to be broadly inclusive of the community we serve. An Episcopal school looks for values that unite people rather than those that divide.

The unity of an Episcopal school is based on rite and tradition
In an Episcopal school there likely will be no list of rules that define who we must be as a community. Every member of the community should be able to join in celebrating the life of the community in some ritual way (formal or informal), as it embodies a sacramental principle dear to us: God makes sacred the things of this world as they are offered to God in worship.

An Episcopal school values reason as a way to true understanding
In the Episcopal tradition, learning is important not to find the right answers to be used against others, but in order to arrive at God's truth. An Episcopal education will raise issues of meaning, identity, and ultimate truth at every opportunity in all parts of its program, but will also acknowledge the limits of human reason.

An Episcopal school has a concern for the well being of society
An Episcopal school will help children understand that they do not exist apart from society, that society's issues are their issues, and that they are called upon to respond to the needs of others.

An Episcopal school is founded on love
Love for students, for their value as children of God, for their unique gifts, must be the foundation of all we do. We must act out of love, teach love, model love, and love one another in our community above all else. Without this love, all else is meaningless.

(Excerpted from "The Idea of an Episcopal School" - copyright 2000 by the National Association of Episcopal Schools)

 
Chaplain, EDS :
The Reverend Susan Terry
sterry@edsaugusta.com

Rector, Church of
the Good Shepherd:
The Reverend Robert D. Fain
RDFain@goodshepherd-augusta.net

Director of Admissions:
Karen B. Lilly
706.733.1192
klilly@edsaugusta.com