Building the Whole Person

As we begin Term 2, I’ve found myself reading Dominion by the historian Tom Holland (not Spider‑Man!). The book traces the influence of Jesus’ teaching on Western civilisation, from the Roman Republic through to the present day. One of Holland’s most striking observations is that many values we now assume to be universal—compassion, humility, equality—were once anything but. The early church, and those who came after, wrestled deeply with how to live out these radical ideas in an often brutal world.

Holland’s account is full of epoch‑shaping swings: between purity and grace, compassion and conquest, hospitality and ‘Just war’. It is also honest about how often theology became entangled with power, fear, ambition, and empire. Reading it, I was reminded that while the chaos we see in the world today can feel uniquely disruptive, history tells us otherwise. Humanity has always struggled to live up to what it believes. And yet, our mission remains unchanged: To believe in Jesus – not just believe he exists but believe in him and his character and all he stands for, and try to do what he says.

As we jump into Term 2, we continue our focus on building the whole person. Even as I write, our Year 10 students have been prised from their phones and are canoeing the Murray—immersed in the beauty of the Riverina, enjoying one another’s company, and being challenged to think more broadly about themselves, God, and the world around them. Our musicians are preparing to journey to Mount Gambier for Generations in Jazz, and the school production is gathering momentum—full of opportunities to work in community, pursue excellence, take risks, and create something wonderful.

Later in the term, students will engage in the Year 10 Purpose Project, which invites them to reflect deeply on their gifts and calling, before we finish with Creative Arts Week— with all the challenges and opportunities and fun that embodies.

All these experiences form the local backdrop to our larger mission: to help our students anchor themselves in Christ, to understand the world they are immersed in, and to apply His teaching within it.

I look forward to the term ahead!