Faith, Values, and an Open Door
Christchurch School was founded by the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia in 1921. Our Episcopal identity shapes how we treat one another, how we learn, and how we engage with the world — and it is the reason students and families of all faith backgrounds, and none, feel genuinely at home here.
WHAT THIS MEANS IN PRACTICE
An Episcopal school welcomes everyone
One of the distinctive benefits of an Episcopal school is that we welcome students and families of all religious backgrounds — and of none. We will encourage you to express your own beliefs, question what you don't understand, and develop your own moral compass. Our theology curriculum is integrated into our Humanities program, giving students opportunities to reflect on questions of meaning and purpose across many contexts.
We worship together in the Episcopal tradition each Tuesday afternoon in St. Peter's Chapel. We don't tell our students what to believe. Our goal is not to indoctrinate but to teach you to participate, think, and reflect for yourself.
OUR VALUES, ROOTED IN FAITH
Character, Curiosity, Community — where they come from
Christchurch's three core values did not emerge from a strategic planning document. They are the natural expression of an Episcopal identity that has shaped this school for over a century. Each value has deep roots in how we understand what it means to be a person of faith, purpose, and integrity in the world.
Character
Every person is of infinite value and uniquely called to a life of integrity.
The Episcopal conviction that each person is made in the image of God is the foundation of how we develop integrity, respect, kindness, independence, and courage of conviction in every student.
Episcopal root: the dignity of every personCuriosity
Spiritual growth demands the pursuit of knowledge in mind, body, and spirit.
The Episcopal commitment to spiritual growth in all its forms — intellectual, physical, and reflective — is why we cultivate curiosity as the foundation of critical thinking, academic excellence, and lifelong learning.
Episcopal root: growth in mind, body, and spiritCommunity
A pluralism of backgrounds strengthens the whole community.
The Episcopal value of welcoming people of all religions, origins, and identities into a shared common life is why we build a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community as the foundation for engaged global citizenship.
Episcopal root: pluralism and common lifeThe river is a classroom. The world is our responsibility.
At Christchurch, our Episcopal identity and our place on the Rappahannock River point in the same direction. We believe every student is called to be a steward of God's creation -- and that belief shapes how we teach, what we study, and how we engage with a world that is, as one of our chaplains puts it, "beautiful, and complicated, and God is in all of that." This is what it looks like when faith and place come together in a school.
A COMMITMENT TO INCLUSIVITY
Our Episcopal identity is the foundation of our commitment to inclusivity.
We are dedicated to building a safe and healthy environment for all our students. Our goal is to respect each person at Christchurch by recognizing the opportunities that accompany our differences in race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, ability, religion, gender identity, and socioeconomic status. We aim to support and celebrate the lives lived at Christchurch by listening to one another's stories with acceptance, curiosity, and respect.
What being an Episcopal school means to us
OUR EPISCOPAL COMMITMENTS
| Each person is made in the image of God, and thus, is of infinite value and uniquely called by God to lead a life of purpose, integrity, and freedom within the bounds of love. |
| Central to this unique call on each person's life is the pursuit of spiritual growth in mind, body, and spirit. |
| There are multiple and diverse ways in which each individual pursues spiritual growth and makes meaning in the world, and so as a community we value and provide for a pluralism of spiritual expression in word and practice. |
| Central to our common life as a community is a commitment to the corporate worship of God and the provision of various programs for spiritual growth. |
| As a community, we are open and accepting to people of any religion, national origin, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation. |
WORSHIP AND CHAPEL
St. Peter's Chapel
The Christchurch community gathers for worship each Wednesday afternoon in St. Peter's Chapel, a place at the center of campus life since the school's founding. Chapel is not a requirement of belief — it is an invitation to pause, reflect, and be part of something larger than yourself. Our chaplains are available to any student seeking conversation, guidance, or simply a quiet space.
Kristen Farrington
Chaplain