NO NEUTRAL GROUND

As we approach the Term 3 school holidays, I’ve been reflecting on a challenge posed by Brett Salkeld in Educating for Eternity: the idea that for genuine Christians, there is no neutrality. Faith is not a compartment we can set aside; it shapes how we see the world, how we act, and how we respond to every choice and conversation. Salkeld reminds us that even the act of claiming neutrality is itself a position; a quiet shaping of the soul and its orientation toward life.

This idea resonates with wisdom from other teachers of the inner life. Adyashanti invites us to notice the spaces where our attention lingers and where it resists: “You cannot be a passive observer of your own awakening. It will be called forth, or it will be missed.” And Cynthia Bourgeault, speaking of the contemplative path, suggests that our spiritual work is never peripheral; the centre of our lives is never neutral ground, but the very place where love, truth, and grace meet us.

In the classroom, Salkeld’s reflection is both a challenge and an invitation. To teach with faith is not simply to offer instruction; it is to live a life that points toward something larger than the lesson itself. It is to allow our values, our love for God, and our care for each student to be visible in every interaction, every story, and every problem we explore together. This does not demand perfection or rigidity; rather, it calls us to gentle awareness, intentionality, and courage.

As a community, the notion of “no neutrality” can extend beyond the classroom. In our homes, in our friendships, and in our own inner lives, we are invited to notice where our choices align with love, justice, and the dignity of every person, and where they drift toward indifference. This holiday, perhaps we can notice the small moments where faith, in its quiet power, guides our attention: a shared meal, a conversation that asks more listening than speaking, a walk outside that stirs gratitude for creation. These are the ordinary places where the extraordinary call of faith meets life.

May this break be a time of gentle reflection, a noticing of where your heart already inclines toward what is true and good, and a space to rest in the love that calls us to live fully, courageously, and with no neutrality.

Mr Casimir Douglas

Monday 15th September, 2025