In the world of chaplaincy and pastoral support, we spend time engaging with people’s beliefs. Not just religious belief, but the beliefs about identity, purpose and what each of us considers important. If a person believes they are not important, it can motivate many decisions and actions that affect the individual and the community they belong to. Belief becomes a powerful motivator of a person’s thought processes, actions, and relationships. Each person’s set of beliefs shapes us, and therefore, it shapes each family, community and the whole country we belong to.
Epistemology is a branch of psychology that studies belief, truth, and personal justification to explore the nature of what people consider to be true. We learn about things through personal experience or by observing them firsthand. We value sources we trust and tend to disregard those we don’t. When we feel certain about something, no amount of information, data, or argument can change that belief until a new, trustworthy truth challenges our understanding. This breakthrough in knowledge can occur gradually or suddenly and be referred to as an insight, a vision, an epiphany, or a revelation.
The beliefs held by each member of the Kennedy community greatly influence how we function together. Our mission at Kennedy is to help our students, families, and the entire community grow in their understanding of truth. We recognise that new beliefs about ourselves and our individual purpose are formed through personal experiences and trust. Therefore, at Kennedy, we strive to create opportunities for growth and to be trustworthy in all our actions, so that we can collectively strengthen our belief that Jesus is the Son of God.
Peter Chase
College Chaplain • Pastoral Care
