Amidst all the noise, the publication of so many thousands of books and journal articles, occasionally some works cut through to profoundly affect at least some elements of society. Two such books are A Secular Age (2007) by Canadian academic Charles Taylor (a huge and weighty tome), and, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism and the Road to Sexual Revolution by Carl R Trueman (2020). Trueman explains “the changes we have witnessed in the content and significance of sexual codes since the 1960s are symptomatic of deeper changes in how we think of the purpose of life, the meaning of happiness, and what actually constitutes people’s sense of why they are and what they are for”. He argues that the Romantic Movement from the 18th and 19th centuries led to a new understanding of selfhood based on the inner life of the individual. Self became primarily psychologised, increasingly expressed through sexuality. As one of Trueman’s reviewers has said, “we are swimming in the cultural water where the self has been sexualised, psychologised and politicised”. Trueman calls this development “expressive individualism”. Taylor says we absorb the current social imaginary from the culture, often unconsciously. To expressive individualism, Taylor adds a culture of authenticity which pushes back on any other agency applying expectations or boundaries.
Schools no longer places of formation, but platforms for performance
Trueman claims that a highly individualistic, sexually obsessed and materialistic mindset has triumphed in the West. Consequently, instead of previous centuries in which people defined themselves in reference to communal beliefs, practice and institutions, in the world of ‘psychological man’ institutions become the servants of the individual’s wellbeing. Consequently, he says schools and universities are often not seen as places of formation but platforms for performance. It follows that they must be safe places where, rather than challenging beliefs and commitments, young people are to be affirmed and reassured, an implication of the abandonment of the sacred order and a culture justified by itself. This leads to the abandonment of moral codes, to be replaced by consequentialist pragmatism. This engenders volatility in the culture, where ethics become the function of feeling, preoccupied by self-actualisation and fulfilment of the individual.
Devoted to subversion, destabilisation and destruction
Trueman goes on to say, “whereas in the first and second worlds, intellectuals and institutions such as universities were the conduits for the transmission and preservation of culture, now the intellectual class is devoted to the opposite – to the subversion, destabilisation and destruction of the culture’s traditions”. The prophets of these developments include Marx and Freud; Marx saw ethics and moral codes simply as means of maintaining class structure within society, where Freud saw sex as definitive of who we are. Trueman notes that normalisation of pornography is a rejection of the sacred order. He quotes Reiff, “Forgetfulness is now the curricular form of our higher education. That, he says, “guarantees that this generation will be the first of the new born barbarism, committed to the denigration, destruction and erasure of the past – not only its artifacts but also its values and practices. Cultural amnesia is the order of the day, a political imperative, a fundamental aspect of social imaginary”.
Do not compromise!
Both Professors Taylor and Trueman provide a devastating critique of culture in recent times. Trueman’s advice is that “a close-knit, doctrinally bounded community requires us to act consistently with our faith; do not compromise on Biblical and natural truths for the sake of maintaining popularity with the world. The consequences are and will be severe”. This is one way of viewing the Apostle Paul’s instruction in Romans 12:2, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will”.
Our role as parents and staff
While we are not shapers of intellectual currents, as parents and staff we are custodians of the raising of young people to splendid adulthood, as school and home work in partnership. It is important to note that as cultural tides move away from biblical ethics, we have the opportunity and obligation to interpret the divergences for our young people. As British psychiatrist Glynn Harrison points out, if Christians wish to help young people to conform to a biblical rather than cultural ethic, we need to be able to tell “a better story” of the rich fulfilment of living the biblical ethic. Jesus did indeed say, “I have come that they (us!) may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). It is our contention at Covenant that this is best achieved through joyful adherence to a Biblical ethic.
Dr John Collier
Interim Principal
It is a blessing to pray together as a school community! Our Prayer Group warmly invites you to join them in prayer every Thursday during term time, from 9.00-9.30am in Cafe Covie.
Each week in the Covie Weekly, our Prayer Group provides a passage of Scripture for us to meditate on and some prayer suggestions for the week ahead. These can all be found here.
Monday 4 May, 8.43-8.50am | Infants Morning Lines in the Rumpus Room
Monday 4 May - Friday 8 May, 8.00-11.00am | Cafe Covie open for parents
Monday 4 May, 6:30pm - 8:30pm | Careers Info Night for Year 10-Year 12
Tuesday 5 May | CIS Swimming Carnival
Friday 8 May, 7.20-8.30am | Mother's Day Breakfast
We warmly invite all Covie mums and mother figures and their children to join us for a Mother’s Day celebration at school on 8 May. This will be a wonderful opportunity to spend time together and celebrate the beautiful mums in our community.
Join us on Monday 18 May for a practical, faith-informed evening equipping parents with evidence-based tools to best understand and support your child.
Chris Cipollone will present a theology of anxiety, followed by Vanessa de Sauty, a Christian practising psychologist, sharing practical strategies for supporting children from everyday worries through to clinical anxiety across the different developmental stages.
Please note this is a parent only event.
A reminder to all Association members to please complete both the dinner RSVP and the Annual Adherence to Association Membership using the links below.
2026 Annual Adherence to Association Membership
Thank you for your continued support and involvement in our Association.
Join the Jesus Cares Story by coming to the Annual Fundraiser Event at Covenant Christian School on 23 May, where teams and supporters from different outreaches come together in fellowship. There will be dinner, auctions, and raffles, and every dollar you give or spend will directly support the work of God through Jesus Cares Ministry, helping Jesus Cares fulfil their mission: “to see the poor set free by the Good News of Jesus.”
Have you applied for enrolment for your next child? Some parents who already have children in the school overlook formally contacting the school about younger siblings when they are approaching Prep or school age. If you have younger children eligible for Prep or Kindergarten for 2027 or beyond, please contact the Registrar, Wendy Boase, if you are unsure if we hold an application for them. This also applies for siblings for potential entry into other grades. Interviews for Prep and Kindergarten 2027 are well underway. Interviews for Year 7 2027 and 2028 are continuing.
SCHOOL TOURS
We encourage you to invite interested friends and family to a school tour. We regularly conduct group tours of the school. Tour dates are on our website. Bookings are essential.
ARE YOU MOVING?
If you expect that your child won’t be attending Covenant in 2027 (and we hope it’s not the case) please let us know as soon as possible. We would value the opportunity to discuss this with you before your decision is finalised. Please give Wendy Boase a call on 8459 4221. As a courtesy reminder, and to avoid fee charges, parents are required to provide at least one term’s notice in writing of termination of enrolment (and two terms for Year 6 leavers).
Thank you for your partnership!
If you do not have a social media account, you can view our posts via our moments gallery
It was a fantastic day at our school cross country, with students tackling the course with determination and joy. It was wonderful to see both our junior and secondary students compete at this whole-school event. A big thank you to our parent helpers, PDHPE staff, and Sport staff for their work in organising such an excellent and competitive day.
Dear parents, are you available to volunteer in the canteen for the following dates?
Please email natshook@gmail.com your availabilities. Thank you for your support!
Thank you for your patience at drop off and pick up times each day; it makes a big difference. We recognise there is a lot of traffic congestion at these times, however, the safety of our students is our greatest concern.
In the interests of community safety, parents must not enter or exit the Dell Street car park by vehicle between 2.55pm and 3.10pm, until the school buses have left.
Thank you for helping to reinforce this important message and keep our community safe
Notices from local sporting clubs, organisations and local church events can be found here - Community Notices.