For some persons, the word “spirituality” conjures up pictures of a holier than thou attitude, or loud singing and clapping and external evidences of ‘getting into the Spirit’, or frequent attendance at church services, or meetings (private or public) whose objective is not so much to introduce persons to Jesus Christ but to try to get them to join a particular branch of the Christian faith or some other religion. However, the dictionary definition of the word does not give these as evidence of “spirituality”. Neither does it say that it is loud emotional preaching with altar calls.

Various dictionaries tell us that the word “spirituality” can refer to an ultimate or immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the deepest values and meanings by which people live.

Spirituality can also be seen as a spiritual path along which one advances to achieve a given objective, such as a higher state of awareness, to become a ‘perfect’ human being, or to achieve a sense of communication with God. Every event in life may be seen as happenings or occasions along the spiritual path.

At Church Teachers’ College:Mandeville, all members of the CTC ‘family’ – staff, students, even visitors – are exposed to, and influenced by, the spirituality which has been preserved and adhered to since its founding. The founders – the Anglican Diocese of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands under the episcopacy of the late Rt. Rev. Percival Gibson, and the late Rt. Rev. Benjamin Vaughan, together with the Ministry of Education and the benefactors of the College looked to God for guidance and direction in establishing this institution. They envisioned a place that would provide ‘Christian teachers’ for Jamaica – persons with morals and integrity, persons who would mould lives and not just teach subjects, persons who themselves had a relationship with the Master Teacher, Jesus Christ and whose lives were fashioned after his example. This is a difficult task in modern Jamaica, but through the continued efforts of a resident Chaplain, and the efforts of the Principal and a Staff which understands the vision and mission of the college, and some students who come to us already committed to Jesus Christ, much has been achieved, and continues to be achieved in the area of spirituality.

The College Chapel, St. Matthias, and its devotional exercises continue to leave indelible marks on the hearts and lives of many a student. Evidence of this may be seen in the lives and work of our past students and in their many positive comments. The denominational fraternities, the University and Colleges Christian Fellowship, the University and Colleges Apostolic Ministry, the various singing and prayer groups, continue to give strength and support to students. Visiting speakers from different denominations continue to assist us along the spiritual path. The mutual concern for one another in times of crisis, the readiness to help during hardships of one kind or another, diligence to duties, efforts to develop good work ethics, respect for self and others, trust in the Lordship of Jesus Christ, all speak to the kind of spirituality that is being fostered – a spirituality that demonstrates in personal and practical ways a person’s commitment to the spirit of Christ.