Faith at KIS
Established in 1901 as a school for the children of Christian missionaries to South India, KIS has been Christian by foundation since its beginning.
In 1974 the first long range vision document of the school, Project Design, was published. Its author and architect was Dr Frank Jayasinghe, KIS Director of Development and later Principal, who in conjunction with the KIS Steering Committee affirmed the faith position of the school as a Christian school by tradition and intent.
'Christian' - means that the school will be Christ inspired in character and will seek to create and maintain an all embracing Christian environment which would provide the student with opportunities for growth in Christian life and knowledge.
Design '94, its successor document published in 1994, redefined KIS faith position for the next period of its evolving life. KIS is now an independent, non denominational, Christian, multicultural, boarding school with an academically challenging college oriented curriculum that serves students from many cultures. KIS mission is now described as:
The School's academic program is intentionally set within a community life based on the life and teaching of Jesus Christ and devoted to service in India and the whole human community.
KIS is a Christian school. By “Christian” we mean an identification of the school with beliefs and principles derived from the life, person, and teachings of Jesus Christ. These beliefs and principles are revealed in scripture and are, we believe, the basic principles for leading a true, just and peaceful life. These affirmations are the foundation stone upon which we make our decisions regarding every aspect of institution life and our role in society.
Our community, being multinational seeks to avoid culturally-bound interpretations of Christian identity. We aim to be sensitive to our South Asian context and relevant to our ideals of global education. Our understanding of the role of Christianity in KIS life together is broad and inclusive, spiritual as well as moral, seeking to define the center, rather than the periphery of Christian faith and practice.
Christian Witness, Worship, and Environment
The expression of KIS Christian character is found in required Religious Education courses and weekly assemblies, the worship of the school-related Church and its programs, and a spiritual environment where students and staff of various backgrounds, religions and nationalities can share together as a living, loving, and learning community. Affirming Kodaikanal International School as a Christian school includes the following:
- The person, ideals and spirit of Jesus Christ as revealed in the Bible shall guide all aspects of its life and direct all its activities.
- All KIS administrators will be committed Christians. A significant majority of members of the Board of Management, teaching and residential staff will be committed Christians.
- KIS school community shall strive to create a climate that is marked by:
- A sense of God's presence and action in the world
- A creative, effective, and self-giving response to student needs, and
- A consciousness of the vital importance of social justice to resolving both personal, societal, and international problems
- Christian witness means teaching the effectiveness of Christian values so that graduating students will be able to go back to their communities and be actively engaged and involved in developing the structures of their society, so as to learn to live with, and for, others.
- Provisions will be made for regular Christian worship, religious education, retreats, youth programs and other spiritual life programs.
- The school will retain close and supportive ties to the The Church at KIS and shall maintain the Margaret Eddy Memorial Chapel. The School's Chaplains will serve as Pastors of the Church.
- Regular attendance of all Christian students is expected at the Sunday morning services. Attendance of other students at Christian worship will be most welcome. Boarding students of all faiths in the Elementary School will be required to attend worship on campus.
- Curricular courses in religious education will be required at all levels of the academic program, and will present the Christian tradition as well as other world religions.
- Sunday mornings will be kept free from scheduled events, and students not attending worship on campus are expected to behave appropriately during worship time.
International Features
The commitment of Kodaikanal International School to respect and affirm those of varied cultures and religious traditions includes the following:
- KIS is concerned for the spiritual growth of all its students and staff and seeks to meet the needs of that growth
- Staff and students of faiths other than Christianity are significant to the mission of KIS as a diverse and cooperative community. All staff and students, however, whatever their religious background, shall be expected to have ideals which are in harmony with those of the schools foundation.
- Where possible within the KIS program, assistance will be given to students of other faiths to enable them to follow the customs of their religion, such as fasting for Ramadan
- Recognition of religious holidays of other traditions and cultural celebrations of all cultural groups will be made in assemblies, with special meals, or other special events, where possible
- Dialogue between those of different religious faiths will be encouraged both formally and informally. The search for spiritual values common to all faiths will be strongly encouraged
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