Ecce Quam Bonum

I recently returned from my final meeting of the Board of Trustees of my college, the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. I am wrapping up my second term and I am ready to pass the torch to whoever may be elected to represent the Diocese of North Carolina as a trustee for the next three years. It has been a rich and wonderful experience to return to the Sewanee campus (recently named the most beautiful college campus in the country by Travel & Leisure magazine) and to reengage as an alumni volunteer.

Sewanee is a unique place. It is the only traditionally Episcopal university that is still overseen by the Episcopal Church. It is comprised of an undergraduate College of Arts and Sciences as well as a School of Theology. While I attended seminary elsewhere, the seeds of my future as an Episcopal priest were planted and nurtured during my years as a Sewanee college student.

I found it very interesting to hear updates from the Vice Chancellor (president) of the University on this most recent visit. He shared lots of good news about the success of the school, as well as some of the challenges he sees on the horizon. In addition to the fierce competition for matriculants and dealing with AI, he spoke most about the socio-political differences that permeate the culture. Sewanee, like most institutions of higher learning represents a wide diversity of perspectives, views, and thoughts. In a close-knit and beautiful setting, it can feel jarring to encounter conflict and discord. I think we all experience this to some extent in our workplaces, neighborhoods, and yes, even sometimes in our church. But what I found comforting is how Sewanee is leaning more intentionally into their motto, Ecce Quam Bonum, which is Latin for “Behold How Good,” the first three words of Psalm 133, which reads:

Behold how good and pleasant it is when kindred dwell together in unity.

It is like fine oil upon the head that runs down upon the beard,

upon the beard of Aaron, and runs down upon the collar of his robe.

It is like the dew of Hermon that falls upon the hills of Zion.

For there the LORD has ordained the blessing: life for evermore.

~Psalm 133

At Sewanee, this idea of being kindred and dwelling together in unity is known by the shorthand for Ecce Quam Bonum—EQB. The students, faculty, staff, and community members of Sewanee are seeking to let the spirit of EQB infuse every interpersonal interaction, no matter how big or small. Hearing of these efforts was a wonderful reminder of the power of our faith to inform our actions toward one another. Perhaps EQB can become a catchphrase for you as well?

Yours in Christ,

Carmen