Rev Peter Hansell on Divinity and Debating, Chess and Change

Rev Peter Hansell is the Bradfield College Chaplain, significant enough in itself, yet his reach extends far beyond the Chapel. Omniscient in ‘the Bradfield way’, he leads the Debating Society, Chess Club, teaches IB Theory of Knowledge and the U14D Cricket Team also benefit. Keen to ensure that he is ‘of the moment’, Peter is a great advocate of technology to enhance the learning experience, embracing the use of Campus-XR’s Virtual Reality debating module. More recently he has become something of a social media sensation in the Bradfield community, with followers keen to know, what will Peter post next?…

Link to Peter’s Instagram at the base of the article

This article begins with the topic of utmost importance to Peter, his faith. From around the age of thirteen, Peter had a strong inkling that he would enter the Church. During this time, he was particularly close to his grandmother, whose faith carried her through her final illness and greatly inspired him. Another significant influence was his school Chaplain at Norwich School, with whom he remains in touch. The Chaplain encouraged Peter to think more deeply about his faith, leading to his confirmation at school.

After attending Norwich School and Selwyn College, Cambridge, Peter earned a PhD in Theology, focusing on the historical development of ideas of forgiveness. Following his PhD, he lectured in Bangalore, India, before returning to the UK for ordination. Peter trained for ministry in Birmingham and served in a multicultural and multi-faith parish for a few years before becoming a Rector in his native county of Norfolk. After some time in parish ministry, Peter felt called to serve as a Chaplain; immediately before joining Bradfield, he was Chaplain at Clifton College. Of his philosophy regarding Chapel at Bradfield he says,

‘Everyone is welcome regardless of perspective on religion, it is a safe space where you can flourish and develop your thoughts about morality and spirituality.’

Chapel services are designed to expose pupils to a wide range of different perspectives. One great initiative is that every House leads a service once a year. The topics discussed are very varied, and the pupils have (almost) free rein. The important thing is that it is meaningful for the pupils and has a positive impact on their lives.

Army House recently led a service on men’s mental health and shared a wonderful football video about Norwich City football fans. He approved of this initiative on two levels: firstly, the topic chosen, and secondly, because Peter supports Norwich.

‘The time spent in Chapel gives you a little space to just sit and reflect, moments of silence are very important in a world which has become over busy’

Mindfulness is part of it, but time in Chapel goes beyond this. Being present in the moment is important, but there is a spiritual dimension to Chapel that connects one to the past and the future. This is especially true as it forms the heart of our community and connects us to our shared Bradfield history, particularly important in this our 175th anniversary year.

Chapel has a very real appeal, extending beyond pupils having scheduled services to attend. In the past, he had many more people declaring themselves as atheists; however, now, perhaps due to uncertainty, pupils seem to be more interested in the spiritual dimension of life while not necessarily being explicitly religious. He believes more pupils realise the essential nature of how the Chapel is core to the Bradfield community, regardless of their own religious perspective, and value the sense of community we develop here.

‘I definitely feel that there's a greater sense of people questioning what the status quo is being and then to move on and to think about, you know, where they might go next’

Chapel is a place one can go when one doesn’t know the answers and when difficult things happen, particularly poignant with the recent sad loss of Jeremy Ball. So many members of our community came to Chapel to light a candle, his funeral was a powerful time for us as a community, the shared grief and warmth. Chapel is a place that encourages a sense of hope that we can build a better world.

He is impressed with the debating module developed by Campus XR, which enables pupils to gain confidence in their arguments before entering a debate. ‘It’s amazing; you put the headset on and find yourself in the Greek theatre, able to debate JFK.’ He is also keen to see where the development of this technology could lead, enthusing that there might be the potential to debate against a school from a different country, each speaking their native languages using AI translation.

Marvels of technology aside, Peter is clear that the debating environment is not a place where you need to be the competitive alpha, rather someone seeking a means of expression and a place to find your voice. The Bradfield Debating Club welcomes pupils of all abilities, and the more debating the pupils do, the more accomplished and confident they become with their public speaking.

He is delighted that over time the ranks of the debating club have swelled. The College has started entering debating competitions, reaching the regional finals of the National Debating League and championing the ever-competitive Inter-House debating competition. There is also hope of an Old Bradfieldian vs College debate.”

‘I love the fact that you can’t stereotype a Bradfieldian, there are pupils with all sorts of different strengths and it’s a place where those with different skills can really flourish’

Moving on to Peter’s other love, chess. He sees it as a great leveller; you could find that a new Faulkner’s entrant is the strongest player in the College. He saw the game take off during the pandemic, with online tutorials and competitions giving players fantastic opportunities to learn and practise. As with debating, the Bradfield Chess Club is welcome to all comers.

The Bradfield Chess tournament began in January. It’s a knock-out tournament with the winning pupil given a chance to play Peter in a special staff vs pupil match. A former tournament player, he smiles when he says that he remains unbeaten but recognises that his time is nigh given that players reach peak performance at 28 and he is a touch beyond that.

As you would expect from someone in his position Peter embodies a holistic and philosophical perspective and the words of wisdom flow easily. A parting gift,

‘You can't always control what life has to offer, but you can control how you respond to those opportunities.’

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If you would like to see what Peter is doing this week visit his instagram page Bradfield College Chaplain

Rev Peter Hansell on Divinity and Debating, Chess and Change

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