Pronounced: SKŌ-lay.
Scholé translates as “leisure” in ancient Greek. It occurs only once in the NT (making it a hapax legomenon) in
Acts 19:9 and is translated as the “school” or “lecture hall” of Tyrannus, where the apostle Paul moved his teaching and discussion when it wasn’t well-received in the synagogues. Scholé contrasts with ‘ascholia‘ which refers to day-to-day practical and business affairs. A life filled with ascholia is an overly-busy life, but scholé is not the type of leisure enjoyed slumped on a sofa watching mindless TV. Rather, it’s the type of rest needed for contemplation and reflection on what is good, true and beautiful. That is why our founders Tony Bolos and Donald Smith (VCU Philosophy) thought Scholé House would be a fitting name for a Christian Study Center at VCU. A form of scholé also shows up in the Septuagint’s Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God.” What is translated as “be still” can be translated as “have leisure” or “have rest.”
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These values also appear in the Scholé House mark. The horizontal line offers stabilization to the mark as the lines forming a house appear to be rooted in the ground. A circle encloses the lines and offers a sense of physical boundaries to the mark. Humans need shelter and a cozy abode helps us fully rest in ways a large, sterile spaces cannot provide. Finally, the lines extend from the ground and house, physically representing a growth that comes from inspiration to cultivate God’s creation.