Inclusivity in UK Pastoral, Spiritual, and Religious Care: A Humanist Perspective

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Inclusivity in UK Pastoral, Spiritual, and Religious Care: A Humanist Perspective

Chaplaincy – wherever it serves – will inevitably encounter those of no particular religious belief. A chaplain serves and meets needs where duty calls. How does a chaplain meet the needs of a non-religous person? Here, we bring a series of articles which directly address this growing phenomenon that is encountered in all domains of chaplaincy service.

Dr. David Savage is the author of Non-Religious Pastoral Care: A Practical Guide, and he took a leading role in establishing the Non-Religious Pastoral Support Network. He has provided pastoral care at Guy’s and St. Thomas NHS Foundation Trust since 2012, and was the first non-religious person to successfully complete their spiritual healthcare department’s two-year professional training course.

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Non-religious spirituality

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park benchIn this article, we read of a spiritual care encounter with a person holding a worldview derived from an empirical approach to the natural world, in order to reflect on the nature of non-religious spirituality and its implications for the spiritual care sector. Non-religious spirituality is examined as a genuine form of spirituality. What follows are excerpts from a paper by Dr. Christopher Turner of Stirling University.

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Non-religious spiritual care

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Forest in IsraelIn this article we consider spiritual care uncoupled from formal clergy in Israel. We look to the utilisation of spiritual care by spiritual care providers in various settings, respectively: a private clinic, a nursing home, and the haematology department. Each used one of three religiously neutral methods of spiritual care: connecting with nature, nature and gentle touch, and non-theistic personal prayer in its various forms.

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There is always hope: A conversation with Chaplain Imam Abdul-Wahab Omeira

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Yule observance in PrisonWhat is Chaplaincy? When an untrained Muslim cleric – student of a Grand Mufti in Syria – builds a Mosque and then a Prison is built near the mosque, he responds to the call of serving, of being a volunteer. From part time to full-time chaplain, Imam Abdul-Wahab Omeira serves people from all faiths, including Wiccans and Pagans. He says that having religion in prison – and religious services – is a right, not a privilege. An interesting, wide-ranging article that rings bells for those who have worked as a chaplain.

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A Chaplain discovers Moral Injury

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Jeff SavilleJeff Saville has served as a Navy chaplain for twenty-three years around the globe. As chairperson of the Covenant Chaplains Association, Jeff’s leadership has been seminal to our upcoming Quarterly issue. He shares with us here some of the challenges, rewards, and lessons of chaplaincy ministry.

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Book Note: Foundations of Chaplaincy

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Book Cover: Foundations of Chaplaincy“Chaplaincy is one of the most interesting and innovative forms of ministry. It finds its roots within the established church, but takes the ministry of care, compassion, and presence into the world in a diversity of healing ways. But what exactly is chaplaincy? What do chaplains do? Why should anyone care? In this interesting and timely book Alan Baker lays out the essence of the tasks of chaplaincy in a way that is clear, accessible, and open to a broad range of people inside and outside of faith communities. Anyone who wants to know about and understand the importance of chaplaincy should read this book.”

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Buddhist Chaplain Speaks

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Idol of BuddhaBuddhist chaplaincy is a profession in which Buddhists with specialized training care for the spiritual needs of suffering individuals (careseekers), typically within non-religious settings such as hospitals, hospices, military, workplaces, or universities. What follows is an (anonymous) witness of one Buddhist Chaplain.

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Multifaith Worship Spaces

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Multifaith Worship SpacesIn the summer of 2019, Eric Salitsky researched the global phenomenon of multifaith worship spaces by traveling to various cities throughout the U.S. and Europe to study and photograph this unique architectural typology. He visited more than 50 sites in New York, Boston, London, Manchester, Zurich, and Berlin to document the various ways that designers and facility administrators address the inherent challenges of accommodating the prayer needs of various religions in a single space.

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The Intimacy of Covid

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Covid chaplain

Zen priest and hospital chaplain Tenku Ruff shares an intimate bond of uncertainty with Covid patients. She knows what they’re going through — because she’d had it herself.

Dizang asked Fayan, “Where are you going?”
Fayan said, “Around on pilgrimage.”
Dizang said, “What is the purpose of pilgrimage?”
Fayan said, “I don’t know.”
Dizang said, “Not knowing is most intimate.”
—Zen koan

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Relationships, Presence and Hope: University Chaplaincy during the COVID–19 Pandemic

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UK University Chaplaincy

Chaplains and faith advisors have been on the frontline of the pandemic. This report explores the unique contributions of university chaplains during this time. (2021)

Throughout the pandemic, chaplains and faith advisors have been supporting the isolated, comforting the bereaved, and providing pastoral and spiritual care to anyone who needs it.

In universities, chaplains have faced a massive health crisis among students. In November 2020, a survey of 4,193 students conducted for the National Union of Students found that 52% said their mental health was worse than it was before the pandemic, but only 29% of those people had sought any help.

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