Being a Chaplain
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Chaplaincy - a place for those who have sold out, can't hack church ministry and don't believe in mission?
Against the negative stereotypes, this book argues that chaplains are a valuable resource to the Church. Embedded in places as diverse as prisons, hospitals, educational establishments and the armed forces, chaplains often encounter social trends well in advance of the institutional churches. Their experiences and expertise can be very helpful for thinking about ministry, ecclesiology and the engagement with contemporary society.
The first five parts of this book gather together stories of 22 chaplains working in a wide variety of contexts and from a range of Christian churches. The final part consists of four essays on key themes: multi-faith issues; the core skills needed by a chaplain; models of chaplaincy; and tensions that can arise in the work.
This book is for chaplains, students, clergy and all those who are considering becoming a chaplain or have dealings with people in the role. It will be of considerable interest to anyone who wonders what exactly chaplains do, how and why they do it and what the churches can learn from their experiences.
The Revd Miranda Threlfall-Holmes is Chaplain and Solway Fellow of University College, Durham. She has first class degrees in history from Cambridge, and theology from Durham, and her doctoral thesis about Durham Cathedral Priory was published by OUP. She was a curate in Newcastle before her present post, and has been involved in ordination and lay theological training in Durham and Newcastle Dioceses for several years.