Four Foci of the Fellowship
Clinical Practice
The primary focus of a chaplain is the provision of spiritual and religious care (i.e., clinical practice). Consequently,
- 1st and 2nd Wednesday conferences, especially the Fellow’s presentation of a verbatim with analysis, will focus on clinical practice
- Attention will also be paid to this in the Fellow’s clinical reading seminar paper
- Attention will be paid to this in the research paper seminar, in drawing implications for clinical practice from research in religion and health
- Supervisory/mentoring times (e.g., with all chaplains) attend clinical practice
Theological and Critical Reflection
The ability to reflect and assess with rigor and excellence are important in the provision of excellent spiritual religious care, in providing education about chaplaincy care, and in on-going learning. Consequently,
- Fellow’s clinical reading paper will focus on theological and critical reflection
- The verbatim presentation and the discussion of research in religion and health
- Supervisory/mentoring times (e.g., with all chaplains) attend to theological and critical reflection
- Attention to spiritual assessment and research are part of the critical reflection and theological reflection
Spiritual Formation
Growth in one’s spiritual life is vital for self-care and excellence in providing spiritual and religious care. Consequently,
- Readings
- Supervisory/mentoring times will also attend to spiritual formation
Self-awareness
Self-awareness is essential to clinical practice, critical and theological reflection, and spiritual formation especially as one attends to ones history, biases, distortions, and assumptions. Consequently,
- The verbatim seminar will attend self-awareness
- Supervisory/mentoring times will also attend self-awareness