I am scheduled to teach an in-person, graduate course on chaplaincy and spiritual care this fall. As part of my preparations I read a recently released book edited by Wendy Cadge and Shelly Rambo, Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care in the Twenty-First Century: An Introduction. It was such a good read I adopted it as a course textbook and wrote a review that was just published in the June 2023 edition of Religious Studies Review.
The editors divide the book into three sections based on the types of competencies required of chaplains: meaning-making, interpersonal, and institutional. Cadge and Rambo argue that today's spiritual care practitioners not only need to be equipped to assist people with traditional spiritual practices but also to come alongside others as reflective listeners navigating issues of suicidal ideation, trauma, and moral injury. The book's final section addresses the complexities of working within institutions as an organizational change agent. It's a thoughtful and somewhat provocative look at institutional power and the role a chaplain can play to bring balance and health.
If you want to read the full review it's available here. If you're interested in reading more about the upcoming class I'll be teaching, you can find additional information here.
