Faith in the Secular? Issues Arising from Chaplaincy in a Multi faith Context Rev Dr Andrew Todd
Faith in the Secular Chaplaincy has to do with faith in the secular This presentation: Faiths in the secular current practice Faith and thesecular issues to be addressed Fihi Faith in the secular developing a faithbased approach to fih secularism
Visualizing the Secular How do we visualize/imagine the secular? Public space governed by secular norms, characterised by declining influence of, and interest in religion? Secularized (Bruce); governed by fairness and rationality (Rawls); with an identity rooted in the modernsocial imaginary (Taylor) Religion (especially chaplaincy) as intrusion into the space (semi )resident aliens?
Visualizing the Secular Alternatively we could enlarge thesecular space (identifying it as the present, transient, global age) dissolve the public/private i distinction (not least in relation to the persistence of religion) behave as if it were our space, in which we expect to negotiate full participation p (taking respect for the other as seriously meant) Re visualize/re imagine imagine the secular
Faiths in the Secular Specific chaplaincy developments: Adaptation within ihi a multi faith lifihcontext, with significant political drivers Development of models of chaplaincy in response Development of establishment what does chaplaincy say about public religion? Case studies
A Resource! Andrew Todd 2011 Responding to Diversity: Chaplaincy in a Multi Faith Context, in ed. Miranda Threlfall Holmes & Mark Newitt, Being a Chaplain (SPCK): 89 102
Roots of Establishment 1952 Prison Act An Anglican Chaplain in every prison Foundation of NHS Attention to spiritual needs Chaplains of different denominations
Contemporary Chaplaincy Three areas of development: Ecumenical chaplaincy Multi faith fithchaplaincy Generic chaplaincy for those of all faiths and no faith Discourse or practice? (Swift Healthcare: religious & spiritual care)
Theory/Policy Pluralism: fact; public acceptance; normative commitment (Beckford) Society, individuals, institutional religion (Davie) Equality & Diversity policy and legislation Preventing (violent) extremism
Case study 1 Army Chaplaincy Army Chaplains Dual command: RAChD/unit Commissioned i d(christian) Spiritual leadership, moral guidance, pastoral care all souls ministry ; convergence World faith chaplaincy
World faith Chaplaincy According to statistics published in July 2005 most service men and women share a Christian faith (183,000). In addition 220 are Buddhists, 56 Jewish, 230 Hindus, 305 Muslims and 90 Sikhs. In2005 the MOD recruited four chaplains from these major world religions to help enhance our spiritual care to all personnel. These new chaplains work alongside the existing Commissioned Chaplains and our honorary Jewish Chaplain, Rabbi Malcolm Weisman http://www.raf.mod.uk/chaplains/whoweare/worldfaiths.cfm
Case study 2 Prison Chaplaincy PSO 4550; Performance Standard 51 Rights of prisoners; multi faith teams Muslim prison chaplaincy (Muslim prisoners 12% of prison population; 198 Muslim chaplains in 2009) Multi faith model Involved in countering violent extremism
Prevent As part of the National Offender Management Service's programme of work to address the risks associated with violent extremism and radicalisation, a series of briefings, written material, and training events have been delivered at both national and local level to staff including Muslim chaplains Muslim chaplains, working as part of the prison's chaplaincy team, work with the entirety of the prison population, including staff, not just with Muslim prisoners http://www parliament the http://www.parliament.the stationeryoffice.co.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090901/text/90901w0002.htm
Case study 3 Healthcare Chaplaincy Normative commitment to value to health of spiritual/religious iit li i diversityit Discourse of spiritual care Governance contested status Support professional association/faith communities Debate about registration/regulation g Intent to embed chaplaincy; dissent over model
Spiritual Care Listening to the patient s experience and the questions that may arise; affirming the patient s humanity; protecting the patient s dignity, self worth and identity; ensuring that spiritual care is offered as an integral part of an holistic approach to health, encompassing psychological, spiritual, social and emotional care, and within the framework of the patient s beliefs or philosophy of life. National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) (2004). Improving Supportive and Palliative Care for Adults with Cancer: The Manual.
Comparison Model Pluralism? Establishment? Army Ecumenical + multi-faith Limited accommodation Strong, ecumenical, directed by Army ethos Prisons Multi-faith + 'nil religion' Multi-faith approach shaped by Prevent Strong, multi-faith, shaped by security Healthcare Multi-faith/ generic 'Normative commitment' to individual needs Contested, lacking statutory backing, but pluralist
Faith and the Secular Issues to be addressed: Practice Policy Theory/Theology
Practice Models of cooperation Competition for resources Work to be done Common humanitarian mission Fith Faith specific mission i How they cohere
Practice Discourse of inclusivity Generic approaches Established faith practice Work to be done Examine/demonstrate how faith practice serves and develops generic approaches and inclusive discourse Examine the neutral space of chaplaincy
Policy Religion as protected characteristic Human rights and equality of opportunity Choice Work to be done Critique of individualization (in order to address issues of: competition; well being; justice; economic ethics; holism) Coherent communitarian response not just manifesting, but tframing
Theory/Theology Human spirituality and religious expression Oppositional/layered analysis Emerging discourse of spiritual care Work to be done Similarity between spirituality and religion (beliefs, practice, ritual, sociality) pace Heelas and Woodhead d Differences (sociology of movements, groups and institutions Wb Weber et al) Typology inclusive of religion and spirituality?
Theory/Theology Tentative dialogue amongst chaplains Models of interfaith dialogue Emerging theologies of chaplaincy Drive for consensus s (in the interests of legitimacy) Work to be done Theology of dialogue and cooperation Multi faith theology of chaplaincy Theological critique of consensus obscuring the other
Faith in the Secular Need to address the spiritual secular space Need to develop an alternative image to that of spirituality in the growing gaps between religions Need to re visualize/re imagine a common space for faiths, spiritualities and religions Need to develop a theology(ies) for inhabiting the common space (Ford)
Faith in the secular Develop an agenda for: Empirical research Theoretical/conceptual t l dialogue (rooted din the practice and experience of chaplaincy) Practical developments Political engagement
Research Priorities What s most significant ifi for chaplaincy? What is most significant for others? Who might fund it? Conceptual/textual/empirical; quantitative/ qualitative; broad/comparative; deep/focused Who needs to be involved (chaplains and other practitioners; academics from which disciplines)? What would be the outcome and impact? What would be the scope of the research?
Areas of Practice Pastoral/humanitarian i care Ritual and liturgy; prayer and contemplation Space/spaces Religious education/enabling mature faith at work Religious literacy Interfaith dialogue/practice/experience/solidarity Supporting exploration of spirituality Moral/critical role Education/CPD for chaplains Reflection on practice/hermeneutics/theology Policy informing/making/implementing
Encounters/ engagements Chaplaincy in a Multi faith context Building cooperation and working cooperatively Engaging/influencing the organisation/faith communities Participating in justice, health, the world of work and the economy, peace making Being a microcosm of faith, belief and spirituality in contemporary society