Every religious tradition and spiritual path can lead one to an opening of the heart and a wish to
be of service. As a minister and chaplain, I have supervised and instructed countless spiritual
seekers and religious practitioners on the practice of chaplaincy. As the work is not a familiar one,
such as nursing or teaching, people need guidance. And while there are books and articles and
organizations and training programs, I have yet to find a useful document that explains the work
succinctly. So, I wrote this one. May it be useful to all who keep reading.
Note: The terms minister and chaplain, as used here, represent both men and women, ordained
and non-ordained, of any faith tradition, religion, or spiritual path. Though originally the word
"chaplain" referred to representatives of the Christian faith, it is now applied to men and women
of other religions or philosophical traditions. In addition, the terms pastoral care, religion,
theology, spirituality, faith body, congregation and are in the lexicon of chaplaincy as a
profession. Readers are invited to transpose their own language as suits their identity, values,
understandings, etc.
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