Chaplaincy has Grown Faster and Beyond what was known Century Ago

In less than one century of chaplaincy attaining a professional status all over the world, chaplaincy has grown so fast, and beyond what it was known to be before she attained professional status.

Chaplaincy therefore, demonstrated to be a dynamic profession requiring only dedicated, pragmatic and dynamic practicing professionals called “Chaplains” to take chaplaincy profession to the next level of development.

Before chaplaincy attained professional status in the year 1930AD, chaplaincy was more or less a ministry of the Church to the outside world. Chaplaincy which was purely an outreach of the Church to people and communities beyond the Church setting, has grown to become a multi-faith ministry of presence with following religions of our world participating in providing chaplaincy practice and service delivery to humanity.

1.     Roman Catholic.

2.     Protestants.

3.     Judaism.

4.     Islam.

5.     Hindu etc.

In contemporary times, therefore, chaplaincy has grown beyond a particular religion with all known religions of our world embracing chaplaincy practice and service delivery.

Chaplaincy has therefore, grown to serve humanity in a pluralistic setting with diverse kinds and types of people with diversities of needs and problems.

In the years past, chaplaincy practice and service delivery was limited to the military and some public institutions like schools, colleges, universities, hospitals and prisons.

However, with the kind of rapid growth and sophistication demonstrated by her since she attained a professional status, chaplaincy coast and areas of influence has become so enlarged that every sector of the economy is open to multi-faith chaplaincy practice and service delivery.

Permit me to show you what chaplaincy has become today providing multi-faith services and ministry of presence to all people of our world regardless of their religious affiliations, gender status, political leanings, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, culture, tribe and race.

1.     Chaplaincy has become a non-discriminatory profession, providing services to people, all people groups and age, communities and societies of our world, treating them all with the needed dignity.

2.     Chaplaincy has also become non-discriminatory in the sense that she is prepared to collaborate with all other known professions in bringing comfort and meaning for existence to people in all ages.

3.     Chaplaincy has become the most trusted problem-solving profession in our world – proffering the needed solutions to problems such as:-

a.     Emotional problems.

b.     Psychological problems.

c.      Relational problems.

d.     Marital problems.

e.     Workplace problems.

f.       Family problems.

g.     Industrial problems.

h.     Political problems.

i.        Social problems.

j.       Suicidal problems etc.

With this development and status of chaplaincy profession, it has become mandatory and compulsory for chaplains to acquire the needed training in this dimension to enable them function optimally; performing their professional duties creditably.

4.     Chaplaincy has become one of the most caring profession in our world, providing the needed care to numerous people especially in Health Care-delivery sector or hospital, offering such care as:-

a.     Spiritual care.

b.     Pastoral care.

c.      Palliative care.

d.     Pre-operative and post-operative care.

Chaplains who want to key into providing such care services are expected to be highly educated, with high professional training in that area to enable them perform alongside other professionals in the health care team. Such chaplains must be cross-trained, belonging to professional association.

5.     Chaplaincy has become a trusted profession, handling all forms of conflict in our world. Thus handling such conflict as:-

a.     Family conflict.

b.     Marital conflict.

c.      Inter-tribal conflict.

d.     Intra-tribal conflict.

e.     Workplace conflict.

f.       Regional or national conflict etc.

With the views of resolving conflicts amicably without resulting to court processes or war.

NB: I do not need to tell you that chaplains are needed for such assignments in our nation today, but where are such chaplains?

6.     Chaplaincy has become the most treasured and cherished market place profession in our world providing the following services in the oil rich communities of our world such as:-

a.     Ecological services.

b.     Environmental services.

c.      Services to nature and mother earth.

d.     Services to Black gold industry.

Bringing peace to various coastal communities. At a later date we shall be here with you to conduct a seminar on how you can provide these services mentioned above.

7.     Chaplaincy has made an in road into the maritime industry providing services and care for the followings in the industry:

a.     Seafarers (The forgotten people of our world).

b.     Maritime staff and management.

c.      Coastal communities.

d.     Travelers and visitors, using the seas for transportation and tourism purposes.

This is a specialized assignments, requiring well-groomed and educated chaplains to key into this unique opportunity.

8.     Chaplaincy has made her presence felt in public institutions such as:

a.     Nursery and primary schools.

b.     Secondary schools.

c.      Colleges of education and Polytechnics.

d.     Universities.

With practicing chaplains in the education sector called school chaplains, college chaplains, campus chaplains and university chaplains respectively. You can become one of such chaplains, if you are to develop yourself and obtain the needed academic and professional qualifications needed.

Correctional institutions and prisons are also part of the public institutions where qualified chaplains can be employed as staff chaplains and chaplaincy departments established in various prisons in our nation as obtained in other nations of the world.

In conclusion therefore, chaplaincy can be a rewarding and profitable venture, if done or conducted with the right concept and practiced in the most appropriate professional manner acceptable world over. Let us practice chaplaincy rightly to be able to take our rightful position in our nation, Nigeria. God bless you all!

Prepared by

Chaplain Mike-Jacobs JP, AP, CPC, CBC, CCE.

Professor of Anthropology

19^th Oct, 2017AD