What Exactly are we Expected to Do to Make Professional Chaplaincy and Practice Acceptable by the Public

Just like in other religions, cultures and traditions, ordained clergies (Rabbai) in Jewish religions and tradition where the ones who provided chaplaincy/spiritual care to Jewish people outside synagogues and temples as the Jews do not have chapels.

Though, in Israel, spiritual care is a new profession, not carrying with it the baggage of earlier models which limited this profession to religious leaders, a fact which enables better integration of the spiritual care provider into the multidisciplinary staff.

However, the educated Jewish people in United States of America enrolled in CPE study programme became certified chaplains, working either hospitals, prisons, or military in the US as certified chaplains.

Knowing fully well what obtains back at home; these Jewish certified chaplains, in the US thought of how to take chaplaincy professional practice and service delivery to the Jewish nation back at home, they called themselves together in meetings to consider another nomenclature for chaplains which is unknown to communities and places to take chaplaincy practice and service delivery to the Jewish populace which is “Spiritual Care Providers.”

With this wisdom and efforts of the certified Jewish chaplains in the US has begun to yield profitable fruits and rewards. Today, community based chaplaincy practice is well established in Jewish community both in USA as well as back at home, Jewish nation. “Spiritual care providers and that is who chaplains are.”

Although, our own situation in the continent of Africa is different from the Jewish people; all the same our peculiar situation must be made bare and discussed at this juncture:

In Nigeria, and by extension continent of Africa, chaplaincy was presented wrongly to the public. Chaplaincy was presented as a military outfit, which makes chaplains look very brutal as the military by the public instead of wearing the compassionate and empathic look.

The militarization with the deception and falsehood that come along with it made the public detest chaplaincy and do not hear anything about chaplaincy any more neither had regard for it for support in their painful situations. This is the situation we found ourselves in.

Because of the unfortunate past precedent; we who are certified professional chaplains have an herculean task of making the populace of our nation and continent see chaplaincy and practicing chaplains of value to the society.

Our efforts to professionalizing chaplaincy had meet with serious oppositions even from those who style themselves as chaplains as well. Bringing the right concept of chaplaincy to the continent of Africa has become a great problem to many chaplaincy organizations, their leaders as the eyes of the people are being opened for the truth.

The antagonism should not deter our commitment to take professional chaplaincy, its practices and service delivery to the innocent people of our society. Our peculiar situation informs the question asked as the topic of writing and discourse.

As professional chaplaincy practitioners, we must be ready to do the followings to enable us penetrate the people and consciously changing their erroneous opinions about chaplaincy and chaplains alike: we must:-

1.     Obtain sound education secularly and professionally that will give us the advantage of communicating and discussing freely with other professionals, CEOs, and industry leaders about chaplaincy, chaplains, and what they can offer in relation to their peculiar needs and demands.

2.     Be certified and licensed to practice chaplaincy professionally in public and private settings.

3.     Demonstrate professional confidence and moral courage n actual professional chaplaincy practice.

4.     Engage in the right and actual professional chaplaincy practice and service delivery.

5.     Demonstrate needed competencies in practice and service delivery.

6.     Be tactfully skillful in practice of professional chaplaincy and service delivery.

Are you interested in online professional chaplaincy training to enable you offer beneficial chaplaincy care and services, get registered at the prestigious chaplaincy institute – Prodam-J Chaplaincy Institute for adequate and proper professional chaplaincy education and training to make you outstanding among your equals? Call 08033072375; 07055287861; 08035092416 or WhatsApp – 09091981944

Chap. David Mike-Jacobs CPC, CPST, BCC.

Professor of Anthropology, Certified Chaplaincy Educator & Trainer.

Blog: thechaplain1.blogspot.com

20^th Oct, AD2022