What is a Chaplain?
A chaplain is a person who is often attached to a “a chapel”, which is a place for worship, religious and spiritual reflection, or private prayer and meditation. Chapels are smaller than a more traditionally sized church or temple, and are often attached to secular institutions. (Sometimes the “chapel” may not be a literal or permanent place.)
Some examples of places where chapels and chaplains are commonly found include:
Hospitals
Prisons
Schools and Universities
Military Units or Bases
Embassies
Police and Fire Departments
Airports
Labour Unions
Businesses
Private homes of wealthy or aristocratic families
These places or organisations tend to have transient populations – that is to say, the people within them do not intend to stay in place for very long, from a few years to a few hours. They will also often be composed of people with many different kinds of belief systems and levels of practice. They are brought together by their circumstances (because of their career, health condition, legal status, etc.)
This makes them different from traditional religious congregations, where most of the people come together by choice, share a core identity or set of beliefs and practices, and generally intend to stay local and interact with each other for a sustained period of time, if not lifelong.
However, often they will still have need for spiritual services and resources – especially if the circumstances bringing them together have also separated them from their home congregations - and they are entitled to access to these. This is where the Chaplain comes in.
It is the Chaplain’s job to ensure that the religious rights and spiritual needs of this population are defended and served appropriately.