Chaplaincy Types Assignment
Martisen Harmon
CHPL 500: Introduction to Chaplaincy Ministry
Professor Thomas Cook
January 28, 2024
Page | 1
Types of Chaplaincy Ministry, 2020.
https://libertyuniversity.instructure.com/courses/597832/pages/watch-types-of-chaplaincy-
ministry?module_item_id=61099193.3
Corporate Chaplain, 2020.
https://libertyuniversity.instructure.com/courses/597832/pages/watch-corporate-chaplain?
module_item_id=61099205.3
Chaplaincy Types Assignment
Table of Contents
PG,1: Title page
PG,3: Introduction
PG,4-PG,5: Military Chaplain
PG,5-PG,6: Health-care Chaplain
PG,6: Workplace Chaplain
PG,8-PG,10 Sports Chaplaincy
PG,10 First Responder Chaplaincy
PG,11- PG,12 College Campus Chaplaincy
PG,12: Conclusion
PG,13- PG,14: Bibliography
Page | 2
Types of Chaplaincy Ministry, 2020.
https://libertyuniversity.instructure.com/courses/597832/pages/watch-types-of-chaplaincy-
ministry?module_item_id=61099193.3
Corporate Chaplain, 2020.
https://libertyuniversity.instructure.com/courses/597832/pages/watch-corporate-chaplain?
module_item_id=61099205.3
I believe that it is reasonable to say that when most people think of a
chaplain a few things might come to their mind like the military, a spiritual
person, and someone who listens and gives wise counsel. I believe it would be fair
to say that most people are not aware of the disciplines and different environments
that a chaplain can be found in, let alone that they can practice any religion other
than Christianity. Even for myself as an ordained minister and an aspiring
chaplain, I was not aware of two out of the seven types of chaplaincy disciplines.
So while it may be safe to say that most people know of chaplains but only have a
surface-level knowledge of what they do, I believe if we ask any large group of
people whether chaplaincy is needed or not, the answer would be an
overwhelming yes because regardless of which environment a person encounters
a chaplain, the realization is that they can be a help in every situation of life that
we may find ourself in. But for anyone who aspires to become a chaplain this
course and assignment highlights the importance of knowing the similarities and
differences of the disciplines and the knowledge thereof can help them lean on the
strengths, mitigate the weaknesses, maximize the opportunities, and repel the
threats in that they may face in the chaplaincy Ministry.
Military Chaplain
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Types of Chaplaincy Ministry, 2020.
https://libertyuniversity.instructure.com/courses/597832/pages/watch-types-of-chaplaincy-
ministry?module_item_id=61099193.3
Corporate Chaplain, 2020.
https://libertyuniversity.instructure.com/courses/597832/pages/watch-corporate-chaplain?
module_item_id=61099205.3
I have only heard of the word chaplain after joining the military, and if had
not been for me joining I probably would've never heard the term, this statement
might be the truth for many people because chaplains exist in environments,
where if a person is not exposed to it then the chances of running into chaplain
outside of those settings are unlikely. However, what I have learned, and I am sure
this is true for many people who encounter a chaplain, is once you meet one you
understand the significance of their role within that environment. As for a military
chaplain, it is a special calling to ministry to serve those who serve others which
is an aspect that maybe first responder and healthcare chaplains can only relate to,
but some factors clearly distinguish it from the other disciplines. Each
environment that chaplains work in comprises its community, and the majority of
a military chaplain's time in service will be spent supporting a large scale of
community, with the average battalion size ranging from 300 to 1,000 soldiers
which that number is inflated one number of family members that each solder has
is added which the military has the responsibility to serve them as well. Because
the military is largely a uniform organization, the nature of the community mostly
remains the same when changing assignments, but the environments are ever-
changing. A military chaplain can serve stateside and in another country in the
same year, can be tasked to help other battalions or brigades that have different
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Types of Chaplaincy Ministry, 2020.
https://libertyuniversity.instructure.com/courses/597832/pages/watch-types-of-chaplaincy-
ministry?module_item_id=61099193.3
Corporate Chaplain, 2020.
https://libertyuniversity.instructure.com/courses/597832/pages/watch-corporate-chaplain?
module_item_id=61099205.3
personalities and philosophies even though they conduct the same procedures, and
can serve in a garrison environment or be called upon to serve in a hostile
environment. Also, the varying nature of assignments can be challenging for a
military chaplain as well, for example, they can counsel a private who has the
stress of possibly sacrificing their life for millions of people whom they don't
know, being thousands of miles away from home in a different environment with
a culture they have never been exposed to, serving with people from all different
backgrounds and in the same day counsel a General who is dealing with the same
challenges as the private but with the added weight of greater responsibilities and
expectations. A military chaplain can also be called upon to serve a soldier from
another country's military, or even more challenging possibly becoming a casualty
while being an agent of peace.
Health-care Chaplain
A healthcare chaplain is a very vital part of every health-care facility
because most of the time life begins and ends at a health-care facility. And so in
itself being a healthcare chaplain is extremely challenging because daily they
witness the degree of senseless violence that humans inflict on each other, as well
as the power of nature and its effect on us spiritually mentally, and physically. A
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Types of Chaplaincy Ministry, 2020.
https://libertyuniversity.instructure.com/courses/597832/pages/watch-types-of-chaplaincy-
ministry?module_item_id=61099193.3
Corporate Chaplain, 2020.
https://libertyuniversity.instructure.com/courses/597832/pages/watch-corporate-chaplain?
module_item_id=61099205.3
healthcare chaplain is unique from all the other disciplines, in the sense that the
majority of the time that the chaplain ministers to someone it will be because of a
moment of crisis, sickness, or bereavement, and while there are lighthearted
moments that the chaplain can experience like the birth of a new baby or a cancer
patient celebrating their entrance into remittance. But unfortunately, those
moments are overwhelmed by the need for healing or some relief from grief. A
chaplain that I serve within the military who is also a veteran affairs chaplain,
once told me that the challenge of working in a hospital is that people don’t call
for help in the good times, which means there's so much more sorrow he sees than
joy, so when this overwhelms him he goes out into the hospital and seek these
good moments that provide him hope so that he can continue to give it to the
patients he serves.
Workplace Chaplain
I was not even aware that there was such a. position as a workplace
chaplain but after watching our class resource video about the chaplaincy type, it
was clear to see why a chaplain can be integral to a workplace operation and
overall production. Because of the necessity our employment is in our life, I
realize that we tend to try and block out the things that we are dealing with
Page | 6
Types of Chaplaincy Ministry, 2020.
https://libertyuniversity.instructure.com/courses/597832/pages/watch-types-of-chaplaincy-
ministry?module_item_id=61099193.3
Corporate Chaplain, 2020.
https://libertyuniversity.instructure.com/courses/597832/pages/watch-corporate-chaplain?
module_item_id=61099205.3
outside the workplace, but since the average adult spends more time awake at
work than they do at home, not a lot of time is left to resolve issues in our
personal life so it inevitably shows up in our work life. And this is where the
workplace chaplain plays a huge role because just for an employee being able to
vent their frustration can be all the help they need to focus on their work. Focus
on work is imperative especially for jobs that are safety risk because a lack of
focus causes accidents which sometimes are fatal. The main aspect of a workplace
chaplain that distinguishes it from other disciplines is unfortunately the same
reason that it is the least known career path of chaplaincy, is that many places do
not have a chaplain and while there has been an increase in this job opportunities
for this type of chaplaincy having a workplace chaplain is still not the norm in
today’s working society.
Correctional and Prison Chaplaincy
A prison Chaplain has by far one of the most interesting ministries out of
all the disciplines because while they serve people who are free to travel as they
like throughout their community, where a prison chaplain serves those whose
freedom is restricted and so while all the discipline has its unique challenges,
having the responsibility of attempting to give prisoners the hope that most likely
Page | 7
Types of Chaplaincy Ministry, 2020.
https://libertyuniversity.instructure.com/courses/597832/pages/watch-types-of-chaplaincy-
ministry?module_item_id=61099193.3
Corporate Chaplain, 2020.
https://libertyuniversity.instructure.com/courses/597832/pages/watch-corporate-chaplain?
module_item_id=61099205.3
in their mind only their freedom can give them. To be a correctional or prison
chaplain is to know the love of God because their ministry requires them to
counsel and care for people who may have done some things that represent the
ugliest parts of who we are as human beings, but prisoners having a spiritual
example of what it means to live right, who listen to their life stories and not pass
judgment is the behavior that Jesus models in the scriptures, and despite their
circumstances many of these chaplains has led inmates because the display love
shown. With that being said, I cannot stress enough that it is a difficult job, as
a Major from the Army a current prison chaplain state, it's hard to minister
to someone who knows that within hours of talking to you, their life can be taken
from someone they know is conspiring against them.
Sports Chaplain
As a person who is an avid sports watcher, being a sports chaplain sounds
like a dream job to me, and that’s not to say that it doesn’t present its challenges
but to be around individuals who can train their bodies to do things that only a
small percentage of people in the word can do is such a great opportunity. Based
on our weekly video, what I have perceived about sports chaplaincy is that there
are two sides to the discipline which is what a sports chaplain does publicly
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Types of Chaplaincy Ministry, 2020.
https://libertyuniversity.instructure.com/courses/597832/pages/watch-types-of-chaplaincy-
ministry?module_item_id=61099193.3
Corporate Chaplain, 2020.
https://libertyuniversity.instructure.com/courses/597832/pages/watch-corporate-chaplain?
module_item_id=61099205.3
versus privately. Publicly, we see the chaplain praying for the team and giving
them motivating words before hours of rigorous competition but there is more to
sports and especially the players behind the scenes. The perception is that an
athlete shouldn't complain about the amount of money they make or that have a
great life with no problems because of the lifestyle their popularity can afford
them. But many times, it is the opposite, because the expectations that are placed
on them to perform by almost everyone in their lives can cause a lot of spiritual
and mental harm, not to mention they put their bodies and in some cases their
lives on the line for entertainment. With this type of stress pressed upon them, it's
helpful to have a chaplain's guidance. Many of these sports leagues make billions
of dollars worth of revenue, and while the ending score has no real impact on the
fans it does affect the livelihood of the players and coaches, but at the end of the
day it's just a game and it's the chaplain responsibility to help the athlete to not
forget the life they have outside the uniform and beyond the stadium.
First Responder Chaplin
A first responder chaplain's responsibility is a heavy load to bear, The
majority of the time they are called it is because something unfortunate has
happened, and because of the state of the world today they are called upon quite
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Types of Chaplaincy Ministry, 2020.
https://libertyuniversity.instructure.com/courses/597832/pages/watch-types-of-chaplaincy-
ministry?module_item_id=61099193.3
Corporate Chaplain, 2020.
https://libertyuniversity.instructure.com/courses/597832/pages/watch-corporate-chaplain?
module_item_id=61099205.3
often. Much like the health-care chaplain the first responder chaplain
unfortunately also gets to witness some of the worst actions or natural disasters
that a human can commit, or nature can perform, but the difference is that the first
responder chaplain mostly witnesses it first-hand. In a profession that struggles to
find volunteers to serve because of the long hours, the nature of risk, and
sometimes the lack of room for error it's pivotal to have a chaplain if only for
ventilation purposes. When a friend of mine who is a state trooper and I serve the
in military found out that I was striving to become a chaplain. He informed me
bot to become a first responder chaplain, when I asked him for the reason for his
suggestion, he said that if I can't imagine praying for the family of a victim, the
person who murdered the victim, and pray for the officers who arrested them all
in one-night multiple times then I should consider another discipline.
College Campus Chaplain
The role of a college campus chaplain is necessary because spiritually
being a support to help guide the future of young people can have implications in
the future versus what we see now and other than the rise of suicides or school
shootings every other issue has been around since the creation of college because
peer pressure stays prevalent regardless the level of schooling. Besides watching
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Types of Chaplaincy Ministry, 2020.
https://libertyuniversity.instructure.com/courses/597832/pages/watch-types-of-chaplaincy-
ministry?module_item_id=61099193.3
Corporate Chaplain, 2020.
https://libertyuniversity.instructure.com/courses/597832/pages/watch-corporate-chaplain?
module_item_id=61099205.3
young people make the same mistakes they made in college; a campus chaplain
encounters a wide variety of issues and counseling kids who are adult by age but
not by actions can be challenging but it also has to be rewarding because the
potential of being the counselor or a teacher of someone that changes the course
of history. There is no other type of chaplaincy that gets to impact people at the
state of their life where they're open to freely learning, and with levels of stress
and depression at an all-time high, coupled with many young adults separated
from home the first time and desperately looking for a sense of community to ease
the anxiety of new beginnings, and a chaplain can provide that community for
those students.
Conclusion
In all the disciplines I find so much intersectionality that presents
the case of why every environment needs a chaplain because each of them
experiences people who suffer with many of the same things. However, the
aspects that distinguish them from one another suggest that certain gifts are
needed to operate in each one, which means that serious consideration needs to be
taken place when a chaplain seeks what ministry God has called them to because
many are called to be a chaplain, but they are not called to every environment.
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Types of Chaplaincy Ministry, 2020.
https://libertyuniversity.instructure.com/courses/597832/pages/watch-types-of-chaplaincy-
ministry?module_item_id=61099193.3
Corporate Chaplain, 2020.
https://libertyuniversity.instructure.com/courses/597832/pages/watch-corporate-chaplain?
module_item_id=61099205.3
This distinguishing of disciplines is very important for every chaplain because the
knowledge of the responsibilities and challenges will help to be effective to whom
they support.
Bibliography Page | 12
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