One-Course Credential in
Multifaith Chaplaincy & Spiritual Care
EARN A ONE-COURSE CREDENTIAL THAT PREPARES YOU FOR MULTI-FAITH PASTORAL AND SPIRITUAL CARE IN A VARIETY OF CHAPLAINCY SETTINGS, AS AN ADD-ON TO A MASTER'S DEGREE OR STAND ALONE.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Inclusive Spirituality & Interreligious Hospitality
Through (1) online recorded lectures and live Zoom conferences, (2) reading and written reflection, along with (3) engagement with their teachers and cohort, students will gain understanding and skills for multifaith chaplaincy and the art of inclusive spiritual care across traditions. The goal is to prepare spiritual care givers who are sensitive to and welcoming of the Other.
Represented faiths include Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Wicca, First Nations spirituality and the “Nones and Dones” (Unaffiliated/Agnostic/Atheist).
St. Stephen's University offers a course that prepares students for multi-faith pastoral and spiritual care in a variety of chaplaincy settings. This course can be completed as an add-on to a master's degree at SSU (i.e., not included in the total credit hours of a student's degree program) or as a stand-alone credential without a program.
This course is a stand-alone credential in interfaith hospitality for chaplaincy care that's offered in conjunction with our regular graduate studies programs through our university charter from the Province of New Brunswick. We offer a certificate of completion for the course that can be applied to a student's resume as an academic credential for ministry rather than a CPE/CPU clinical credential.
How does it work?
If you are already a student at SSU, you may enrol in the Multifaith Chaplaincy & Spiritual Care course in addition to your current courses and credit hours. This course therefore does not replace a course in your program but is instead an additional credential that prepares students for a chaplaincy vocation in a multifaith setting. It can also be taken as a stand-alone course.
At A Glance:
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COURSE TITLE – MULTIFAITH CHAPLAINCY & SPIRITUAL CARE
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3 CREDIT HOURS
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PROFESSORS – DR. BRADLEY JERSAK AND DR. PETER FITCH
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LENGTH – 14 WEEKS
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COST – $1,185 CAD + STUDENT FEES
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students will be better equipped as chaplains with a growing multifaith perspective, faithful to their own tradition and skilled in the spiritual care of clients with whom they differ. They will have engaged the following questions, including exposure to points of view they may not share (which is the point):
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What is “multifaith chaplaincy” and how do we practice spiritual care across faith (or no-faith) spiritual traditions?
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How can we build trust, “hold difference” with respect, and develop skills in typically polarizing situations?
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What are the primary emotional challenges and spiritual needs a chaplain might encounter or need to address?
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What are some best practices and healthy approaches a chaplain needs to learn and keep in mind when meeting new clients of other worldviews and cultures?
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What are the pitfalls chaplains need to avoid in multifaith contexts? What are the most helpful questions chaplains might ask when initiating spiritual care?
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What are some central tenets, core values, and practices of faith-cultures such as First Nations spirituality, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Wicca, Sikhism, Judaism, and the “Nones and Dones” (Unaffiliated/Agnostic/Atheist).
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How to allow positive creativity to flow rather than using negative judgement, the power of unknowing, humility that waits for the creative voice.
When applying, select the 'Multifaith Chaplaincy & Spiritual Care' course from among the options.
