An Interfaith perspective provides a roadmap for navigating the boundaries between people, religions, and cultures. It is a force for bridging and healing the religious schisms of our polarized and troubled world.
The Chaplaincy Institute community is inspired by an interfaith perspective of mutual respect and harmonious living among people of all faith traditions. We celebrate and support, as an intrinsic human right, the dignity and unique spiritual path of each individual.
What does an Interfaith Minister or Chaplain do?
- Provide compassionate, respectful spiritual care to people of all faiths and people of no faith.
- Seek to honor both the diversity and the unity of all beings, cultures and faith traditions.
- Provide spiritual support, using pastoral care skills such as listening, presence, and compassion.
- Are celebrants for rituals, such as weddings and memorials, that honor the cycles of life.
- Recognizes that the Holy is everywhere: hospital, jail, nature, the streets.
- Support people in their process of sorting out their relationship to the Divine / to Spirit / to the Source of All.
- As Interfaith clergy, we delight in the rich gifts and lessons of the wisdom teachings and truths of other faith traditions, while also fully embracing our own respective traditions.
Those completing ChI's 12-module Interfaith Ordination program may choose to be commissioned as an Interfaith Chaplain or ordained as an Interfaith Minister.
A graduate choosing to be ordained are called to ministry by the Interfaith Congregation for Creative and Healing Ministries. Once ordained the congregation serves as their endorsing ecclesiastical body, to support them in their interfaith ministry and service.
A graduate choosing to be commissioned as chaplain is most often an individual who wishes to maintain strong affiliation with their faith tradition. In this instance, the Chaplaincy Institute provides an annual 'Member in Good Standing' endorsement so that they may pursue professional certification as chaplains.
