‘A theology for school chaplaincy’ National School Chaplaincy Conference June 2015

Preliminaries … ‘A’ theology for school chaplaincy… Are there different ‘theologies’ for different chaplaincy contexts? All theology is contextual; and school chaplaincy is highly context-dependent; but … We need to be clear about our fundamental theological rationale in the present situation.

The present situation… Huge expansion of ‘chaplaincy’ (including other- and non-faith) – ‘a very modern ministry’. Recent Theos report identified 169 ‘chaplains’ in Luton – one for every 1200 people. What is distinctive about Christian chaplaincy and how does it relate to other chaplaincy and to counselling? At root these are theological questions – hence the significance of ‘a theology’ for school chaplaincy.

What do we mean by theology? Theology in ‘four dimensions’ (Cameron, et al 2010): Normative – what churches teach; Formal – what theologians explore; Espoused – what adherents claim; Operant – what drives practice. My book describes the espoused and operant theologies of chaplains: and I try also to offer a ‘formal’ theology.

Where does a theology begin? With God and the world, ‘Christ and culture’ (Neibuhr 1951). How do we believe God relates to the world? Constantly as Father, Son and Spirit: creator, redeemer and sustainer. Missiology (Bosch 1991, Bevans 1992, 2005) describes an ongoing divine activity of love, in which ‘God is ahead of us in mission’ (Avis 2005). All Christian ministry is rooted in mission, in the constant loving activity of God: the paradigm is the ministry of Jesus.

The Jesus paradigm for ministry It is about ‘going out’; about meeting and encounter; about healing and teaching. It is about being and bringing ‘good news’ of liberation from forces of oppression and captivity. It is about prompting thought, reflection and imagination: through parables, sayings, stories. It is about challenging the familiar and conventional, the routine (and the religious). It is rooted in existential trust in God’s love and goodness – expressed in ‘Our Father’ (‘Mother’?).

The Emmaus road - a model for chaplaincy ministry (Luke 24:13-35) Jesus ‘comes near’ and ‘walks with’ them; He is interested in their conversation, and asks about it; He listens to their story; He offers his own understanding and interpretation; He is invited to join them at supper and preside at table; He becomes recognised, ‘made known’, in the breaking of bread.

What is distinctive about this vision of chaplaincy? It is specifically Christian: rooted in the Trinitarian faith and in the centrality of Jesus; It is concerned with liberation from oppression and captivity: it isn’t simply ‘being nice to people’, but is about the flourishing of the human person; It offers more than listening and encouragement, and draws on the resources of scripture and liturgy to support the spiritual development of others; It is about ‘heart speaking to heart’, Newman’s ‘cor ad cor loquitur’; it is personally committed.

Mission, ministry, or both? Ministry is about being with people; chaplaincy is about being with people where they are. And ministry’s purpose is to contribute to the loving mission of God in the world. At the heart of this is pastoral care: pastoral care is care of others for their sake and for Christ's sake. Pastoral care isn’t an alternative to evangelisation: it is enacting the gospel, the very heart of mission.

A theology for school chaplaincy Our context: one where the Church is adrift, even disconnected from society (Davie, 2015; Woodhead & Clarke 2015). Our calling: to be the ‘walking sacraments’ who bring Christ to others where they are; and who recognise Christ in them. Our rationale: rooted in Trinitarian faith and in the mission and ministry of Jesus. Our distinctiveness: ‘ the gift is Christ’.

Bibliography Avis, P: A Ministry Shaped by Mission (2005) Bevans, S B: Models of Contextual Theology (1992) Bevans, S B & Schroeder, R P: Constants in Context (2005) Bosch, D J: Transforming Mission (1991) Clarke, C & Woodhead, L: A New Settlement: Religion and Belief in Schools (2015) Cameron, H et al: Talking about God in Practice (2010) Davie, G: Religion in Britain: a Persistent Paradox (2015) Lyall, D: The Integrity of Pastoral Care (2001) Niebuhr, Richard H: Christ and Culture (1951)

Crowborough East Sussex TN6 1YE Contact: johncaperon@btinternet.com Sarum Twyfords Crowborough East Sussex TN6 1YE