{"id":7995,"date":"2024-11-19T16:41:29","date_gmt":"2024-11-19T16:41:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.luthersem.edu\/story\/?p=7995"},"modified":"2024-11-19T16:53:38","modified_gmt":"2024-11-19T16:53:38","slug":"bridging-the-gap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.luthersem.edu\/story\/2024\/11\/19\/bridging-the-gap\/","title":{"rendered":"Bridging the gap"},"content":{"rendered":"

Peter Peregrine \u201924 M.A.<\/strong> walks down the halls of an assisted living facility in Wisconsin, smiling at everyone he\u2019s met who won\u2019t remember him. As a full-time chaplain, Peregrine spends many hours in the memory care unit. He tells each resident he\u2019s happy to see them\u2014and he genuinely means it. Even if there\u2019s no favorable resolution to their condition, he hopes sitting with them is comfort enough.<\/p>\n

\u201cI see my role as being God\u2019s presence in this facility. That doesn\u2019t mean that I am God, but I represent what is already here\u2014which is God\u2019s presence,\u201d said Peregrine.<\/p>\n

Peregrine\u2019s time is divided between several programs, including Bible studies for residents and dementia support groups for families. The unique role he plays allows him to form lasting relationships with the residents, providing spiritual care from a time of health to their final days.<\/p>\n

Being involved in the dying process is a sacred privilege for Peregrine. Though death is a universal experience, it remains inexplicable and difficult for many to process. Where one might be expected to turn to theology or biblical teachings to offer solace, Peregrine says chaplains don\u2019t provide answers.<\/p>\n

\u201cA chaplain doesn\u2019t say, \u2018Oh, they\u2019re in a better place,\u2019 or \u2018It was time for God to take them.\u2019 You don\u2019t give them trite responses.\u201d<\/p>\n

The open-endedness of chaplaincy looks different from his former profession as an archeology professor who helped guide students to answers. After 33 years of teaching, Peregrine felt pulled to work with a population closer to his own age, which led him to elder care ministry and a degree from Luther Seminary.<\/p>\n

In 2023, Luther Seminary redesigned a Master of Arts in Lutheran ministries with a concentration in chaplaincy. The fully-funded program combines online coursework with the completion of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) and internship requirements locally. The program grew out of an increased interest in chaplaincy, a clergy position that provides spiritual care to those in hospitals, prisons, universities, and other institutions. But how can a single degree adequately prepare students for such a wide variety of contexts?<\/p>\n

Associate Professor Cody Sanders <\/strong>explained that, despite the diversity of roles students may enter into, active listening and trauma-informed care are skills any future chaplain should learn. Sanders served as a university chaplain at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University before accepting a faculty role at Luther. He now teaches classes rooted in universal experiences like grief and loss and classes<\/p>\n

rooted in the present moment such as ecological collapse and political turmoil.<\/p>\n

Beyond the walls of a classroom or the screens of a Zoom meeting, students are asked to complete two units of CPE\u2014and that\u2019s where the true individuality of the profession flourishes.<\/p>\n

\u201cCPE really leans into what students\u2019 gifts are and their sense of calling,\u201d explained Ashley<\/strong> Wheeler<\/strong>, associate director of candidacy and vocational formation. \u201cA lot of them are working in a variety of settings\u2014so not just in a congregation\u2014really bridging that gap between the church and the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Three
EMS Chaplain Russell Myers \u201985 M.Div., \u201903 D.Min.<\/b> (middle) rides in the ambulance with paramedics who respond to 911 calls. (Courtesy photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When Russell Myers \u201985 M.Div., \u201903 D.Min. <\/strong>became an EMS chaplain in 2007, his job title didn\u2019t exist. At Allina Health, paramedics didn\u2019t have chaplains waiting outside the ambulance door to debrief a critical incident.<\/p>\n

Prior to working in EMS, Myers had served as a hospital chaplain. The hospital had a history of chaplains with no clinical training and a narrow focus on religious rituals.<\/p>\n

One day, Myers escorted a hospital guest to the ICU. During their walk to her family member, the woman was surprised to learn the hospital allowed a religious professional to be present\u2014but her surprise was one of delight.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat a mission field,\u201d she marveled.<\/p>\n

Myers explained, \u201cThis isn\u2019t a mission field. This is a hospital, and I think it would be unethical of me to take advantage of somebody who is sick.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although he takes on the title of \u201cpastor\u201d within the four walls of a church, he\u2019s a chaplain at Allina\u2014and that makes all the difference. For Myers and many others, chaplaincy invites expanded boundaries in the name of radical acceptance.<\/p>\n

But this acceptance also creates questions: What does it mean to be a part of the ELCA\u2014a denomination with \u201cevangelical\u201d as its first word\u2014and not evangelize? What does it mean to be an evangelical Christian while working in a secular context?<\/p>\n

For Myers, it meant returning to Luther Seminary for doctoral studies and an exploration of the theological foundations of chaplaincy.<\/p>\n

For Denise<\/strong> Henry \u201921<\/strong> M.Div<\/strong>, an assisted living chaplain in a North Carolina skilled nursing facility, it means turning the Muslim patient east when he\u2019s dying or being present when the Hindu priest completes last rites.<\/p>\n

\u201cInterfaith is important\u2014not every person is Christian,\u201d she stated. \u201cIt\u2019s not about bringing people to Jesus, but I get to be the hands and feet of Jesus in whatever he looks like to them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Though chaplains live out interfaith questions in a myriad of ways, many agree the importance lies in embodying the gospel rather than proclaiming it.<\/p>\n

Myers has embodied the gospel for 31 years as a chaplain at Allina Health\u2014with 17 of those years spent in EMS services. What was once a trial-and-error experience is now well-researched expertise. Myers even wrote \u201cBecause We Care: A Handbook for Chaplaincy in Emergency Medical Services\u201d to pass on to his successors. In a protocol-based business, it\u2019s important to have guidelines for chaplains too.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a chaplain, you have to learn how to speak the same language as the administrators,\u201d said Myers. \u201cSo, I started writing procedures for when something happens.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although a chaplain\u2019s day is rarely predictable, one thing became clear to Myers: relationships are the key. To be proactive rather than reactive in emergency situations, he had to know his fellow first responders on a deep and trusted level. As one of Myers\u2019 public safety trainers claimed, \u201cThe time of a crisis is not the time to exchange business cards.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, rather than being the eyebrow-raising \u201creligious guy\u201d outside the ambulance door, Myers rides beside the paramedics. He wears the uniform and experiences the scenes in real time.<\/p>\n

Myers shares his perspective at new employee orientation. \u201cWhen you respond to a really bad call, I don\u2019t want to be the anonymous voice on the phone from an 800-number from five states away.\u201d<\/p>\n

He has also joined forces with an epidemiologist to research which incidents hit paramedics the hardest. Together they found that pediatric calls resulted in the most post-traumatic stress. With new knowledge in hand, Myers built a pediatric code into the dispatch system\u2014 and when workers respond to an accident, he knows to check in with them after.<\/p>\n

Myers\u2019 chaplaincy goes beyond one-on-one healing conversations. He aims to transform the \u201cshake-it-off\u201d culture many first responders have adopted. For years, Myers saw people struggle with shame, convincing themselves they needed to settle into a new normal alone. He destigmatizes asking for help.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t just have to change out of your shirt that has blood on it and go back out on the streets,\u201d he tells witnesses. \u201cMaybe you need time off to decompress rather than toughen up.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Military
At the Expeditionary Combat Readiness Center in Norfolk, Virginia, Chaplain Aaron Fuller \u201913 M.Div.<\/b> leads an Ash Wednesday service for sailors and civilians. (Courtesy photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As a military chaplain, Aaron Fuller \u201913 M.Div. <\/strong>is no stranger to the work of transforming an institution\u2019s culture. He initially joined the military as a U.S. Navy submarine officer, a profession he enjoyed for its ethical groundedness. But after nine years, Fuller was no longer able to reconcile his career pursuits with his personal values. He enrolled at Luther Seminary, a detail he admitted to a lifelong mentor and Navy chaplain. She recruited him for two years before he finally returned to military service\u2014this time in a different capacity.<\/p>\n

As a chaplain, Fuller is now uniquely positioned to speak out against injustices when service members come to him with concerns. People with low rank often experience a feeling of voicelessness, Fuller explained. But in his role, he can listen to their pain and bring it to the people who have the power to make change.<\/p>\n

During his time as a military chaplain, Fuller has addressed the shame that often shrouds sexual assault and the prevalence of racial discrimination. Following the 2020 murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police, he created resources for more effective conversations about racial injustice. Collaborating with an advisory board, Fuller prompted dialogue within the military units that were dispatched to handle the city\u2019s unrest, addressing racial, gender, and class issues head-on.<\/p>\n

\u201cI help train chaplains on the idea of moral injury,\u201d Fuller said. \u201cIn their pastoral care, how are they noticing violations of people\u2019s sense of morality in a system or by another person in authority, and how can they use that in their advisement role to address systemic issues that are happening within the command?\u201d<\/p>\n

This form of advocacy is a key component of Fuller\u2019s ministry. While the stereotypical image of a chaplain may involve a ritual at a hospital bedside, military chaplains\u2019 duties extend beyond sitting with someone in their grief. The versatility of chaplaincy has taken him across the globe, with pit stops in Germany, the Pentagon in Virginia, and his current location: Slovakia.<\/p>\n

Not only do military chaplains advocate for the silenced and serve people of different faith backgrounds, but they also provide care beyond the spiritual realm.<\/p>\n

The approach to their education is comprehensive, including non-medical training in physical and mental health care.<\/p>\n

\u201cDepartment of Defense chaplains are equipped to provide that care, because typically when we\u2019re deployed in the middle of nowhere, there are no mental health services,\u201d Fuller explained.<\/p>\n

At times isolated from the rest of the world, Fuller has camped out with service members in their tents, recalling a time when their radio wasn\u2019t working. He examined and fixed it himself.<\/p>\n

One serviceman quipped, \u201cI thought all you did was pray, Chaps.\u201d<\/p>\n

As it turns out, providing counseling, impromptu church services, and tech support all fit into Fuller\u2019s job description.<\/p>\n

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Staci Stought \u201927 M.Div. <\/strong>could have never anticipated the surprising direction of her chaplaincy journey.<\/p>\n

\"\"
At her local church, Luther Seminary student Staci Stought \u201927 M.Div.<\/b> launched an ongoing group that provides education and support for victims of genderbased
violence. (Courtesy photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Growing up in a Presbyterian church in Ohio, where women weren\u2019t allowed to hold the offering plate, a spiritual leadership position seemed completely out of reach. Her 12 years as a sexual assault police officer was born out of a passion for justice\u2014the same passion that called her to Luther Seminary.<\/p>\n

During Stought\u2019s three-month CPE experience at OhioHealth Hospitals in Summer 2024, she began to connect the threads between her past profession and her future one. Her bedside discussion topics with<\/p>\n

ER patients ranged from simple conversations about the weather to the complex anxieties surrounding impending surgeries. But other times, life outside the hospital would creep in, as she discovered trauma resulting from gender-based violence in many of her patients. Stought began to wonder if there were any<\/p>\n

chaplains who explicitly served survivors.<\/p>\n

It became clear to Stought that addressing gender- based violence is a major need in Christian ministry. Lack of education not only leaves victims without resources, but receiving care without the proper tools can be damaging to their recovery.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s crucial for pastoral caregivers, clergy, chaplains\u2014when they are hearing trauma\u2014to first and foremost say, \u2018I believe you,\u2019\u201d said Stought.<\/p>\n

She explained that many survivors undergo a second trauma when they are blamed for their experience. After Stought has listened to and affirmed what someone has said, she reiterates, saying, \u201cI am sorry this happened to you. This was not your fault.\u201d<\/p>\n

Recognizing the continuing need for her work, Grant Hospital in Columbus created a new position for Stought. She now gives spiritual care to survivors of sexual violence, child abuse, domestic violence, gunshot wounds, and elder abuse for a year following their trauma. In addition to her ER work during CPE, she taught a four-week Bible study at Messiah Lutheran Church in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, exploring how the church can respond to sexual violence\u2014especially when so many institutions have failed to do so.<\/p>\n

Messiah Lutheran now has a group dedicated to reducing the harm of gender-based violence. What started as Stought\u2019s guidance has developed into something that will long outlast her CPE unit and spread further than the pulpit. Stought credited her seminary professors Anna<\/strong> Marsh<\/strong> \u201909<\/strong> M.A.<\/strong> and Cody Sanders with helping her find a path to merge two of her passions: chaplaincy and anti-oppression work.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would have never been able to make that connection without their brilliance, and without them really pressing me the way they press all students to be innovative and to ask, \u2018What does Christian leadership look like out in the world\u2014not just in the four walls of the church?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

That question is what draws many people to chaplaincy. These clergy members spend time in prisons, hospitals, and universities because, as Sanders points out, \u201cThat\u2019s where people are living their lives.\u201d Wheeler adds that the U.S. political climate, combined with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, have made chaplaincy work even more vital in polarized times.<\/p>\n

When loneliness flourishes, chaplains bridge the gap between the individual and the community.<\/p>\n

Quotes and opinions shared by Aaron Fuller are his own and do not represent official stances of the Department of Defense, Navy, and Navy Chaplain Corps.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Read more from Winter 2024<\/h2>\n