The nature of the ministry of school chaplains in Church of England secondary schools

摘要

This thesis argues that since in our increasingly secularised culture one of the veryudfew direct points of contact between the Church of England and the young is theudministry of school chaplains, theirs is a vital ministry for the Church and its future.udThe study described in the thesis researched school chaplaincy in Church of Englandudsecondary schools to establish what chaplains do, how they understand their ministryudand how school students themselves respond to chaplaincy.udOriginating in the researcher’s professional role in support of school chaplains, theudresearch was undertaken on a multi-method basis. Initial scoping interviews wereudundertaken with school chaplains and headteachers in a range of schools. A fulludliterature review located school chaplaincy within the conceptual contexts ofudmissiology, ministry and chaplaincy. In-depth interviews with school chaplainsudexplored their self-understanding as ministers. A national, internet-based survey ofudall contactable school chaplains was undertaken to explore issues identified earlier inudthe study, and a series of focus-group interviews was undertaken with senior schooludstudents.udThe research revealed that chaplains perceive little awareness within the Church ofudEngland of the missional significance of their ministry, although individual chaplainsudemerged as highly-motivated spiritual professionals committed to the pastoraludwelfare of their communities, and with a strong sense of their mission as ‘Godudpeople’. From a wide variety of ecclesial and personal backgrounds and working inudvery different school contexts, chaplains have multiple, significant functions whichudare well understood by school students, and exercise a ‘ministry of presence’.udThe research evidence highlights the need for greater recognition of the ministry ofudschool chaplains and for structures of support and development to resource this vitaludministry. The thesis concludes with an outline of policy proposals for the Church inudthe light of the recent development of a new ‘para-chaplaincy’.