In 2001, surveys were sent to the chaplains and principals in all Uniting Church schools. Boards, Parents and Friends Associations and Old Collegians were invited to make submissions. Fifty-seven surveys and 11 submissions were received.

Around 80% of the schools had ordained chaplains, although in most instances chaplaincy functions were shared across the staff. The typical chaplain was a man (83% were males) aged in his fifties or older (53% were aged 50+). Under 30% were aged 40-49 and none were aged under 30. While the shortage of young chaplains is perhaps due to the lengthy education most possess, this does not explain the under-representation of those aged 30 - 49. Fewer than two in every ten chaplains were women and well over half the occupational group, as represented in this sample, will be retiring sometime during the next fifteen years. This profile presents a number of issues to both schools and churches which require addressing.

Further research uncovered three major approaches to chaplaincy; the chaplain as a pastor, teacher and priest. While many of the schools drew on one or more of these approaches, the chaplains were more likely to prefer the pastoral approach while the principals favoured that of the teacher. The priest approach was drawn on by both chaplains and principals but to a lesser extent. This means that were a chaplain to possess a strong orientation toward pastoring and a principal for teaching, then conflict could result due to different expectations regarding the chaplaincy role.

The Pastor

Pastoral care and support was a key function of chaplaincy in schools. However, principals and chaplains differed in how much time they felt should be allocated to it. While different schools varied, the typical chaplain spent 37% (median) of their time on this function but wished to spend well over two thirds of their time on this (67%). Principals by contrast recommended less time was spent on this function (30%). Please note that as medians or mid points, these percentages do not add to 100%.

More principals (84%) than chaplains (75%) believed pastoral counselling for students to be important or very important. However, chaplains were particularly concerned about the counselling of staff (96%) compared with under eighty percent of principals. A probable reason for this is that many of the schools have already made separate counselling provisions for students and thus some many chaplains see staff as having the greater needs. Similar proportions of chaplains and principals, between two thirds and 70%, considered counselling the families of students an important to very important function. Boards and Parents and Friends Associations affirmed the counselling role of chaplains, particularly during times of crisis such as with the death of a student.

Well under two thirds of chaplains saw supporting Christian students as a part of their function while around one fifth more principals considered this to be important or very important. While the difference is unclear, chaplains lower emphasis is perhaps due to the increasingly multi-faith environments of schools in which Christian students represent just one, often minority, group. Both chaplains and principals stressed this and the need to provide an inclusive atmosphere that values diversity.

As pastor, the chaplain's approachability, ability to listen and to be a confidant was emphasised. Training in psychology was also considered important.

In this orientation, religious faith is integrated with all aspects of life and thus is best conveyed through everyday relationships and subjects within the school curriculum. An incarnation theology underlies this orientation with the pastor represents Christ or the ‘light' within the world by caring for others and embodying the faith by example in everyday life. In this context the role of the chaplain is to: To act with integrity the gospel.

Chaplaincy is important to the life of the school in bringing to the students pastoral and moral care, and bringing religion, spiritual guidance and counselling to them ‘on site.'

The Teacher

While schools varied, chaplains typically spent just under a third of their time (median 31%) taking religious education classes which is exactly what was recommended by principals. Chaplains would have preferred to spend only one quarter of their time on this and more on counselling while, as mentioned, principals recommended they actually spend less time on this.

A large proportion of principals felt that moral education (84%) and religious education (69%) were important or very important functions of chaplaincy. The emphasis on moral education over religious emerged throughout the research. This distinction and emphasis is again due to increasing recognition of the multi-faith nature of schools.

...One has to realise that schools have students of different denominations, faiths and non-faith. Consequently there is a very real danger of trying to have a ‘full faith community' concept which could cause divisions in the school, and a possible estrangement and loss of students.

As one would anticipate, given their ‘pastor' emphasis, fewer chaplains considered moral (65%) and religious (57%) education as important. Nonetheless, the same preference toward moral education was evident.

Some principals, most probably those with a strong ‘teacher' orientation expressed a desire for chaplains to be able to take other subjects within the school curriculum. Likewise, those who saw the chaplain as a teacher emphasised the need for him/her to have training in education and teaching abilities. Many of these people felt chaplains should have an understanding of youth spirituality and personal development. The ability to reflect on faith in every day life was also highly regarded. The emphasis on these sorts of skills and abilities also assists in explaining why half the principals saw chaplain participation in co-curricular activities as important or very important as compared with only 38% of chaplains.

In this orientation, the chaplain's functions are much like those of other teaching staff. However, instead of the teaching discipline being that of mathematics or physical education, the delivery of relevant moral, religious and faith education is emphasised. In this context, religious and moral education is knowledge which must be presented to students who must then decide whether to accept or reject the information. For some, evangelism is of greater importance within this emphasis. However, overall, the chaplain's role is to teach students about how they should live, being a responsible citizen and underlying religious views of the world which provide different basis for living.

[The Chaplain] adds value in assisting young people develop their full potential, pursue knowledge, practice empathy and understand and seek to discover the answers to man's spiritual needs.

The Priest

The average chaplain spent just under one third of his/her time on school worship such as through assemblies which conforms to the principals recommendations. However, the typical chaplain would have preferred to spend slightly less time on this area (27%). A closer look showed that of all chaplains, around half felt they spent an appropriate amount of time on worship, one third would like to spend less time and only 18% more. The typical chaplain also spent around one tenth of his/her time on rites of passage, for instance, weddings, confirmations, baptisms etc. which was also recommended by principals. Some chaplains would have preferred to spend slightly more time on that.

School worship was considered important or very important by 90% of principals and 88% of chaplains. Rites of passage was given a lesser emphasis, 45% of principals and 39% of chaplains considering it important or very important. Of greater importance was theological reflection; principals 77% and chaplains 71%. Likewise, three quarters of principals and 71% of chaplains saw providing links to the Uniting church as important. Significantly, 69% of principals and 65% of chaplains felt a key function was to provide an ethical conscience for the school while just under 60% of chaplains and 42% of principals affirmed the role of supporting the school board.

Those emphasising the chaplain as priest saw their function as representing both God and the church in the school. As priest, the chaplain is the spiritual leader of the school. He or she must reflect theologically on the school and its place in the church, provide ethical guidance and conduct worship and rites of passage. Those emphasising the priest orientation believe religious education should be a separate subject within the curriculum and aim to impart the tradition of faith on to students. They also emphasised the importance chaplains having theological and liturgical training and abilities. As one respondent coined it, chaplaincy is: The Life of the Church lived out.

Education, Abilities and the Triune Chaplain

Although something has already been said of these, this is arguably a key area for chaplaincy planning in the future. The majority of chaplains had at least 2 degrees. Almost all had a bachelor of theology, diploma of theology or master of divinity. Around two thirds also had teacher training of some description. Almost eighty percent of chaplains considered being ordained of some importance.

Chaplains and principals ranked the types of formal training relatively similarly. Theology or Bible training was most important. Liturgy or worship training was considered very important or important by over half of principals but only one third of chaplains. Interestingly, psychology/counselling training was considered important or very important by one third of chaplains but only 17% of chaplains. This might be because chaplains come from more of a pastoral counselling orientation, which would have been included in their theological training. The social sciences by contrast were considered important or very important by very few considering there was a perceived need of relating faith to young people within the current day context.

By contrast, ethics and character formation were rated important or very important by around 40% of principals and chaplains. Surprisingly, teaching skills rated lower while educational theory was considered very important by proportionally few. Other (qualitative) data indicated that many principals actually considered these to be very important.

The most important ability a chaplain could have was in communicating the faith according to 87% of principals. Only 67% of chaplains considered this most important, rating personal integrity (83%), approachability (79%) and the ability to reflect on faith in society (79%). Similar proportions of principals considered all but the latter most important.

By contrast, fewer chaplains and principals valued being a deep thinker while social justice was valued by less chaplains. Likewise proportionately few considered being an inspiring speaker of most importance and very few considered evangelistic abilities of most importance.

This data reflects the pattern of those chaplains who favoured the pastor orientation of being approachable and seeking ways of integrating faith into aspects of the school. The teacher orientation can also be seen with principals favouring communicating of the faith and an awareness of youth spirituality.

What this data also reflects is that the different forms of education required in chaplaincy are quite diverse. The ideal chaplain should have:

1. A theological degree and be ordained (priest);
2. Bible and pastoral training, degrees in Psychology and Counselling specialising in youth and spirituality (pastor);
3. A teaching qualification specialising in Religious Education, a second key learning area if possible and the ability to take extra-curricular activities ie. train the football team (teacher).

Not only does this equate to several life times of study, few people are talented or have an inclination toward all of those areas. Perhaps rather than needing the triune chaplain, schools actually require 3 separate people or more accurately, the division of chaplaincy into 3 distinct roles.

1. Teaching and/or counselling staff focussed on faith by example, specifically through caring in everyday life.
2. Teaching staff with training in religious and moral education, who present knowledge and provide the tools for students to make educated decisions.
3. Ordained clergy from the local community to conduct school worship, rites of passage and bring the church to the school.

In any case, the data indicates that principals and chaplains sometimes have quite different perceptions of their roles which presents a potential source of conflict. This suggests that at very least, schools and churches need to be clear about what form they want chaplaincy to take and advertise this desired orientation in the job description. In this way, a greater sense of clarity will exist in terms of role expectations.

The Challenges

Chaplains and principals identified similar challenges in chaplaincy. The voices of the pastor, the teacher and the priest are evident in each of these but some orientations arguably are stronger for particular points.

1) Being relevant, communicating with and engaging young people in spirituality: stimulating and challenging young people. This involves making the Christian life "real" to students by speaking their language within the context of the social and cultural environment of 2001. Part of the contemporary challenge involves recognising the diversity of faiths and communicating to those who have previously no knowledge of Christianity or church (Pastor, Teacher and Priest).

2) Relating to postmodern society which many chaplains and principals perceive as post-Christian, materialistic, secularised and relativistic society which often experiences a sense of hopelessness. Cultural and religious pluralism are related challenges as schools become multicultural and multi-faith environments (Teacher).

3) Assisting students in their spiritual journeys and developing a value system. Within this context a challenge for chaplaincy is presenting Christianity as a viable option for doing this (Teacher).

4) Living Christianity and teaching through example. Presenting the gospel through daily living and ‘being the Church' for students and staff, particularly as many have no other contact with it. This involves developing a Christian ethos in the life of the school (Pastor and Priest).

5) Providing student counselling and pastoral care (Pastor).

The Future?

In looking toward the future, a number of themes were explored through the research. All participants were asked if the school should be considered as a community of faith. Generally it was felt that schools were limited in their capacity to develop as such due to the diversity; multi-denominational, multi-faith and non-faith, that they contained.

The need for religious tolerance and acceptance of diversity was a strong theme and it was felt that above all, the school must be inclusive and accepting of diversity. In this sense, the further development of a "Christian ethos" was preferred over that of religious doctrine and belief. This shift in terminology has been evident through the research as moral education has increased in importance over religious education, as the importance of understanding youth spirituality has been emphasised as has empathising with other faiths. It should be noted that this shift is much stronger among principals.

However, the substance of what would constitute a school with a strong Christian ethos is still somewhat vague. Some principals and chaplains saw themselves as mission communities in which the church was brought to the students, in all their diversity, and lived by example. Here the pastor orientation is evident. Others saw the school as a community centred around worship activities and ongoing relationships bound together by rites as the students in the community grew up, were confirmed and married etc. Here, the priest is leading. For others, the future of chaplaincy lay in helping young people to develop, explore faith and responsible living and make educated choices. In this future, the teacher is active.

One thing is for certain. Each of these orientations has a role to play in future chaplaincy. What schools and churches need to work at is envisioning these orientations in a manner that suits their individual circumstances.

Sharon Bond