Introduction
Buddhist Chaplaincy is a relatively recent phenomenon, having first appeared in the USA and the UK in the 1980s. However, it is quickly growing in popularity and has increasing representation especially in the fields of the military, healthcare, and criminal justice. Particularly in the USA, training programs in Buddhist chaplaincy have begun to proliferate in response to demand. Buddhist chaplaincy is rooted in the fundamental compassionate motivation to alleviate suffering. This entry will briefly describe the origin of chaplaincy in Christianity and its emergence in Buddhist contexts. It will describe accreditation and training and the roles of contemporary Buddhist chaplains. Despite the recent increase of Buddhist chaplains and training programs, little has been written analytically about chaplaincy and the study of this field is in its nascent phases.
History
The concept and role of a chaplain is rooted in the Christian tradition. The word “chaplain” comes from...
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Bibliography
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Web Resources
Angulimala, Buddhist Prison Chaplaincy UK. http://angulimala.org.uk/
Buddhist Chaplaincy and Related Organizations.
Buddhist Military Sangha, US. http://buddhistmilitarysangha.blogspot.com/2007_07_01_archive.html
Chaplaincy training programs in the US.
Harvard Buddhist Ministry Program. http://hds.harvard.edu/academics/buddhist-ministry-initiative
Institute of Buddhist Studies Certificate in Buddhist Chaplaincy. http://www.shin-ibs.edu/academics/certificate-programs/buddhist-chaplaincy/
Naropa University Master of Divinity Chaplaincy Project. https://www.naropa.edu/academics/shis/grad/master-of-divinity/about/chaplaincy-project.php
New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care Professional Chaplaincy Training. http://zencare.org/contemplative-care-training-program/professional-cpe-buddhist-chaplaincy-training
Prison Mindfulness Institute, US. http://www.prisonmindfulness.org/
Sati Center Buddhist Chaplaincy Training Program. http://www.sati.org/buddhist-chaplaincy-training-program/
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Upaya Zen Center Program. http://www.upaya.org/social-action/chaplaincy/
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Compson, J. (2020). Buddhist Chaplaincy. In: Leeming, D.A. (eds) Encyclopedia of Psychology and Religion. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-24348-7_9375
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