Chaplains bring the presence of Christ to persons and situations that are often inaccessible to traditional pastors, missionaries, and parachurch workers. Chaplaincy ministry is incarnational by nature. A chaplain’s parish ranges from battlefields to airfields, hospital rooms to break rooms, prison chapels to ships at sea. Though chaplains are often associated with military forces or  hospitals, they may also serve in a number of different situations, such as disaster relief (first responder), corporate, fire departments, police departments, airports, race tracks, sports teams, nursing homes, hospice, and correctional institutions. Additionally, though many chaplains serve in a full-time capacity, a number of pastors have expanded their ministries by serving as reserve chaplains or as volunteers with their local police or fire departments. The opportunities chaplaincy ministry provides are plentiful.

Trinity is unique in its ability to offer not just basic chaplaincy courses, but specialized study options in related subjects including bioethics, counseling, and philosophy of religion (essential to those who serve in pluralistic environments). Additionally, Trinity’s proximity to a major military installation (Naval Station Great Lakes), major hospitals (including the nation’s first Federal Health Care Center), an abundance of nursing home, multi-level care facilities, and other chaplaincy-related organizations make this an ideal location to pursue chaplaincy training.

Students in the military chaplain career field may be eligible to receive a minimum of $4,500 per year in Trinity scholarships. Students must be accepted into the MDiv program at TEDS and approved as a Chaplain Candidate by a branch of the armed services or National Guard. Contact the Financial Aid Office at finaid@tiu.edu for more details.

Courses you might take:

For more information, contact Dr. Ken Botton, Coordinator of Chaplaincy Studies, at kbotton@tiu.edu.