Caring for Interfaith Caregivers

caring for interfaith caregivers in NJ

Wendy Cadge (Brandeis University), Tanya Linn Bennett (Drew Theological School)

Funded by the Russell Berrie Foundation 2021

This project supported resilience among chaplains across faith traditions in New Jersey as we moved through stages of the COVID19 pandemic. The Chaplaincy Innovation Lab partnered with Drew Theological School to build a database of all organizations in New Jersey where chaplains work and all of the individuals doing that work.

This fundamental task initiated a state-based model of spiritual care information organization.

GOALS AND ACTIVITIES

We reached out to invite all chaplains living or working in New Jersey to participate in a four-week facilitated Zoom conversation circle with other chaplains in the state and to participate in a half-day in-person workshop about interfaith spiritual care at Drew University

These efforts have supported individual chaplains, promoted interfaith understanding among chaplains in the state, and begun to build community and connections among those doing this important work in a growing range of settings.

Project goals include the following:

  • Support spiritual care providers in New Jersey
  • Strengthen the New Jersey interfaith community through chaplaincy
  • Expand the capacity of chaplains of interfaith religious leaders working as chaplains in New Jersey

Project activities included the following:

  • Four-week facilitated conversation circles for chaplains
  • Half-day networking workshop to close the project
  • Centralized database of New Jersey spiritual care providers
  • A workshop for chaplains on conflict transformation
  • An online network for New Jersey chaplains (enrollment completed here)
  • Access to a Union Theological Seminary – Chaplaincy Innovation Lab collaborative course, “Integrating Spiritual Generalist Skills into Healthcare Practice”

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