The content of this book provides a way forward for professional chaplaincy in Canada. The first section presents an historical overview of what has taken place in chaplaincy and situates the debate between the sacred and the secular. The next six sections provide specific examples of what is possible. Reflections on the use of coercion and the universality of religion in chapters nine and ten illustrate the unique challenges of prison ministry. The purpose of a pastoral interview in chapter eleven helps chaplains be more intentional in their encounters with inmates. Various programs and courses that have been effective are outlined in chapters fifteen and sixteen. Cases studies of religious accommodation are included in chapters twenty and twenty-one so that chaplains know how to proceed with faith traditions different from their own. Analyses of various chapels in chapters twenty-two and twenty- three assist chaplains in reflecting on the effectiveness of sacred spaces in their facilities. Two book reviews in chapters twenty-five and twenty-six facilitate reader discernment about whether prison chaplaincy is for them.
-From draft foreword, A Prison Chaplaincy Manual (forthcoming)
