Hindu chaplaincy is a growing field in North America and resources are increasingly available to meet the demand. The North American Hindu Chaplains Association (NAHCA) aims to be a resource and endorsing body for current and aspiring Hindu spiritual care-givers, for those interested in supporting Hindu care recipients, and for hiring institutions.
The association was launched in 2020 during a virtual conference on Hindu chaplaincy chaired by Dr. Asha Shipman, the Director of Hindu Life and Hindu Chaplain at Yale University with the support of Convergence on Campus. This launch, years in the making, featured keynotes, panels and resources on Hindu spiritual care-giving from the perspective of higher education, healthcare and community settings.
NAHCA plans to expand its support to those working in corrections and the military. In 2019, she and colleagues contributed to the first book on Hindu chaplaincy in the US, titled Hindu Approaches to Spiritual Care. You can read the Chaplaincy Innovation Lab’s review of the book here.
