Chaplains in independent church schools straddling church and school.

[摘要] Certain educational institutions still claim to be Church schools and continueto employ chaplains in spite of post-Enlightenment cynicism andsecularization. A number of chaplains face a struggle to balance obligationsto both Church and school. Some face ambivalence about their continuedappointment in their liberal educational institutions. In some cases it appearsthat they are merely appointed out of deference to tradition. In other schools,however, there is a strong declaration that the chaplain and all that theposition entails in terms of chapel services and the teaching of the Christianreligion, remains an integral part of the Church school. There is confusionregarding the role, expectations and prospects of chaplaincy. Certainchaplains are definitely marginalised from the mainstream of school life untiltraditional religious services require what is apparently a charade of Churchfaith at schools that are largely secularised. I argue that the marginalisation ofthe spiritual from the rest of the school programme is not in the best interestsof continuing the excellence of the educational experience and thetransformation of South African Independent Church schools. This would bebetter served by seeking an integrated worldview to sustain a way of lifebeyond school years. Chaplains may take on the role of encouragingeducation for the whole of life by facilitating critical thinking and broadconversations across the artificial barriers of school subject compartments.They may also lead a Church school community towards a fresh investigationof Christianity that will involve the chaplain’s liturgical, teaching, pastoral andsocial action roles, a marriage of theory and praxis to bring the balance ofhead, heart and hands.

[发布机构] University of the Witwatersrand