The professionalization of chaplaincy: A Comparison of 1997 and 2017 Surveys in The Netherlands

J.N. den Toom*, Renske Kruizinga, Anke I. Liefbroer, Jacques Körver

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

Abstract

Chaplaincy has become increasingly professionalized in response to both the standardization in healthcare and the changing religious landscape. Whereas several studies have paid attention to the professionalization of chaplaincy as a whole, no research has been found that describes the implications for individual chaplains. The present article describes the professionalization of Dutch chaplains in the last two decades. We compared the results of two surveys conducted with chaplains in the Netherlands in 1997 and 2017. We describe professionalization by distinguishing between the changed values, expertise, and positioning of chaplains. We found that chaplains’ expertise has been developed by a growing but highly diverse body of knowledge. Furthermore, a pluralization of chaplains’ worldviews was observed, including non-religious and non-affiliated positions. Lastly, no major changes were observed in the embedding of chaplains.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)14-29
Number of pages16
JournalJournal of Health Care Chaplaincy
Volume29
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2023

Keywords

  • Chaplaincy
  • The Netherlands
  • pluralization
  • professionalization
  • spiritual care

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