A Growing Chaplaincy

Buddhist chaplaincy is becoming a distinctly growing and evolving trend in Buddhism in the U.S. There are now several universities and study centers that offer accredited courses in C.P.E. (Clinical Pastoral Education), and more people are graduating from these courses to become professional chaplains of Buddhist faith. The New York Zen Center for Contemplatiave Care recently graduated its first class (see Rev. Danny Fisher's blog). There are more news stories on Buddhist chaplains (there was recently an article in the Los Angeles Times). There is also good news on the military front - we have acquired two new military chaplain candidates: Chaplain Candidate Thomas Dyer, and Chaplain Candidate Christopher Mohr (welcome to the blog!), who is planning to work in the Army National Guard, and there may be several candidates in the near-future for U.S. Navy Chaplaincy.

This is exciting for several reasons: First, chaplaincy in the U.S. has only until recently been the exclusive domain of the Judeo-Christian traditions (i.e. you had a choice of either Catholic, Protestant, or Jewish), but with the growing religious diversity of the American population, there has been a need for chaplains of other major faith traditions (for example, see the below post). Although there are still very few Buddhist chaplains available, either professional or volunteer, the presence of even one chaplain is vital.

Second, Buddhist chaplaincy has not been limited to any single Buddhist tradition. Buddhist chaplains come from all three major Buddhist traditions: Mahayana, Theravada, and Vajrayana. There does not seem to be any one specific tradition or school which is more conducive to or works better within chaplaincy than others. Also, as chaplaincy is a new dimension for many of these traditions; this offers an opportunity for Buddhists of very different practices to come together and share ideas and theories on chaplaincy (which is already occurring via the Buddhist Chaplains Network and other venues). This is unique in the history of Buddhism itself!

The importance of Buddhist Chaplaincy therefore lies in the interfaith and intra-Sangha dialogue it provides. One of the misconceptions of chaplaincy is that chaplains will simply care for their own. Chaplains are called upon often to provide spiritual care, counseling, or simply just to listen, for all persons. It is not the case that a chaplain will just sit in an office waiting for the buzzer to ring for a specific faith group. Chaplains very often are out and about, making visitations, counsel persons not of their own faith, and often those not belonging to any faith group. Proselytizing is not in the chaplain's job description. Negative media reports involving chaplains nearly always involve someone's blatant attempts at conversion, or ethical violations. Chaplains must navigate a thin line on when and where to share faith, and what behaviors are and aren't acceptable. Buddhists are not immune from this, and we can even learn something about this from our Christian and Jewish colleagues. Even as chaplaincy is "new," we must also have to explain it to other Buddhists who may not understand what it is, why it is important, or why a Buddhist teacher or monk or nun must associate with non-Buddhists: it has also been my experience that we must justify our presence not only to some non-Buddhists, but also to our fellow Buddhists who misunderstand chaplain work.
Chaplaincy also offers a potentially new way on sharing Buddha-dharma, and in a way acceptable for this time and place, and in specific places. At the very least, it demonstrates the presence of Buddhism in the world beyond the temple and monastery. Chaplaincy is explicitly in the realm of engaged Buddhism.

Buddhist chaplaincy in all its manifestations, whether hospital, prison, military, campus, etc., is still in its beginning stages, and there is still a need for more chaplains. Please consult some of the links on this page for further information on how to become a professional or volunteer chaplain. Also, there are no "quotas" for most chaplaincies, including the Armed Forces. Consider chaplaincy!

Namo Amida Butsu

"The Hindu Chaplain"

The July/August/September 2009 issue of Hinduism Today has an article by Swami Sarvaananda, the only Hindu Chaplain in the U.S. endorsed by the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC) and is worth a read to understand chaplaincy as practiced from a Hindu perspective, and which shares some similarities with Buddhist chaplaincy. Currently there are no Hindu military chaplains, which Swami Sarvaananda also addresses.
The article can be read here.

5th Annual Buddhist Chaplain Symposium, OCT. 3 2009, Redwood City, California

Save the date!!!!!!
The 5th Annual symposium will be held in Redwood City Ca. on Oct. 3rd, 2009, in Redwood City, California.

Gil Fronsdal and Daijaku Judith Kinst will be the speakers!

Buddhist Spiritual Care Symposium
Saturday, October 3rd, 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. Vegetarian lunch included. Welcoming Buddhist chaplains and those interested in deepening their spiritual care practice for a day of learning and community-building. Topics will include issues of Spiritual Direction, Buddhist Parables, Rituals,
Presented by Buddhist Chaplains Group.

More info to come available at: Buddhist Chaplains Network http://www.buddhistchaplainsnetwork.org/

Navy SEAL uses Zen Buddhism

Navy SEAL uses Zen Buddhism to unlock his potential on the inside. While Navy SEAL training focuses externally, Mack focused using Zen to develop the heart of himself. He now has a deeper relationship with himself and others.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8s28jxGnKeE

$3,000 scholarship for M.Div. in Buddhist Chaplaincy

University of the West just received word that our friends at the International Buddhist Education Foundation are offering $3,000 scholarships to qualified students admitted into the M.Div. in Buddhist Chaplaincy training program.

IBEF makes 50 of these scholarships available to students each semester.

DEADLINES APPROACHING: IBEF: Please be aware that the deadline for the IBEF scholarship is July 15!

Download an application here, or go to http://www.uwest.edu/financialaid.

Admission: The deadline to apply for the M.Div. in Buddhist Chaplaincy is July 1. Students are only accepted into the fall semester. Apply here.

You can learn more about the chaplaincy program here or by visiting http://www.uwest.edu/chaplaincy.

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Read the blog on University of the West

Vietnam War Casualties by Religious Preference

Statistical Abstract of 1970
V'nam Casualties By Religious Preference
Preference % / V'nam Dead %
Protestant 136010000 (67.0) / 37483 (64.4)

Catholic 50750000 (25.0) / 16806 (28.9)

Jewish 6090000 (3.0) / 269 (0.4)

Other 5400000 (2.6) / 262 (0.4)

None/Unknown 4750000 / 3332 (5.7)

Protestants were representative from all areas of the country but slightly less so from outside the South where they were more likely to be college candidates. Officers of all services, by tradition largely Protestant, remained so in V'nam sustaining casualties on about a 5 to 2 ratio.
Protestants in the 10's of millions are no longer members or have simply always considered themselves as vaguely Protestant. This is quite specifically apparent in the Protestant denominational breakout from the DoD database where 16640 of 37483 (44.3% ) listed their religious preference as simply Protestant with no specific denomination. Of those Protestant casualties who did list a denomination, the Baptists were the largest (25.6%) followed by Methodists (10.8%), Lutherans (6.0%) & Presbyterians (3.4%). Percentages shown are of the Protestant total.

If we use the religious preference percentages we can see that Catholics were over-represented -almost 29.0% against a natl preference of 25% In the genl population, while Protestants were slightly under-represented- 64.4 of the V'nam casualties against a natl preference of 67.0%. The low Jewish representation was probably due, in large part, to the high rate of under-graduate & post-graduate matriculation among young Jewish males, estimated at 2 to 3 times that of Protestant & Catholic 17-24 year olds nationwide.

Black casualties were over 85% Protestant. If the 7115 enlisted blacks are removed from the enlisted casualty universe then the white preferences become 60.2% for Protestants & 33% for Catholics.

Other includes Hindu, Thai, Buddhist & Muslim casualties.

Data and anaylsis compiled William F. Abbott from figures obtained shortly after the construction of the Vietnam War Memorial
(Link available at: http://www.americanwarlibrary.com/vietnam/vwc7.htm

Memorial Day

Memorial Day:
This holiday honors troops who have died in past wars.

Memorial Day was first held in 1865 after the American Civil War. It was called Decoration Day at that time. The holiday was first called Memorial Day in 1882. It became a federal holiday in 1967.

Let's take this time to remember all the men and women who have served in our armed forces and all they have sacrificed to allow us to live free.

"Even if the world is filled with fire
make sure of hearing the essential Dharma
and enter the path of the Buddha
Cross the wide breadth of birth and death!"
-Larger Sukhavativyuha Sutra (Ogon-ge)

Namo Amida Butsu