The DNA of Correctional Chaplaincy-Where did we come from?
Chapter two will reiterate the historical roots of the added values of chaplaincy in prison. Their presence during crises, tragedies and inhumane treatment of mankind is where the ministry of the chaplain may find their essential DNA. In fact, the name Chaplain came from the very act of compassionate ministry to the ‘least of these.’ “The term Chaplain is attributed to the Latin cappellan (us) assigned to those who were assigned to the building where St. Martin’s cloak (cappa) was preserved. The building in turn became known as the capella or as we know it, the chapel. This term was used and best described St. Martin Bishop of Tours (316-397) It was St. Martin who seeing a beggar ripped his coat in half and gave it to him to wear. In a later vision St. Martin saw Christ with the cloak, thus its preservation and the concept of chaplaincy was born. Anyone providing a need in crisis was known as a Chaplain.[1]
The prison chaplain fulfilled this title by becoming the lightning rod for the divine voice of justice, fairness and a hope in redemption and forgiveness among the impoverished and imprisoned. Like a divine presence from the courts of heaven the empowered men of God who are attributed to chaplaincy’s roots championed reformation of the criminal, the justice system and the way society treated the disenfranchised and disadvantaged. Historical research will reveal through the centuries that chaplaincy has always been present in the many types of social crises.
There were three major historical crises that shaped the office of the chaplain as we know it today. The crisis of imprisoned clergy, the crisis of the religious historical climate, and the crisis of prison conditions. From the imprisoned disciples to the imprisoned martyrs of the faith there was always evidence of others providing their needs while incarcerated. In the early centuries after Christ, prisons were nothing more than holding cells with criminals facing some form of death or imminent punishment. It wasn’t until imprisonment became punishment for crime that the chaplain’s office was solidified. Riding the waves of the trials, tribulations and unjust incarceration revivalist preachers established the roots of modern correctional chaplaincy by visiting workhouses, prisons, and similar institutions as part of their circuit for preaching the good news of the Gospel.
The biggest change in punishment was that the government enforced the punishment to fit the crime. This approach to justice and punishment allowed the places of confinement to become human cesspools. The concept of moving crime from an individual’s response to a wrong, to the action taken by some form of governmental body, was developed. I.e., the system no longer waited for the criminal to make amends, pay back the debt, etc. The government enforced the punishment to fit the crime.[2]
Later the idea of a reformatory and the need for making prisons more humane were perfectly timed with the growth and expansion of the early American idealisms. Penance and silence were two key elements of reforming the inmates. Over time this idea of the ‘reformatory’ lost its effectiveness and value. Along with the idea that inmates could not be rehabilitated came the idea that “Inmates were no longer seen as sinners to be saved but as sick persons to be diagnosed and cured” (The American Prison p. 148). This created the perfect scenario for the booming industries as they set their sights on free labor, for the sake of rehabilitation of the inmates of course. But without the chaplain and Christian community to provide the balance of forces for good and fair treatment for the most destitute of our nation, the prison industry became temporarily detached from any sense of doing what was best for the inmate population.
The twentieth century and beyond will bring new crises to the prison chaplain; the crisis of the role of the chaplain changing, the crisis of the religion of the nation changing, the crisis of the rights of inmates and prison standards changing, and the crisis of modern philosophies replacing the role of religion in the lives of modern-day humanity. At a lightning speed the world and corrections will experience enormous change.
During this time there was a movement that remains to this day to accept basically three principles for corrections: the punishment of criminals, the protection of society by incapacitation of the most dangerous criminals, and the deterrence of others from committing crimes. Understanding these concepts the well-trained, administrative gifted chaplain will find their niche by providing biblical concepts that enlighten the incarcerated and the community to the purposes of incarceration.
Somewhere in the genetic code the value of the chaplain’s ministry took a back seat to the evolution of current America which created new demands for change in chaplaincy. Desperate to find the ‘perfect’ chaplain for the post-modern age the administration often overlooked the value of the integrity of the chaplain maintaining his own faith by focusing on one who would minister to all faiths. Their choice for this office were ministers who were certified in Clinical Pastoral Education, willing to cross religious bridges with compromise to their own faith, and a strong endorsement from their own religious organization.
This is but a brief summary of the historical genetic development and growth of chaplaincy. The current pandemic and its impact has once again reshaped prison ministry and the chaplains who serve.
[1] Dale K. Pace, A Christian’s Guide to Effective Jail and Prison Ministry, (Old Tappan, NJ: Fleming H. Revell, 1976), p 71-72 [2] "History of Corrections—Punishment, Prevention, or Rehabilitation? ." Information Plus(R) Reference Series Fall 2005. . Encyclopedia.com. 15 Nov. 2022 <https://www.encyclopedia.com>.
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