Reflections on a Master of Divinity (MDiv) Thesis: “Professional Muslim Chaplaincy: Defining a Role for Religious Authority and Leadership in the US Context”

Abstract

This paper focuses on where Islamic chaplaincy is lacking and what needs to be improved, particularly when it comes to the religious and professional training of Muslim chaplains. In the US context, chaplains possess a certain level of religious training and authority as perceived by institutions and the general public. Supplemental education and standards through endorsement organizations, such as the Muslim Endorsement Council (MEC), and professional organizations, like the Association of Muslim Chaplains (AMC), help fill in gaps in training for Muslim chaplains and hold a standard of accountability. This support is especially needed, because while imams mostly function within the Muslim community in a mosque setting, where Islamic norms are general practice, Muslim chaplains navigate public and private institutions in the larger society, which sometimes require compromise in how chaplains navigate religious gray areas, such as pastoral touch with non-Muslims.