What does innovation look like in the field of spiritual care, when fewer people belong to congregations, yet more people still need meaning, accompaniment, and spiritual support? My two guests today have been researching this question extensively.

Wendy Cadge is President of Bryn Mawr College and a nationally renowned sociologist of religion and spirituality. She is the founder of the Chaplaincy Innovation Lab, which brings together chaplains, educators, and social scientists to study and support spiritual care across public institutions and community settings. Her work focuses on religious diversity, spirituality, and the role of chaplaincy in contemporary society.

Michael Skaggs is Director of Programs and Co-Founder of the Chaplaincy Innovation Lab. A historian of American religion based at the University of Notre Dame, his research explores interfaith dialogue, maritime and port chaplaincy, American Catholicism, and emerging models of spiritual care. He oversees education, professional development, and public-facing initiatives for the Lab.

In this first part of our conversation, we discuss:

1. The origins and mission of the Chaplaincy Innovation Lab
2. Traditional and emerging models of chaplaincy and spiritual care
3. The blurry boundaries of chaplaincy
4. Real applied value of good social, scientific, and historical research
5. Public perceptions of chaplains versus how chaplains describe their work
6. Chaplaincy as religious leadership in the future
7. The role of chaplains in addressing loneliness and isolation
8. Spiritual care beyond formal religion
9. Community-based and workplace chaplaincy models

To learn more about Wendy and Michael’s work, you can find them at:

• Wendy Cadge: https://www.brynmawr.edu/inside/people/wendy-cadge
• Michael Skaggs: https://chaplaincyinnovation.org/team/michael-skaggs-phd

Links Mentioned:

• Chaplaincy Innovation Lab – https://chaplaincyinnovation.org/
• Templeton Religion Trust – https://templetonreligiontrust.org/

This season of the podcast is sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust.

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