SFTS adds new Master of Divinity concentration in Chaplaincy/Pastoral Care

San Francisco Theological Seminary has expanded its Master of Divinity concentrations to include a new specialization in Chaplaincy/Pastoral Care starting in the fall of 2012.

According to Rev. Laurie Garrett-Cobbina, the Shaw Family Chair for Clinical Pastoral Education at SFTS, the new concentration will allow students to focus attention on developing competencies in the provision of pastoral care, which is critical in many settings from churches to hospitals to faith-based nonprofit organizations. The concentration will also prepare students to meet professional requirements for chaplaincy.

Chaplains and pastoral care clergy attend to the sacred stories in the life of those they serve. They are called on to provide a pastoral presence during times of struggle as people seek meaning during changes or crisis, as well as when their relationships with God come into question.

“Just as Christ Jesus cared for the poor, healed the sick, wept with the grieving, talked with the traumatized, encouraged the low in spirit, and offered forgiveness and reconciliation, pastoral care clergy/chaplains seek to embody the love of God to the congregational body and beyond,” states Garrett-Cobbina.  “If you want to dedicate your life to caring for people in need, if you want to make a real difference for people positioned at a spiritual crossroad, if you want to be an advocate for the widow, the orphan, the outcast, then this new concentration may be for you.”

SFTS faculty, administrators and staff take seriously the mission of the institution to educate students in spiritual formation, critical theological reflection, and the skills and arts of ministry. The new Chaplaincy/Pastoral Care concentration underscores the importance of the praxis of pastoral care skills, including spiritual grounding, academic engagement, theological reflection and interpersonal dynamics.

An important piece incorporated into the Chaplaincy/Pastoral Care concentration at SFTS is the requirement for Clinical Pastoral Education. SFTS has the first fully-endowed chair in the discipline of Clinical Pastoral Education within in a theological seminary.

The Clinical Pastoral Education program at SFTS is made possible by a generous gift from SFTS alumnus John Shaw (M.Div. ’54) and his wife, Julia Shaw.

SFTS also offers concentrations in the following:

History, Theology & Ethics
A concentration in history, theology or ethics allows students to engage with a particular academic discipline in depth.

Biblical Studies
This concentration reflects SFTS's commitment to fostering critical biblical scholarship.

Spirituality
The concentration in Christian Spirituality enables students to study and explore spiritual practices while further integrating their spiritual life with their seminary studies.