Modes of Presence in Scottish Healthcare Chaplaincy

This article finds the subject of how to articulate the promotion of spiritual well-being by chaplains to be one of complementary, not competing, forms of presence. Chaplains are called upon to be attentive to another’s story and, crucially, to their own, but this study also argues for the use of presence in other forms, such as to challenge a pervading narrative of organizational culture or to provide a formational learning opportunity. These need not be opposite sides of a coin; they are perhaps more like diverse limbs of a growing tree. This article articulates each area as attentive presence, transformational presence, formational presence and informed presence. It outlines a critical reflection on what the author is beginning to understand of her own nascent role in Scottish healthcare chaplaincy and concludes by wondering what is required to nourish its roots.