Spiritual Care in Campus: The Case of Britain and Implications for Turkey

Abstract

University students, who are in the transition period from adolescence to adulthood, face serious developmental and cognitive tasks, including challenges and questioning regarding their faith, difficulties in separation from the family, and other relational issues. It is important that such developmental problems are resolved timely, promptly and appropriately within the framework of their own values, preventing their alienation from their cultural and religious heritage. This study aims to show how spiritual care are carried out by Christian and Muslim chaplains in the university campuses in England and suggest a similar service for Turkish universities. For this purpose, four qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with four chaplains, including one Muslim advisor, working at two British universities. Qualitative data were analyzed by two researchers independently using a thematic qualitative approach. Following themes emerged regarding campus chaplaincy: campus chaplaincy, its structure, function and organization, education, competencies and macro skills required, student clients and their problems regarding social identity, faith-related issues, and well-being issues, intimate relations among others, and the difficulties chaplains faced. Suggestions made about the devised campus chaplaincy services in Turkey. Considering the lack of literature on Turkey's on-campus chaplaincy, it is assumed that the study will play a pivotal, stimulating and historical role in the development and application of campus chaplaincy in Turkey.