HuMAN Chaplaincy: "Ethics & Action"
Our certification program draws on the ideas of Humanism, Humanitarianism, Dorothy Day & Franz Fanon to prepare chaplains who are equipped to serve diverse communities through ethical reflection, social justice advocacy, and compassionate action. The program emphasizes personal transformation, systemic change, and the interdependence of individual and collective liberation.
Core Values
Reason & Dignity (Humanism) Promoting evidence-based understanding, ethical decision-making, and respect for diverse worldviews.
Global Solidarity (Humanitarianism) Ensuring responses to suffering are inclusive, impartial, and committed to upholding human dignity.
Compassion and Service (Dorothy Day) Rooting chaplaincy in service to the marginalized through community-building and acts of solidarity.
Liberation and Justice (Franz Fanon): Addressing systemic oppression and advocating for decolonization in thought, structures, and practice.
Curriculum
Foundational Ethics and Philosophy
Humanist Philosophy: Reason, empathy, and the pursuit of meaning in a secular framework.
Humanitarian Principles: Neutrality, impartiality, and the universality of human dignity.
Dorothy Day: Personalism, solidarity, and the ethics of direct action
Frantz Fanon: Colonialism, liberation, and the psychological effects of oppression.
Applied Chaplaincy Practice
Active Listening.
Conflict Resolution / Mediation
Systemic Change and Advocacy
Grassroots Organizing
Peaceful protest techniques
Addressing injustice through policy advocacy.
Certification Requirements
Completion of coursework.
A capstone project that demonstrates the integration of program principles.
Key Program Goals
Personal Growth - Foster self-reflection, critical thinking, and resilience in chaplains, enabling them to be effective and ethical leaders
Compassionate Presence - Cultivate the skills to provide emotional, psychological, and spiritual support in a variety of contexts.
Advocacy and Action - Equip chaplains with the tools to lead social justice efforts, embodying the principles of liberation, service, and dignity.
Empowerment of the Marginalized - Train chaplains to understand causes of inequality, offering support and empowerment to those most affected.
Program Slogan
"For Dignity, Justice, and Healing: Chaplaincy for a Better World."
——
Reading List
HUMANISM
Lucretius - On the Nature of Things (Book I, lines 50-150): The rejection of divine intervention.
Epicurus - Letter to Menoeceus (Excerpt): Gods exist but are irrelevant to human affairs.
Cicero - On the Nature of the Gods (Book I, sections 20–25): Arguments against the anthropomorphic gods.
Hypatia of Alexandria (as recorded by later sources): Critiques of superstition and divine intervention in the cosmos.
Al-Ma’arri - The Luzūmiyyāt (Selections): Skeptical poetry questioning divine providence.
Baron d'Holbach - The System of Nature (Book I, Chapter II): Nature as self-sufficient, without a god.
Mary Wollstonecraft - A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (Chapter 2, Excerpt): Critique of religious subjugation and patriarchy.
David Hume - Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion (Part 10): Critiques of the design argument.
Voltaire - Philosophical Dictionary (Entry: "Atheism"): Defense of reason over superstition.
Percy Bysshe Shelley - The Necessity of Atheism (Full Essay): One of the earliest written defenses of atheism in English.
George Eliot - Scenes of Clerical Life (Excerpt, “Mr. Tryan’s Convictions”): Subtle critique of religious hypocrisy.
Ludwig Feuerbach - The Essence of Christianity (Introduction): Religion as a projection of human desires.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton - The Woman's Bible (Selections): Questioning biblical authority and divine origins.
Friedrich Nietzsche - The Gay Science (§125: "The Madman"): "God is dead" and the implications of a godless world.
Emma Goldman - The Philosophy of Atheism (Full Essay): A call to embrace atheism as liberation.
Bertrand Russell - Why I Am Not a Christian (Opening Essay): Rationalist critiques of Christianity.
Simone de Beauvoir - The Second Sex (Chapter 1, Excerpt): How religion perpetuates patriarchal myths.
Rebecca West - Greenhouse with Cyclamens (Essay): Human creativity as independent of divine influence.
Albert Camus - The Myth of Sisyphus (Excerpt, Chapter 1): The absurdity of life without God.
Madalyn Murray O’Hair - An Atheist Manifesto (Full Essay): A strong case for secular humanism.
Carl Sagan - Pale Blue Dot (Chapter 9, “A Universe Not Made for Us”): Scientific skepticism toward divine purpose.
Margaret Knight - Morals Without Religion (Lecture Excerpt): How morality can exist without a god.
Katherine Hepburn - "I’m an Atheist" (Ladies’ Home Journal, 1973): Personal reflections on atheism.
Richard Dawkins - The God Delusion (Chapter 4, “Why There Almost Certainly Is No God”): Core argument against theism.
Anthony B. Pinn - Why, Lord? (Introduction): Challenges to theism within the African-American context.
Julia Sweeney - Letting Go of God (Monologue Excerpt): Personal journey toward atheism.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali - Infidel (Chapter 10, Excerpt): Critique of religious authority from an ex-Muslim perspective.
Susan Jacoby - The Age of American Unreason (Chapter 6, Excerpt): The rise of secularism.
Rebecca Goldstein - 36 Arguments for the Existence of God (Appendix, "The Argument from Moral Knowledge"): A fictional critique of pro-theism arguments.
Sam Harris - Letter to a Christian Nation (Selections): Sharp critique of religious moral claims.
HUMANITARIANISM
Seneca - On Benefits (Book II, Excerpts): The ethics of generosity and reciprocal kindness.
Immanuel Kant - Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals (Section II): Human dignity and the moral imperative to act for the welfare of others.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau - Discourse on the Origin and Basis of Inequality Among Men (Part I, Excerpt): The natural compassion of humans.
Mary Wollstonecraft - A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (Chapter 5, Excerpt): The moral obligation to extend education and dignity to all, especially women.
Adam Smith - The Theory of Moral Sentiments (Part I, Section I): Sympathy as the foundation of human morality.
John Stuart Mill - On Liberty (Chapter 4, Excerpt): The importance of individual freedom and societal welfare.
Harriet Martineau - How to Observe Morals and Manners (Chapter 3, Excerpt): Social progress and the role of empathy.
Frederick Douglass - What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July? (Excerpt): A moral and humanitarian call for equality and justice.
Leo Tolstoy - The Kingdom of God Is Within You (Chapter 5, Excerpt): Christian non-violence as a form of humanitarian philosophy.
Albert Schweitzer - Reverence for Life (Chapter 1, Excerpt): The ethical principle of preserving and respecting all life.
Eleanor Roosevelt - The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Preamble and Selected Articles): Foundational humanitarian values enshrined in global governance.
Mahatma Gandhi - Hind Swaraj (Chapter 13, Excerpt): The value of non-violent resistance in service of humanity.
Simone Weil - The Need for Roots (Chapter 3, Excerpt): The spiritual and social necessity of meeting human needs.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - Letter from Birmingham Jail: A moral argument for humanitarian action in the face of systemic injustice.
Peter Singer - The Life You Can Save (Introduction): A philosophical argument for global humanitarian action. Amartya Sen - Development as Freedom (Chapter 1, Excerpt): Linking economic development to the enhancement of human capabilities. Martha Nussbaum - Creating Capabilities (Chapter 2, Excerpt): The capabilities approach as a framework for human dignity. Malala Yousafzai - I Am Malala (Chapter 21, Excerpt): Advocacy for education as a humanitarian necessity. Rebecca Solnit - A Paradise Built in Hell (Introduction): How humans respond to disasters with extraordinary acts of kindness and solidarity.
DOROTHY DAY
"We Are the Workers, Not the Bosses" Advocacy for labor rights and a critique of exploitative economic systems.
"The Worker’s Human Dignity" Reflections on the inherent dignity of workers and the moral imperative to respect their rights.
"Labor and the Common Good" Analysis of how social activism can promote the welfare of the broader community.
"Industrialism and the Machine Age" A critique of industrial capitalism and its dehumanizing effects.
“On the Poverty Line" Personal reflections on living among the poor and understanding their struggles.
"Voluntary Poverty: Our Debt to the Poor" The ethical and practical value of simplifying one’s life to stand with those in need.
"Who Is My Neighbor?" A reflection on the responsibility to care for those around us, especially the marginalized.
"Houses of Hospitality" The practice of creating safe spaces for those experiencing homelessness and hardship.
"The Long Loneliness" Reflections on isolation in modern society and the power of community to bridge divides.
"The Case for Communal Living" The social and economic benefits of cooperative living arrangements.
"Aims and Means" A discussion of nonviolent approaches to achieving social and economic justice.
"Against the Grain" The importance of standing firm in one’s convictions, even when they go against societal norms.
"This Land Is Your Land" A critique of land ownership systems that exclude the poor.
"The Dehumanization of the Poor" On how materialism and bureaucracy strip the poor of their humanity.
“War Is a Failure of Humanity" (Criticism of war as a betrayal of humanity's shared moral obligations.
FRANZ FANON
From Black Skin, White Masks (1952)
The Fact of Blackness” (Chapter 5): An exploration of the lived experience of being Black in a colonial world and the psychological effects of racism.
“The Negro and Language” (Chapter 1): How colonialism shapes language and identity, and the alienation of the colonized.
“The Woman of Color and the White Man” (Chapter 2): A critical examination of interracial relationships under colonial influence.
“The Black Man and the White Woman” (Chapter 3): How racial dynamics shape desire and identity.
“The Lived Experience of the Black Man” (Conclusion): Reflections on the struggles of reclaiming a decolonized sense of self.
From The Wretched of the Earth (1961)
“On Violence” (Chapter 1): A foundational argument for the role of violence in decolonization, as a means of reclaiming agency.
“The Pitfalls of National Consciousness” (Chapter 3): A critique of post-colonial nationalism and its limitations in achieving true liberation.
“Colonial War and Mental Disorders” (Chapter 5): An analysis of the psychological toll of colonization and the necessity of healing in the struggle for liberation.
“The Trials and Tribulations of National Consciousness” (Excerpt): The dangers of neocolonialism and corruption in post-colonial states.
“Spontaneity: Its Strengths and Weaknesses” (Chapter 2): The role of spontaneous revolts in decolonization, and the need for organized struggle.
From Toward the African Revolution (1964)
“Racism and Culture”: An essay examining how racism dehumanizes and the necessity of cultural revival in the fight against colonialism.
“The Trials of National Liberation”: Reflections on the challenges faced by nations during the decolonization process.
“The Algerian War and Human Rights”: How colonialism violates human rights and the moral imperative of resistance.
From Various Speeches and Essays
“This Is the Voice of Algeria” (El Moudjahid): A powerful piece on the role of media in the Algerian revolution.
“Why We Use Violence” (Algerian National Liberation Front publication): A succinct defense of the necessity of revolutionary violence in achieving independence.