Interfaith Spiritual Care Training Programs
Learn
Grow
& Serve
Wherever
you are
Who We Are
At The Chaplaincy Institute (ChI), we are dedicated to forming compassionate, skillful spiritual leaders equipped to serve a diverse and evolving world. Rooted in interfaith values and radical inclusivity, ChI provides rigorous spiritual formation, academic study, and practical preparation for those called to chaplaincy, spiritual direction, and interfaith ministry. We welcome seekers who feel drawn to accompany others with wisdom, presence, and care in moments of meaning, transition, and transformation. We are leaders in training for interfaith chaplaincy.
Programs & Offerings
At The Chaplaincy Institute, we offer a range of programs to support diverse callings. Our Interfaith Chaplaincy Program prepares students for professional spiritual care in hospitals, prisons, congregations, and beyond. The Spiritual Direction Certificate Program equips participants to accompany others on their spiritual journeys with depth and compassion. Through our Open Courses, seekers and leaders alike can explore interfaith studies, eco-ministry for the earth, and sacred social justice without enrolling in a full program. For ordained clergy from other traditions, our Transfer of Ministerial Standing process provides a pathway to recognition within ChI’s interfaith community. And our Spirit and Study Series workshops invite lifelong learners into engaging seminars and workshops that deepen practice, wisdom, and connection.
Connection and Community
At The Chaplaincy Institute, we believe no one takes this path alone. Our programs are rooted in a vibrant community of seekers, leaders, and changemakers who learn, grow, and serve together. In classes, small groups, and retreats, students find deep connections that often last a lifetime. Whether you are discerning a call, seeking spiritual direction, or pursuing ordination, you’ll discover a place where your voice matters and your gifts are welcomed. If you’ve ever wondered, “Do I belong here?” Our answer is simple: yes. You belong here if you long for authentic connection, honor many paths to the sacred, and feel called to contribute your wisdom and compassion to the healing of the world.
Path to Ordination
At The Chaplaincy Institute, the path to ordination is a journey of spiritual formation, academic study, and practical preparation for interfaith ministry. Through immersive courses, supervised practicum, and ongoing mentorship, students deepen their own spiritual lives while gaining the skills to serve as ordained interfaith ministers. Rooted in radical inclusivity and open to seekers from any tradition, or none, this path equips graduates to lead with compassion, creativity, and courage in diverse settings—from congregations to hospitals, prisons, and movements for justice. For those who have been leaders in other faith traditions, we offer a Transfer of Ministerial Standing/Dual Standing pathway leading to Ordination with the ChI Interfaith Community, an ecclesiastic endorsing body recognized by the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC) and board certification bodies, including BCCI.
Flexible, Immersive Learning Experience
At The Chaplaincy Institute, students discover a flexible and immersive path into spiritual leadership. Our unique hybrid format allows participants to integrate study, spiritual formation, and real-world experience within their own life rhythms. Rooted in interfaith values and creative expression, ChI’s programs, such as our interfaith Chapliancy Program invite learners to enter into spiritual care training with a transformative journey that equips them to companion others with depth, compassion, and wisdom, wherever their call leads.
Start Your Journey
Beginning the journey with The Chaplaincy Institute is simple and welcoming. Whether you are interested or feel called to Spiritual Direction, Interfaith Chaplaincy, spiritual care training, or one of our Open Courses, ChI offers a clear pathway to help you discern and take the next step. With flexible online learning options, you can start where you are, bringing your unique background, spiritual identity, and life experience into a nurturing community of fellow seekers. Our admissions team is here to guide you through the process, answer your questions, and make sure you feel supported from the very first conversation.
Skills of Care
For enrolled students. The Skills of Care course is part of the Ministry Basics curriculum thread, focusing on those skills
A Beginner’s Guide to Mysticism
Mysticism isn’t secretive or reserved for spiritual elites — it’s the practical, lived pursuit of union with the Divine. In
ChI Talk – Reclaiming Ritual: Why and How
Ritual is all the talk these days. We sense that we need it, even if we can’t always say why.
Spiritual Psychology
For enrolled students – This integrative course weaves together wisdom from multiple spiritual and psychological traditions, inviting a holistic understanding
Creating the Ritual Container: the Architecture of Meaningful Ceremonies
Beneath every effective ritual or ceremony lies an energetic and emotional structure which – if well-tended – enables participants to
Divine Feminine Wisdom 2 (Open Enrollment Course)
The second in the Divine Feminine series, this course will explore how the Divine Feminine continues to speak to and
ChI Talk – Finding Your Voice in the Pulpit, the Circle, and the Room
Whether you’re preaching, teaching, offering a reflection, or speaking up in a meeting, your message deserves to be heard as
Foundations in Interfaith Ministry (Open Enrollment Course)
Interfaith spiritual leaders are often called to create or lead ceremonies that honor life’s many thresholds—for people of
Sacred Action: Building a Just World (Open Enrollment Course)
In a world marked by inequality and division, people of faith are called to become co-creators of communities rooted in
Beauty as Medicine: Creative Practice as Spiritual Healing
What if beauty is not just an aesthetic experience, but a pathway to healing? In this Spirit & Study session,
Global Spiritual Traditions 2 (Open Enrollment Course)
Continuing our exploration of the world’s wisdom traditions, this course turns toward the Abrahamic faiths—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—honoring their sacred
Foundations of Sacred Justice (Open Enrollment Course)
This course invites you to explore the deep connections between spirituality, justice, and social change. Through self-inquiry and applied theology,
Weaving the Love Story: Gathering the Heart of a Wedding Ceremony
Every couple carries a living love story, one woven from faith, life experience, and the ways their paths have grown
Ceremonies, Rituals, and Rites of Passage (Open Enrollment Course)
Interfaith spiritual leaders are often called to create or lead ceremonies that honor life’s many thresholds—for people of
Ordination and Graduation
In-person and Online
Divine Feminine Wisdom 1 (Open Enrollment Course)
In many ancient cultures, humanity’s earliest spiritual awakenings arose in relationship with the Divine Feminine. Though often suppressed or reinterpreted
Foundations of Sacred Justice (Open Enrollment Course) – Copy
With psychedelics and plant-based theologies rising to meet the needs of the fastest-growing religious demographic, “Spiritual, but not religious,” it
Earth, Equity, and the Sacred (Open Enrollment Course)
Earth, Equity and the Sacred invites us to explore the astounding web of relationships that create and support life. These
Being with Dying and Death (Open Enrollment Course)
Earth, Equity and the Sacred invites us to explore the astounding web of relationships that create and support life. These
Spiritual Tools for Justice and Resilience (Open Enrollment Course)
Spirituality and religion can bring profound healing and connection—and have also been used as tools of oppression and harm. In
Together We Can
We prepare people for transformation and sacred service by drawing from the universal well that connects all that is.
Who we are
At The Chaplaincy Institute (ChI), we are dedicated to forming compassionate, skillful spiritual leaders equipped to serve a diverse and evolving world. Rooted in interfaith values and radical inclusivity, ChI provides rigorous spiritual formation, academic study, and practical preparation for those called to chaplaincy, spiritual direction, and interfaith ministry. We welcome seekers who feel drawn to accompany others with wisdom, presence, and care in moments of meaning, transition, and transformation.
Programs & Offerings
At The Chaplaincy Institute, we offer a range of programs to support diverse callings. Our Interfaith Chaplaincy Program prepares students for professional spiritual care in hospitals, prisons, congregations, and beyond. The Spiritual Direction Certificate Program equips participants to accompany others on their spiritual journeys with depth and compassion. Through our Open Courses, seekers and leaders alike can explore interfaith studies, eco-ministry for the earth, and sacred social justice without enrolling in a full program. For ordained clergy from other traditions, our Transfer of Ministerial Standing process provides a pathway to recognition within ChI’s interfaith community. And our Spirit and Study Series workshops invite lifelong learners into engaging seminars and workshops that deepen practice, wisdom, and connection.
Connection & Community
At The Chaplaincy Institute, we believe no one takes this path alone. Our programs are rooted in a vibrant community of seekers, leaders, and changemakers who learn, grow, and serve together. In classes, small groups, and retreats, students find deep connections that often last a lifetime. Whether you are discerning a call, seeking spiritual direction, or pursuing ordination, you’ll discover a place where your voice matters and your gifts are welcomed. If you’ve ever wondered, “Do I belong here?” Our answer is simple: yes. You belong here if you long for authentic connection, honor many paths to the sacred, and feel called to contribute your wisdom and compassion to the healing of the world.
Path to Ordination
At The Chaplaincy Institute, the path to ordination is a journey of spiritual formation, academic study, and practical preparation for interfaith ministry. Through immersive courses, supervised practicum, and ongoing mentorship, students deepen their own spiritual lives while gaining the skills to serve as ordained interfaith ministers. Rooted in radical inclusivity and open to seekers from many traditions, or none, this path equips graduates to lead with compassion, creativity, and courage in diverse settings—from congregations to hospitals, prisons, and movements for justice. For those who have been leaders in other faith traditions, we offer a Transfer of Ministerial Standing/Dual Standing pathway leading to Ordination with the ChI Interfaith community, an eccliastic endorsing body recognized by the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC) and board certification bodies including BCCI.
At The Chaplaincy Institute, students discover a flexible and immersive path into spiritual leadership. Our unique hybrid format allows participants to integrate study, spiritual formation, and real-world experience within their own life rhythms. Rooted in interfaith values and creative expression, ChI’s programs invite learners into a transformative journey that equips them to companion others with depth, compassion, and wisdom, wherever their call leads.
Flexible, Immersive Learning Experience
Start Your Journey
Beginning the journey with The Chaplaincy Institute is simple and welcoming. Whether you are interested or feel called to Spiritual Direction, Interfaith Chaplaincy, or one of our Open Courses, ChI offers a clear pathway to help you discern and take the next step. With flexible online learning options, you can start where you are—bringing your unique background, faith or identity as “spiritual but not religious”, and life experience into a nurturing community of fellow seekers. Our admissions team is here to guide you through the process, answer your questions, and make sure you feel supported from the very first conversation.
Become an Interfaith Chaplain or Spiritual Care Provider
Online Training for a Life of Meaning, Service, and Impact
The world is changing, and the need for skilled, compassionate spiritual care has never been greater.
At The Chaplaincy Institute, we prepare people like you to serve in moments that matter most: illness, grief, crisis, transition, and transformation. Whether in hospitals, hospice, community spaces, activism, or everyday life, our programs equip you to offer grounded, inclusive spiritual care across traditions and beyond.
What Is Interfaith Chaplaincy?
This is spiritual care for the world we live in now.
Interfaith chaplains provide emotional and spiritual support to people of all faiths, cultures, and beliefs, including those who identify as spiritual but not religious. They meet people where they are, offering presence, listening, ritual, and care in life’s most complex moments.
Flexible Online Training, From Anywhere
Our hybrid learning model allows you to train as a chaplain, spiritual director, or spiritual leader from wherever you are:
- Online coursework you can complete on your schedule
- Live virtual weekend intensives for deep learning and community
- In-person retreat for embodied formation
- Small cohorts for meaningful connection and support
You’ll gain both practical skills and deep personal formation, because who you are is as important as what you know.
OUR PROGRAMS
Interfaith Chaplaincy Certificate Program
Train to provide spiritual care in healthcare, community, and crisis settings. Study world religions, applied theology, ethics, and pastoral care while developing real-world skills.
Interfaith Spiritual Direction Certificate
Learn the art of one-on-one spiritual companioning and build a practice supporting people on their spiritual journeys.
Open Enrollment Courses & Continuing Education
Start where you are. Explore spiritual care, justice, and interfaith practice without committing to a full program.
WHY CHOOSE the chaplaincy institue
A Truly Interfaith Approach
We honor all spiritual traditions—and none—preparing you to serve in a diverse, evolving world.
Justice-Centered Spiritual Care
Our curriculum integrates healing, equity, and social transformation at every level.
A Transformative Learning Community
Students don’t just learn here: they grow, connect, and find belonging.
A Call to Meaningful Work
Many of our students arrive with a sense of calling, which is sometimes clear, sometimes just a quiet knowing that their life is meant for something more.
Others come seeking tools to support the communities they already serve.
Wherever you’re starting from, we help you grow into the work you’re called to do.
What You’ll Be Prepared to Do
Our alumni serve in a wide range of roles and settings, including:
- Hospitals, hospice, and healthcare systems
- Prisons, reentry programs, and community organizations
- Climate and social justice movements
- Spiritual direction and private practice
- Corporate, educational, and nonprofit environments
- Entrepreneurial and Congregational Ministry
Wherever people are navigating meaning, loss, or change — spiritual care providers are needed.
Join a Movement of Healing and Transformation
Our mission is simple and urgent:
to educate and empower individuals for innovative interfaith service and spiritual care that heals and transforms the world.
When you train with us, you become part of a larger movement, one committed to compassion, justice, and connection across difference.
TAKE THE NEXT STEP
Explore our programs
Speak with Admissions
Start with an open enrollment course
YOUR PATH TO BECOMING A CHAPLAIN/SPIRITUAL CARE PROVIDER AND DEEPENING YOUR SPIRITUAL CARE PRACTICE STARTS HERE!
Why Interfaith?
Honoring Wisdom Traditions
We celebrate sacred wisdom from the world’s diverse spiritual paths including those who are spiritual-but-not-religious, humanist, or non-religious.
Compassion Beyond Borders
Meaning, connection, and compassion are not limited to any one faith or belief. We believe everyone can experience the sacred, regardless of background.
Respect for Every Journey
Our spiritual care training prepares students to walk with people from all walks of life – with respect, openness, and a spirit of accompaniment.
Skills for Diverse Settings
Our approach equips graduates to offer care in any context – hospitals, communities, spiritual centers, or secular spaces.
Meeting People Where They Are
Interfaith chaplaincy is about meeting people on their own terms, honoring each unique story and source of wisdom.
Dignity for All
Paths
We affirm that every path – including non-religious and secular ones – deserves dignity, depth of care, and genuine support.
Life at ChI
At ChI, formation is a shared journey supported by faculty, peers, and staff, continuing as a caring community and vocational network beyond graduation.
