Anthony Cruz Pantojas, MATS, MALS, BCC (they/them), is the Humanist Chaplain and Coordinator of Africana Spirituality at Tufts University. Currently, they are a board member for Secular Coalition for America, The Humanist Society, as well as the International Association of Chaplains in Higher Education. Cruz Pantojas’s praxis centers Afro-Caribbean humanist and freethought philosophies, promotes critical imagining and self-discovery, and inspires individuals to question and reimagine their inner/outer worlds.
Cruz Pantojas talks about becoming a humanist chaplain, a role grounded in nonjudgmental care for diverse communities. Pantojas explains that humanist chaplains provide support not limited to humanist ideology, adhering to a pluralistic and ethically guided approach. They highlight the extensive education and clinical training required, such as programs at the United Theological Seminary, and the challenges chaplains face, including misconceptions from both humanist and non-humanist communities. Cruz Pantojas emphasizes humanist chaplaincy’s unique space for critical inquiry and the cultivation of interconnectedness, aiming to address skepticism and encourage broader acceptance within varied institutional settings.
Scott Douglas Jacobsen: We are here with Anthony, and today we’re going to discuss the path to becoming a humanist chaplain. There are many nuances to this subject, and I may not be aware of all of them.
In fact, it will take some time to unpack these. So, Anthony, what would you say is a key motivation for someone interested in becoming a humanist chaplain?
Anthony Cruz Pantojas, Humanist Chaplain at Tufts (photo by Evan Clark)
Anthony Cruz Pantojas: Wow, thank you so much for that question, Scott. I’m not sure if I can provide a straightforward answer to that.
In general, a chaplain—before associating with any specific philosophical, religious, or cultural tradition—develops an understanding that their role in chaplaincy is shaped and oriented by the needs they identify within the groups, communities, or chapters they serve. In North America, chaplains typically adopt a pluralistic, non-personalizing, non-judgmental, and expansive approach to their practice, whether it’s in higher education, hospitals, prisons, or other contexts.
Since chaplains often work with vulnerable populations, they are not only representing a humanist perspective but also the organization they are affiliated with. For example, in a hospital setting, a chaplain provides care and companionship to everyone—not solely as a humanist but as a chaplain, adhering to a code of ethics from both their tradition and the place of employment or volunteer service. Humanism is not exempted from this framework. The Humanist Society, which is the professional organization endorsing celebrants and humanist chaplains, has its own code of ethics. This means it’s not enough to simply identify as a humanist or to adopt the title of “humanist chaplain”; there is a comprehensive review and endorsement process to hold that representational role.
In addition, aside from The Humanist Society, humanist chaplains are often members of broader professional chaplaincy associations. It’s not a simple checkbox; it’s an extensive, formative process.
Jacobsen: Could you elaborate on this broader code of ethics and highlight some key principles that distinguish a humanist chaplain from general chaplaincy while maintaining an ethic common to all chaplains, including humanist chaplains?
Pantojas: Certainly. At least in North America, there are several organizations, such as the Association of Professional Chaplains and the Spiritual Care Association. Each has its own history and emphasis in the field.
But I would say, unless a professional association specifies a particular faith—like associations for Muslim, Christian, or Jewish chaplains, which do exist—overall, the field holds a generalist orientation. By that, I mean that unless there’s a hyphenated professional title, like “Catholic Chaplains Association” or something similar, much of chaplaincy work is humanistic. It’s about providing nonjudgmental care, not just a listening ear, but a truly trained capacity to hold complexity, to understand nuance, and to become a resource for the client, patient, or staff member seeking this existential framework of care while they operate within a specific context.
If we pair that with organizations like The Humanist Society or similar groups, we see close parallels in terms of the ethics we uphold. For instance, one line that comes to mind is that The Humanist Society in North America explicitly states that although you are a humanist chaplain, you are also required to provide care for everyone. That’s a powerful message because it affirms that a humanist outlook, worldview, or orientation can embrace a broad spectrum of possibilities for people, without any agenda to convert them to humanism.
As a chaplain, you’re always reflecting back the language and needs of the person you’re supporting, centering their agency and power. When individuals want to formally pursue this path, they often have a clear motivation. They’ve recognized the codes of ethics required in this profession and understand the need for appropriate education, credentials, and memberships.
Jacobsen: What are those steps, and how can someone go through each of them in a practical manner?
Pantojas: Yes, I’d say—fortunately or unfortunately—there aren’t many options, but the ones that do exist are worthwhile. In North America, we have the United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, which is historically a United Church of Christ seminary for theological formation and now offers a humanist studies track. This can be part of either a Master of Divinity or a Master of Leadership Studies with a focus on humanism, in collaboration with the Center for Education in North America. Students there are not mentored by just any faculty; they work with people who have experience in diverse fields and can provide guidance specifically in humanism.
In the Netherlands, there’s also the University for Humanistic Studies, among other institutions that individuals could explore. I always advise people to look for funding first; that way, they can match the rest—mentors, specific programs, and close-knit experiences—around that foundation. Education, especially graduate-level, isn’t cheap in North America, so finding a place that offers financial aid or housing is ideal if those are your needs.
Jacobsen: What about the training itself? How many hours and in what forms are required to become a fully recognized humanist chaplain?
Pantojas: Yes. It varies depending on whether you’re pursuing the Master of Leadership track or the Master of Divinity. Typically, it ranges from two to four years of academic study post-bachelor’s degree. We also emphasize, as I mentioned earlier, clinical psychospiritual education, which can be completed during or after your graduate studies. In North America, this usually involves 300 hours of supervised clinical care within a designated context offering those programs, along with 100 hours of classroom education.
This training goes deep into chaplaincy as a field and as a practice within a particular context. The dominant setting for this training tends to be healthcare or psychiatric spaces, but some Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) programs are also available in prisons, community centers, and similar environments. These less traditional contexts may require more creative approaches to supervision but still need someone with the appropriate credentials to oversee the work.
However, humanist chaplaincy doesn’t guarantee a specific job, like higher education doesn’t mean you’ll become a professor simply because you have a graduate degree. Similarly, becoming a humanist chaplain doesn’t mean you’ll land a hospital or university position. It signifies a willingness to provide care in creative, often entrepreneurial capacities.
Jacobsen: If you were to estimate the number of humanist chaplains in the United States, what would that population look like?
Pantojas: I don’t have exact statistics off the top of my head. The numbers depend on whether you’re looking at officially endorsed humanist chaplains compared to, say, military chaplains, clinical chaplains, or those in higher education. In higher education specifically, there’s a relatively small number of humanist chaplains designated as such—not just a chaplain who happens to be a humanist, but someone tasked with supporting the religious, nontheist, freethinking, and other diverse communities from a humanist standpoint.
Overall, in terms of specifically endorsed humanist chaplains, I’d estimate the number might be about 150+. But I encourage a skeptical approach; and I suggest checking for more current data.
Jacobsen: Let’s say someone puts in their two to four years and becomes a humanist chaplain. What should they expect from those seeking their care, in terms of the nuanced support and feedback they’ll be providing?
Pantojas: That’s such an important question. From an intersubjective standpoint, it first requires vulnerability and recognizing, as you mentioned, that you’ve done the studies and met the requirements.
Now, when you’re out there in the field, you quickly find that you’re creating spaces for others to explore. Given our humanist orientation, it’s not about telling people what to do, believe, or practice, but rather allowing them the space to explore questions like, “What does it look like for me to hold a religious orientation to life?” and yet find myself in a humanist, humanistic, or even interbelief space where a humanist presence is there and it feels spacious. Or, at least, that’s the approach I try to model. I create spaces where we engage in critical inquiry, cultivate a sense of individual and communal responsibility, look at ourselves from a systemic perspective, and develop interconnectedness with the human experience in a way that allows for various possibilities.
That’s one of the powerful offerings I find humanist chaplaincy brings: it’s willing to sit in the uncomfortable spaces, even of contradiction.
Jacobsen: What challenges do humanist chaplains face, especially with tougher subject matter?
Pantojas: It depends on the context. For example, even among our peers within the humanist or secular world—who are often quite skeptical—people might say, “Why are you a humanist chaplain? Isn’t that a theistic or Christian role?” So there’s sometimes a lack of understanding or even a disregard for what humanist chaplaincy can offer. I find that this is one of the main challenges.
Additionally, humanist chaplains aren’t present in many conversations across institutions, and building those relationships and showing up as humanist chaplains is something we each develop on our own over time.
From the non humanist side, there can also be suspicion or skepticism. People might think, “You’re a humanist chaplain; can you even care for me or accompany me?” Or if you mention that you’re an atheist, people may question whether you’re truly able to support them. It can be challenging to face these same questions repeatedly. But, through proximity, care, and genuine accompaniment, it’s often possible to diffuse biases, prejudices, misunderstandings, or the lack of exposure to what a humanist chaplain can offer.
Jacobsen: Anthony, thank you very much for the opportunity and your time today. I appreciate it.
Pantojas: You’re most welcome. Thank you so much for the conversation.
The post The Path to Humanist Chaplaincy appeared first on TheHumanist.com.
Read More TheHumanist.com
About Author
