A Vital Ministry

John Caperon taught English before becoming head and chaplain of a large Church of England comprehensive school. He has been a self-supporting priest for 30 years

The literature around chaplaincy as a mode of ministry and mission is expanding rapidly. Each sector has distinctive challenges and opportunities, and John Caperon offers an enormously helpful insight into the work and impact of school chaplains. What comes across acutely is the clarity with which school students perceive exactly what the chaplain is for, and the appreciation they often demonstrate. Caperon shows how much the Church gains from chaplaincy. How and why chaplains need the Church may be a topic for another study! -- Malcolm Brown

Here is a plea - passionate, pragmatic and theologically literate - for the Church to take seriously the ministry of school chaplaincy. Drawing on ‘real world research’ with chaplains and importantly also with students, the author roots his discussion in an understanding of the Church’s mission and the ‘ministry of presence’, asserting the central importance of pastoral care in a world where targets and instrumentalist notions of mission threaten to dominate. A vital book indeed! -- Zoe Bennett