Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) is a highly standardized training for engaging people of all ages who are coping with a life-changing situation, particularly involving their health and life transition. It is also a requirement to become a professional, board-certified chaplain. Some religious judicatories require one unit of CPE for ordination.
What is CPE?
CPE is interfaith professional education for ministry. It brings theological students and leaders of all faiths (pastors, priests, rabbis, imams, and others) into supervised encounters with people in crisis. Students develop new awareness of themselves as people and of the needs of those to whom they minister. From theological reflection on specific human situations, they gain a new understanding of ministry. Within the interdisciplinary team process of helping people, they develop skills in interpersonal and interprofessional relationships. The students are taught to observe, listen, communicate, and more effectively respond and attend to the emotional and spiritual needs of others.
Thinking about becoming a professional chaplain?
A teaching hospital staffed by WashU Medicine physicians, Barnes-Jewish Hospital is internationally recognized for its leading-edge therapies and commitment to educating the next generation of medical professionals.
Barnes-Jewish has offered pastoral education training for care providers since 1972, and our CPE program is accredited by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE). We seek to provide excellent, theologically based clinical training for chaplains and other care providers and are constantly learning and teaching in the spiritual care field. In our teaching and provision of spiritual care, we are committed to the mission of Barnes-Jewish Hospital.
Barnes-Jewish Hospital is part of the St. Louis Cluster ACPE.
Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE)
1 Concourse Way, Suite 800
Atlanta, GA 30328
404-320-1472
Who takes CPE?
CPE is inclusive and invites people with a wide variety of interests in personal, professional, and spiritual growth and integration. Our students include seminarians who are required to take one unit of CPE as part of their degree program or as part of their ministry internship. CPE is for faith leaders who serve in congregations and other community settings who want to improve their skills or want to become board-certified chaplains. We have volunteers in hospitals, hospices, and rehabilitation and skilled nursing facilities that provide emotional, spiritual, and religious support and comfort to patients and families under the supervision of a professional chaplain. We also have people from other disciplines who take CPE for personal growth, discernment, and integration.
Learn more about the Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Program