Humanist Chaplaincy in Practice: A Student Textbook for Non-Religious Pastoral Care

Humanist Chaplaincy in Practice: A Student Textbook for Non-Religious Pastoral Care is the first dedicated textbook on secular chaplaincy. Written by Dr Lindsay de Wal, who made history as the first humanist to lead an NHS chaplaincy team in the United Kingdom, this accessible and timely book equips students, professionals, and institutions to deliver inclusive emotional and spiritual support across belief systems.

Structured across ten chapters, the book combines theory, policy and real-world case studies to explore core topics such as end-of-life care, staff wellbeing, ethical decision-making, multi-faith teamwork, and humanist rituals. It draws on the author’s doctoral research into the lived experience of non-religious chaplains working in faith-based teams, as well as her leadership in shaping national policy and EU-wide training standards.

Designed for formal education and professional development, each chapter includes learning objectives, reflective exercises, discussion prompts, and further reading. The book is already under consideration for integration into European training frameworks and responds to growing global demand for non-religious pastoral care in healthcare, prisons, universities, and beyond.

This is an essential guide for the next generation of chaplains and care professionals seeking to offer compassionate, ethical, and human-centred support in today’s pluralist societies.

Lindsay de Wal is Director for Humanist-Existential Care with the European Humanist Services Network, Head of Pastoral Care for the Non-Religious Pastoral Support Network (NRPSN), and an internationally recognised leader in humanist chaplaincy. Her doctoral research explored the lived experiences of non-religious chaplains in UK healthcare teams, and she has shared this work globally following extensive media coverage of her historic appointment as the UK’s first humanist Head of Healthcare Chaplaincy.