History:

The vision to include a Chaplains Section in the Christian Medical Association of India was started with a consultation held at Bengaluru in February of 1986. It would become the youngest of the 5 sections of CMAI.

Chaplaincy is very specialised ministry where the minister serves not in a church nor “para-church” ministry, but in an institutional setting. The chaplain ministers not to a congregation, but to the public at large.  The chaplain is there to listen, care, and respond, appropriately to the agenda of the client. Such is the ministry of chaplaincy. Chaplains offer a service of spiritual care to all patients, their carers, friends and family as well as the staff of the hospitals. 

Membership: 

Members of the Chaplains Section shall be full members of the CMAI. There shall be the following categories of members:

  • Full Member: The membership of the association shall be open to all Christian workers interested in the Healing Ministry, who have a minimum of one year basic theological training and a training in pastoral counselling, healing ministry or hospital chaplaincy; or people holding a part-time or full time post of Chaplain in hospital, member institution or Primary Health Care Programme, or others acceptable to the Chaplaincy Section.

Core Functions: 

The aims and objectives of the Chaplains Section, hereinafter called ‘Section’, shall be the same as those of the CMAI. The Section has the following basic faith assumptions.

1. Healing, health and wholeness are God’s intention for individuals, society and the whole creation.2.  Preaching, teaching and healing together comprise the total mission of the Church.3. The healing ministry of the Church, therefore, announces God’s work of SALVATION in Jesus Christ, bringing wholeness and justice to the world.

Based on the faith assumptions the section shall have the following specific objectives:

1.To provide a theological framework for the work and witness of the CMAI and to develop Christian perspectives for the members in their professionals and personal life.

2.To challenge the Indian Church in the Christian understanding of healing, health and wholeness, and to revive the local congregations so that they may become agents of healing.

3.To assist institutions of health care to rediscover their role in the healing ministry of Christ

4.To promote and provide fellowship among all CMAI members while offering a forum for all ministries /chaplains in the healing ministry of the Church in India.

5.To establish, as far as possible, relationships with other national /international agencies and organizations which have similar interests and objectives.

6.To participate with other Sections of the CMAI in matters of common concerns and interests.