Chaplains work in secular institutions like hospitals, prisons, and the military, and can be ordained or lay members of various religions. The concept dates back to ancient times and is not limited to Christianity. Military chaplains are non-combatants and may not be held as prisoners of war.
A chaplain is a member of the clergy who works in a secular or non-religious institution, such as an army, prison, hospital, or university. Other clergy members usually work in a church or mission setting. Lay chaplains, who serve but are not ordained, are becoming more common. The term lay minister or lay clergy can also be used of ordained chaplains to mean that they work outside a religious institution; however, this usage of the term is no longer common.
While usually associated with Roman Catholicism or other Christian denominations, the idea of a chaplain is not limited to Christianity. There are Muslim, Jewish and Buddhist equivalents, for example, in the armed forces of both Britain and the United States. The practice of priests serving outside religious institutions has existed since ancient times, centuries before the time of Christ.
In Roman Catholicism, a chaplain was originally a relatively low-ranking member of the clergy who served a higher-ranking member, a bishop, and celebrated mass on certain occasions. Chaplains of this definition still serve the pope. In medieval Europe, priests were among the only literate members of society, and therefore served in royal or noble courts as both religious advisers and secretarial staff – hence the term clerical, literally “of the clergy”, can be used for describe office work.
A form of military chaplain has also existed from the medieval period when members of the clergy served on English naval vessels. Servicemen around the world have chaplains, although their rank and qualifications differ widely. In some countries the military chaplain is a soldier with theological training, while in others the chaplain is a civilian, even if ordained a priest. According to the Geneva Conventions, a military chaplain is a non-combatant, not authorized to fight. Also, a chaplain may not be held as a prisoner of war, but may be held by the enemy for the purpose of serving prisoners of war.
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