Reflective Practice - Formation and Supervision in Ministry (E-Journal)

Introduction of the concept of ACPE Theory Presentation of the year and its history. Also names the 2024 recipient, Benjamin Paul Allward-Theime

SEEGER, RODNEY

SECTION 5: ACPE THEORY PRESENTATION OF THE YEAR

Swain, Angela L.

Book Reviews 10
Rethinking Normalcy: A Disability Studies Reader. Edited by Tanya Titchkosky and Rod 
Michalko, Toronto: Canadian Scholars' Press Inc, 2009, 344 pps.
An eye-opening exploration of disability studies that challenge our deeply ingrained societal 
norms, the book takes us on a journey through the complex and multifaceted world of disability, 
urging us to question these norms along the way.
Part 1 (pg 15) the authors introduce the Social Model of Disability in Chapter 1, a 
groundbreaking perspective that challenges the traditional view of disability as a personal 
tragedy. Instead, it argues that disability is a result of society's failure to accommodate and 
include individuals with impairments. This sets the stage for a deeper understanding of disability 
as a social construct and invites readers to reevaluate the norms we often take for granted.
Titchkosky and Michalko delve into the historical development of disability studies as an 
academic discipline, emphasizing that disability studies didn't emerge in isolation but evolved in 
response to shifting societal attitudes towards disability.
Moving forward, Chapter 3 challenges conventional sociological perspectives on 
disability. Tanya Titchkosky introduces the concept – of disability as a "liminal space" between 
normalcy and abnormalcy. This perspective encourages us to explore the hidden meanings of 
normalcy and offers disability studies a unique vantage point to dissect societal norms. The 
concept of the "normate" by Rosemarie Garland-Thomson – a socially constructed idea of a 
"normal" body, senses, mind, and emotions is then introduced. It highlights how the normate and 
normate culture shapes society's perception of disability and encourages readers to critically 
examine their understanding of normalcy.
Chapter 5 focuses on validating disabled individuals' lived experiences. It discusses how 
disability characteristics are often perceived through their bodies and emphasizes the need for an 
"equality of condition" that validates disabled embodiment and sensibility.
In Part 2 (89) of the book, the authors delve into the profound connection between 
disability and suffering, a connection that is often so normalized that we rarely question it. 
Chapter 6, explores this connection, drawing from the works of Emmanuel Levinas. It asks 
whose suffering we truly confront when encountering disability and raises thought-provoking 
questions. “Nondisabled people are disturbed by disability. It reminds them of the fragility and 
vulnerability of their existence and reminds them of their morality as well. Furthermore, 
nondisabled people are often very uncomfortable in the presence of those of us who are 
disabled.” (100) Chapters 7 and 8 continue this exploration by delving into the lived experiences 
of disabled individuals like Diane Diedger, who showcases how such experiences can lead to 
disability activism.  
Part 3 (p.133) shines a spotlight on how institutions shape perceptions of disability. 
Chapter 9 critiques charity fundraisers that frame disability as a tragedy, perpetuating moral 
narratives that impact the lives and identities of disabled individuals. Chapter 10 explores the 
intersection of work and mental illness, highlighting how institutionalization can shape societal 
perceptions of normalcy and abnormalcy.
Part 4 (p.197) examines the role of law in shaping social spaces and reinforcing 
normative conceptions of disability. Chapter 12 focuses on the struggle for disability rights and 
advocates for viewing disability as a human rights issue, emphasizing the importance of social 
justice. Chapter 13 delves into the concept of "legal peripheries," where the discourse about law 
differs from how law is experienced. It underscores the need to consider the intersection of law, 
space, and disability within these peripheries.
Part 5 (227) explores the impact of education, technology, and work on disabled 
individuals. Chapter 14 challenges conventional notions of literacy by exploring American Sign 
Book Reviews 11
Language (ASL) as a distinct language and culture, emphasizing the importance of embracing 
diversity in education. Chapter 15 delves into the experiences of disabled students at a Canadian 
university, highlighting the challenges they face in navigating an educational system designed 
without their needs in mind.
In the final Part of the book, Part 6 (285), insights from Carla Rice, Hilde Zitselsberger, 
Wendy Porch, and Esther Ignani, the focus shifts to women with facial and physical differences. 
They emphasize the importance of community-based research that responds to the specific needs 
of these communities, highlights the pervasive normative conceptions of disability, and 
advocates for the construction of alternative narratives and embodied selves.
In Chapter 18, Corbett Joan Otoole raises important questions about sexism and racism 
within the disability movement. It encourages us to recognize the diversity within the movement 
and calls for inclusive analysis that considers the complex intersections of identity.  Anita Ghai 
niches down and sheds light on the absence of disabled women in Indian feminism and disability 
movements.
In the last chapter, they delve into the intricate realm of identity. Robert McRuer 
challenges conventional notions of identity politics, suggesting that certain identities, including 
disability and queerness, are simultaneously forming and deconstructing.
This book leaves us with a resounding call to action - to continue challenging the norms 
that have shaped our understanding of disability, paving the way for a brighter, more inclusive 
future.
Angela L. Swain 
Catholic Theological Union
Chicago, Illinois


English

Rethinking Normalcy: A Disability Studies Reader, Edited by Tanya Titchkosky and Rod Michalko

Floding, Matthew

SECTION 4: PRACTITIONEERS, PRACTICAL THEOLOGIANS, AND POETS: Members Engaging Marginality

Working with adults learning together in CPE

Pelinka Miller, Sally

A Co-Creative Transformation Process: The Art of Adults Learning Together in CPE Group

Author invites going beyond the classic scriptures and delve into the Fifth Gospel

MacAlpine-Gills, Susan

Moving beyond the Pages of Scripture: Journeying through the Fifth Gospel

Author sets the stage for presenting her theory papers

Shulgina, Natalia

Forward of My ACPE Theory Papers

Theology Theory: The Power of Encounter

Using and encouraging imagination in theological field educatio

SECTION 2: PASTORAL IMAGINATION IN THEOLOGICAL FIELD EDUCATION: Editor's Introduction

Joshin Byrnes, Brian

Fish, Diana

Juin Nicolle, Michelle

253 
 
 
Mentoring for Ministry in Buddhism 
Brian Joshin Byrnes, Diana Fish, and Michelle Jiun Nicolle1 
 
A growing number of students who identify as Buddhist are enrolling in chaplaincy and 
divinity programs. These training programs often have their roots in Abrahamic 
traditions, and it may be beneficial for those who supervise Buddhist students to know 
something of how Buddhist identity is shaped. This article is co-written by Sensei Joshin 
Byrnes, a Zen priest and director of the Upaya Buddhist Chaplaincy Program, and two 
Buddhist chaplains who did their Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) residencies in 
different locations, one in North Carolina and one in Florida. We hope to answer the 
following questions: What can be assumed about a Buddhist student’s general orientation 
to their own spirituality and to the practice of providing spiritual care? What does a 
supervisor-mentor need to know in order to support a Buddhist student in a non-
Buddhist setting?  
 
WHO IS THE BUDDHIST MINISTER/CHAPLAIN? 
This article focuses on Western-convert Buddhists, not on students coming from 
Asian and homogeneous Buddhist cultures from birth. Convert Buddhists, by definition, 
have roots in the Abrahamic traditions of their childhood religions or, conversely, have 
had little or no religious formation. Convert Buddhists probably found their way to 
Buddhism after a search for an inclusive and palatable expression of their spiritual values, 
philosophies, and belief systems. It is likely that the inclusive and non-rejecting qualities 
of Buddhism, its mindfulness and compassion practices, and its nontheistic orientation 
are among the most appealing aspects to Westerners seeking a new spiritual and religious 
way forward.  
Many Buddhist converts practice simultaneously practice in the Jewish, Christian, 
or Muslim traditions. Therefore, a supervisor-mentor of a Buddhist student should not 
assume that the student is practicing in only one spiritual stream. The student may 
embody an interesting and profoundly insightful form of Buddhism that is hybridized, 
 
1Sensei Brian Joshin Byrnes is Guiding Teacher, Bread Loaf Mountain Zen Community, and Director, 
Upaya Buddhist Chaplaincy Program. Email: joshin@breadloafmountainzen.org. Rev. Diana Fish is 
United States Marine Corps (retired), a member of True Harmony of Mindfulness (Order of Interbeing), 
and Staff Chaplain, Tampa General Hospital. Email: dianafish1@gmail.com. Rev. Michelle Jiun Nicolle is 
Spiritual Care Manager, Wake Forest School of Medicine, and Innovation Quarter Faculty, Upaya 
Buddhist Chaplaincy Program. Email: mnicolle@wakehealth.edu.  
 
Reflective Practice: Formation and Supervision in Ministry 
ISSN 2325-2847 (print)* ISSN 2325-2855 (online) 
© Copyright 2023 Reflective Practice: Formation and Supervision in Ministry 
All Rights Reserved 
254 
 
 
braided, or “interspiritual.” It is common to find people who identify as a “Jew-Bu,” Zen 
Catholic, or Sufi-Buddhist. Catholic priests and nuns, as well as rabbis, have identified as 
Buddhist while simultaneously maintaining their other religious identity.  
 
VARIETIES OF BUDDHISM 
Buddhism, like many of the world’s religions, is not just one easily defined 
tradition. A variety of Buddhist “threads” have evolved over the millennia. One thread 
is the literally based tradition of Theravada Buddhism, which grounds itself in the canon 
of Buddhist scripture and monastic rules. The popular practices of insight meditation and 
loving-kindness come from the Theravada tradition. The Mahayana thread of Buddhism, 
which is also widely diverse, orients itself around the notion of the Bodhisattva—the 
generous being whose sole practice is to relieve the suffering of others. Zen and Tibetan 
Buddhism are in this thread. The Vajrayana thread of Indo-Tibetan Buddhism engages in 
exacting mind training using scripture and elaborate rituals, ceremonies, and liturgies. 
Within each of these threads there are numerous other branching streams. It is important 
to understand that a student who says they are Buddhist has a deeper identity within a 
specific stream of Buddhism.  
The central reason for diversity in the Buddhist traditions and practices is its 
uncanny knack for interacting and blending with the many cultures that it encounters. 
Here in the West, the varied Buddhist lineages also meet. It is quite common to meet a 
Zen practitioner whose primary practice is in the Japanese Mahayana tradition of silent 
meditation but who also uses mantras or liturgical forms from the Tibetan Buddhist 
tradition. This hybrid Buddhist practice is particularly common in Buddhist chaplaincy 
training programs because students from different practice traditions cross-pollinate as 
they study, meditate, pray, and work together.  
Finally, on the topic of religious hybridity we should mention the secular 
mindfulness movement. Many people fully embrace a secular approach to compassion 
training and mindfulness. These practices loosely organize around the mindfulness-
based stress reduction trainings that have their roots in traditional Buddhist teachings 
but have let go of the scriptural, ritual, ethical, and aesthetic frameworks of Buddhist 
religion.  
 
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask 
Given the richness of Buddhist diversity, it is difficult to map what to expect when 
meeting a program participant who identifies as Buddhist. Therefore, the first task of any 
supervisor-mentor is to inquire deeply into the spiritual path and current expression of 
the Buddhist student. Their perspective on spirituality, ethics, life and death, the nature 
of change, and the nature of mind will form the ground of their ministry.2 It is important 
 
 
255 
 
 
to appreciate that these perspectives have deep historical roots. It would be a mistake to 
interpret the Buddhist traditions, as they often are described in popular media, as 
developments from New Age spiritualties that sacrifice spiritual and intellectual rigor for 
popularity and commercial commodification.  
 
What Can (Probably) Be Assumed? 
The supervisor-mentor can assume that a Buddhist student has practiced 
meditation and study under the guidance of a teacher and/or with a practice community. 
However, the specific meditation techniques of each Buddhist tradition can be quite 
different from one another (e.g., open awareness, visualization, concentration practices, 
insight meditation). Most students in our own chaplain-training program at Upaya Zen 
Center come to it with an established meditation practice that is personally fulfilling.  
A supervisor-mentor can assume that any student who has worked formally in a 
Buddhist training program will have an ethics framework rooted in the Buddhist 
precepts (which are essentially non-harming commitments).3 These precepts will guide a 
Buddhist student’s ministry and social engagement. Note, however, that a practitioner 
from the Mahayana traditions, especially one steeped in Zen, would put an emphasis on 
situational ethics rather than an absolute morality. Situational ethics means that each 
situation is unique and that doing what is “right” in each situation requires a full 
assessment of the many factors at play. Part of skillful action is moral discernment. 
While all conduct aims at the overall relief of suffering, Buddhist morality requires 
the cultivation of moral sensitivity through taking a wide perspective, deep inquiry, and 
listening deeply to oneself and others in each situation. Buddhist moral discernment 
acknowledges that there is rarely a complete remedy to any situation and that there is 
always some unpleasant residual in the system. This is particularly important to 
understand as the Buddhist student may internally process experiences somewhat 
differently than a student who comes out of a tradition of absolute morality (certain 
actions are right or wrong regardless of the context). A Buddhist ethical framework is 
grounded in the absolute vision of non-harming, but non-harming is not necessarily a 
black-and-white issue. A Buddhist student is likely to view an issue through multiple 
perspectives, viewpoints, dimensions, and lenses. This does not mean there is a moral 
wishy-washiness in Buddhist students but rather that they are trained to respond to the 
uniqueness of each and every situation and to carefully acknowledge and process the 
inevitable “moral remainder” to the outcome of every situation. Left unattended, this 
 
2NOTES 
 
 Thich Nhat Hanh, The Heart of Buddha’s Teaching: Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy, and 
Liberation (New York: Broadway Books, 1999) 10. 
3 Hanh, The Heart of Buddha’s Teaching, 10. 
256 
 
 
moral remainder can lead to burnout; therefore, it is important for the Buddhist student 
to reframe the suffering that remains as the next step on the path of understanding, 
realization of the teachings, and ever more skillful action.  
Most Western Buddhist students, with the possible exception of those in the 
secular mindfulness movement, will be familiar with various types of prayer and ritual, 
although they might be uncomfortable using theistic language. While the Buddhist 
student may not personally ascribe to the notion of a divine outsider to whom one prays, 
they should be able to relate to the ways prayer is used in various chaplaincy settings. 
The role of ritual varies in Buddhist traditions, but generally speaking, rituals are used to 
cultivate and encourage beneficial aspects of heart and mind such as loving-kindness, 
compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity.  
In prayer and ritual, Buddhists put very little emphasis on the existence of a deity, 
at least not in the sense that someone from a mainstream Abrahamic tradition might 
conceptualize the Divine Being. However, a Buddhist student should learn how to 
integrate forms and ritual in ways that respond to the needs of the person served as well 
as the chaplain’s own integrity. A Buddhist student should be able to relate to prayers of 
awe and wonder, prayers of contrition and forgiveness, prayers of petition, and prayers 
of thanksgiving and gratitude. Roshi Pat Enkyo O’Hara wrote that in Zen we offer prayer 
that is without separation from all that is interconnected and interdependent. “Prayer can 
be a thought, an intention, a concern of healing or gratitude or reverence, an articulating 
and sending”; it is “offering, supplicating, memorializing, blessing, using all ritualistic 
communications in our possession to express that which is not separate from us, that 
which we are.”4 
This is an excerpt from a CPE reflection:  
I realized that I do not need to embrace the faith or spiritual practices of 
others as my own, but I do need to connect with those I serve in this hospital 
using the language that resonates with them. This calls me deeply to 
practice non-attachment to my view. It is necessary that I not project my 
own reactivity and preference onto another’s spiritual approach and 
instead connect at a deep interpersonal level that allows compassion 
without separation to arise. (MMN) 
A Buddhist student might need some assistance to confront and resolve any 
lingering barriers to engaging in ritual and prayer with those in need. That said, we 
suggest that the Buddhist student be given permission to not participate in forms of 
prayer within the training environment that they cannot participate in with integrity.  
 The Buddhist student should be willing to investigate uncomfortable states of 
mind as this is the nature of some meditation practices. They will likely have practices 
 
4 Pat Enkyo O’Hara, “Prayer,” Tricycle Magazine, Spring 2000, https://tricycle.org/magazine/a-
zen-teacher-sees-prayer-a-skillful-means-helps-us-pay-homage-which-larger-we/. 
257 
 
 
that help them discern between the beneficial and harmful manifestations of those states. 
A supervisor-mentor could inquire about and encourage the student to rigorously 
explore in their practice issues related to self-care, addictive behaviors (including 
workaholic conduct), forms of pathological altruism, countertransference, silent by-
standing, power abuse, spiritual bypassing, and more. Finally, the supervisor-mentor can 
support their Buddhist students by asking them to look deeply into the Buddhist 
teachings and to relate those teachings to their clinical work as chaplains or ministers.  
Importantly, Buddhist practitioners recognize the value in taming or training the 
mind to be less reactive and to express equanimity. This means we actively acknowledge 
emotions and recognize them for what they are in order to clearly see the relevance or 
lack of relevance to our current situation. For example, the Buddhist student should 
notice patterns of reactivity and work to liberate themselves from option-limiting mental 
models and persistent habits of thinking, feeling, and perceiving that they have not 
reflected on.  
It is important for supervisor-mentors to understand that the Buddhist student 
may have worked hard to cultivate a state of reflective awareness rather than emotional 
reactivity. For a Buddhist chaplain, being able to watch an emotion arise, recognize it for 
what it is, and set it aside without reaction is an incredibly valuable skill. Responding 
with understanding to a physician, patient, nurse, or emotionally distraught family 
member with an undisturbed and centered presence is vital to creating a pastoral 
presence that welcomes open and honest sharing. Encouragement to “get out of one’s 
head and into one’s heart” may, in subtle ways, devalue the Buddhist emphasis on 
equanimity by not acknowledging the difference between feeling anger and expressing 
anger. In Buddhist training, with greater realization, anger can be acknowledged and 
released by understanding the causes and conditions that led to it. Expression of anger 
should not be expected if, in fact, the anger no longer has relevance. 
As described in this article, there is a broad range of beliefs and practices among 
Buddhists, so it is important to welcome the student to share their unique experience 
without assumptions or preconceived expectations. Asking your student how they define 
their Buddhist practice and understanding any intersection with another tradition (e.g., 
Christianity or Judaism) will enable you to mentor your student well and guide them into 
successful ministry.  
 


Mentoring for Ministry in Buddhism

Poem about letting go and delve into life

Bell, Christal

 
 
 
 
214 
 
Diving In . . . Living Water 
 
 
Christal Bell* 
 
I dive into the ocean. The ocean is wide, but my faith is deeper.  
As the water trickles down my soul, I am refreshed by the assurance of knowing that the 
waves though they ebb and flow, the one constant is The Almighty.   
 
The Divine Creator of oceans and rivers, streams and brooks is the One who allows me 
to float. So I float.   
I float above the negativity.  
I float above the toxicity.  
I float above the crashing waves that tell me to do more and more and more and not 
take sabbath . . . and just float.   
 
To float. To be present with one’s self. To have peace in the midst of the storm. I float 
above circumstances.  
I float above uncertainties.  
I float above doubts.   
 
I float above fears.  
I then rise. I rise above . . . because when I broke forth out of Mother’s Womb, water 
came.   
 
It is the same water that refreshes our souls when I am thirsty.  
It is the same water that refreshes faces when they are spent from the day’s journey. This 
fresh water. This living water. This well of abundance.  
I allow all of it to encompass my soul.   
 
 
* Rev. Dr. Christal Bell is Pediatric Staff Chaplain and ACH Bereavement Coordinator, Mission 
and Spiritual Care Advocate Children's Hospital - Oak Lawn, Illinois. Email: 
revchristal@gmail.com 
 
Reflective Practice: Formation and Supervision in Ministry 
ISSN 2325-2847 (print)* ISSN 2325-2855 (online) 
© Copyright 2023 Reflective Practice: Formation and Supervision in Ministry 
All Rights Reserved 
 
 
 
 
 
215 
 
 
With arms open, hands up, I welcome the refreshment of its bounty.  
With arms open, hands up, I receive all the blessings from The Almighty.  
With hands up, palms down, I release fears, uncertainty, and worry.  
With hands up, palms up, I am thankful for the bounty that the Divine One has given 
me. With arms wide, hands down, I push down those things that are not for me.  
Those things that are toxic and negative to my body, my mind, my spirit, I push them 
deep into the ocean’s current, never to be brought to my sacred space again.  
With hands up, palms up, I give thanks to the Creator who uniquely crafted me and you 
for this moment and space in time.   
 
I thank the Creator for this gift called life, broken forth from a watery womb.  
Knees bent, head down, I bow in submission not because of patriarchy principles or 
misguided theological constructs, but I bow in honor to the One who created me 
knowing that the One has my best interest at heart.  
The One to whom I bow never leaves.  
The One to whom I bow created the water.  
This is why I bow.   
 
As the waves and ripples of life continue to flow around me, I will remember this sacred 
thought and moment.  
I go down to the ocean’s edge and I come up.  
I go down and I come up.  
I am new.  
I am free.  
I am fearless.  
I am refreshed.  
I come up from the ocean. The ocean is wide, but my faith is deeper.  


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