Resources for Prison Chaplains

Get Informed

Here are a select few sources for learning more. See many more sources on the full bibliography from the Flourishing Inside project.

CST and Prisons:

Amy Levad. Redeeming a Prison Society: A Liturgical and Sacramental Response to Mass Incarceration (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2014).

David Matzko McCarthy, Vicky Schieber, and Trudy D. Conway (eds). Redemption and Restoration: A Catholic Perspective on Restorative Justice (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2017).

Ryan van Eijk, Gerard Loman, and Theo W. A. de Wit (eds). For Justice and Mercy: International Reflections on Prison Chaplaincy (Oisterwijk: Wolf Legal Publishers, 2016).

Theology and Chaplaincy:

John Caperon, Andrew Todd, and James Walters (eds). A Christian Theology of Chaplaincy (London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2017).

Ben Ryan. A Very Modern Ministry: Chaplaincy in the UK. (London: Theos, 2015).

Christopher Swift, Mark Cobb, and Andrew Todd (eds). A Handbook of Chaplaincy Studies: Understanding Spiritual Care in Public Places (Farnham: Ashgate, 2015).

Miranda Threlfall-Holmes and Mark Newitt. Being a Chaplain (London: SPCK, 2011).

Theology and Prison Chaplaincy:

Christopher Jones and Peter Sedgwick (eds). The Future of Criminal Justice: Resettlement, Chaplaincy and Community (London: SPCK, 2002).

Rowan Williams. ‘Ministry in Prison: Theological Reflections.’ Justice Reflections 2 (2002): 1-16.

Research related to Prison Chaplaincy:

Todd R. Clear and Melvina T. Sumter. ‘Prisoners, Prison, and Religion: Religion and Adjustment to Prison.’ Journal of Offender Rehabilitation 35.3-4 (2002): 125-156.

Jeff Duncan, et. al. ‘Women’s Engagement with Humanist, Spiritual and Religious Meaning-Making in Prison: A Longitudinal Study of Its Impact on Recidivism.’ Religions 9.171 (2018): 1-16.

Alison M. Hicks. ‘Learning to Watch Out: Prison Chaplains as Risk Managers.’ Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 41:6 (2012): 636-667.

Shadd Maruna, Louise Wilson, and Kathryn Curran. ‘Why God is Often Found Behind Bars: Prison Conversions and the Crisis of Self-Narrative.’ Research in Human Development 3.2-3 (2006): 161-184.

Andrew J. Todd. ‘Preventing the “Neutral” Chaplain: The Potential Impact of Anti-“Extremism” Policy on Prison Chaplaincy.’ Practical Theology 6.2 (2013): 144-158.

Andrew J. Todd. ‘United Kingdom: The Public Reconstruction of Religion and Belief in Prisons – Negotiating Diversity, Rights and Constraints.’ in J. Martinez-Arino and A.L. Zwilling (eds), Religion and Prison: An Overview of Contemporary Europe (Springer, 2020).

Andrew J. Todd and Lee Tipton. The Role and Contribution of a Multi-Faith Prison Chaplaincy to the Contemporary Prison Service (Cardiff: Cardiff Centre for Chaplaincy Studies, 2011).

The Pew Forum on Religion in Public Life. Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains (Washington, D.C.: Pew Research Centre, 2012).

Philip Whitehead. ‘Ex-Prisoners Beyond the Gate: Making a Case for the Development of Community Chaplaincy.’ Prison Service Journal 204 (November 2012): 23-26.

Philip Whitehead. ‘Faith Moves Mountains and Sometimes Reduces Recidivism: Community Chaplaincy and Criminal Justice Re-Formation in England and Wales.’ British Journal of Community Justice 9:3 (2011): 27-40.

Documents from churches in England and Wales relating to Prisons:

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. A Place of Redemption: A Christian Approach to Punishment and Prison (London: Burns & Oates, 2004).

Church of England. Prisons: A Study in Vulnerability. (London: Church House Publishing, 1999).