Why I Like the Idea of Atheist Chaplains

Like most college campuses, the 26 official chaplains at Rutgers University represent a broad spectrum of beliefs and practices. But last spring Rutgers threw the net even wider by approving psychology instructor Gary Brill—an avowed atheist—as the university’s first humanist chaplain. Rutgers is only the fourth campus in the U.S. to do so.

(To read a recent New Jersey Newsroom article on Brill, click here.)

I predict this new trend will spread across the nation over the next few years. And I think that’s actually a good thing.

Why? Because some people falsely assume that because humanism/atheism denies the existence of God, its adherents base their decision to subscribe to this view solely on fact and reason. But atheism/humanism is a belief system, as clearly as any organized religion is a belief system. I think having humanist chaplaincy posts at universities will help students realize this.

What do you think?