What is CPE?

Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)

Clinical Pastoral Education is interfaith professional education preparing adult students for a spiritual care practice, or ministry. It brings theological students, clergy, and laypersons of diverse cultures, ethnic groups, and faith traditions into supervised encounter with persons in crisis. A major focus of the course is the integration of one’s personal history, faith tradition and the behavioral sciences in the practice of spiritual care.

Educational Methodology

CPE is a multicultural experience that uses a clinical methodology of learning. This dynamic and creative process combines action (real-life ministry encounters) and reflection (using resources such as written reports of visits, group discussion and feedback from peers and a Certified Educator). This action/reflection model of adult education unites theology with pastoral practice, knowledge with process, and theory with practice. Exploring new ways to practice based on reflection is what CPE is all about.

The JED Center has Provisional ACPE accreditation to offer Level I and II CPE

ACPE Level I CPE – addresses the fundamentals of pastoral formation, pastoral competence, and pastoral formation through one or more CPE units. Satisfactory achievement of Level I outcomes is a prerequisite for doing Level II CPE.

ACPE Level II CPE – addresses the development and integration of pastoral formation, pastoral competence, and pastoral reflection to a level of competence that permits participants to pursue professional certification as a chaplain and/or admission to the Certified Educator process.

Note: Institutions interested in partnering with The JED Center in the training of chaplains may contact info@thejedcenter.org for additional information