, Columnist
Harvard Shows That Even Atheists Can Be Chaplains
The appointment shows how the work of chaplains has changed since many universities were founded as religious institutions centuries ago.
In need of spiritual guidance.
Photographer: Adam Glanzman/Bloomberg
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I’m surprised that the selection of an atheist as Harvard’s head chaplain has made so many waves. For one thing, Greg Epstein, who already attends to the spiritual needs of what is doubtless a large contingent of young humanists, atheists and agnostics, is merely primus inter pares. A variety of God-fearing Harvard chaplains yet abound, all of whom voted for Epstein as their chief.
More important, university chaplaincies aren’t what they used to be. And that might not be a bad thing.