Those Seeking Endorsement
Endorsement Documents
Endorsement is a covenanted relationship between a Religious Endorsing Body (The Orthodox Church in America) and Pastoral Care Certifying Bodies (see links page). Endorsement is defined, by the Association of Religious Endorsing Bodies (AREB), as: “an official declaration by a recognized faith community/tradition that a person meets its standards to serve in a specialized ministry setting of chaplaincy, counseling, or clinical education.”
If you are considering endorsement, please click here to review a letter to you as a candidate for endorsement, and once you have read the letter, click here to download an endorsement application. These documents updated as of February 24, 2023.
You are encouraged to contact the Director of the Office of Institutional Chaplains as you contemplate taking these steps.
CPE Timeline
Please click here to see a timeline that reveals the history of the Clinical Pastoral Education movement here in the United States along with historical events relating to the Orthodox Church.
Mediation between ACPE and CPSP
Please click here to view the letter drafted jointly by ACPE and CPSP during their mediation session on Nov. 30th, 2010. This contains important information for those discerning where to apply for CPE.
On November 30th representatives of ACPE and CPSP met in mediation in the wake of hostility between these two credentialing bodies. The result of this mediation session included a letter drafted mutually by the two bodies. The text of the letter that indicates a cessation of hostility and the goal of mutual recognition of each others’ training units.
Please note, despite this good initial step, due to a number of factors leading to the end of 2012, both organizations have, for different reasons, stepped back from the mediation table leaving the content of this mediation letter and the mediation effort itself in jeopardy. This is a very disappointing outcome for what are meant to be pastoral organizations in the greater pastoral care and counseling arena, and means at least for now that future incidences of hositlity will not have the mediation forum to be resolved. For further questions, please contact Fr. Steven who is credentialed in both of these organizations.