NACC Member Only Webinar: Catholic Chaplaincy in Our Religiously Diverse World
Presented by Suzanne Watts Henderson PhD
Date: October 9, 2024
Time: 12pm – 1:30pm Central Time
Religious and worldview diversity is on the rise, including a growing number of people who subscribe to no specific tradition or to a mix of them. In this shifting landscape, how can our Catholic identity anchor us in offering spiritual care to people of all faiths and none? Join this conversation with Suzanne Watts Henderson, Senior Director for Faith and Health at Interfaith America, the nation’s leading interfaith organization working to unlock the potential of America’s religious diversity in civic spaces.
Together, we’ll consider the following topics:
- Trends in religious affiliation,
- Key findings about the importance of engaging faith and worldview in health settings,
- Religious diversity and Catholic healthcare (including the ERDs), and
- Strategies for navigating religious difference positively and proactively.
NACC Certification Competencies Addressed in this Webinar: to be determined
Webinar eligible for 1.5 Continuing Education Hours
Presenter Information
Dr. Suzanne Watts Henderson serves as Senior Director for Faith and Health at Interfaith America (IA, formerly Interfaith Youth Core). Previously, she was Irwin Chair of Religious Studies and Dean of Belk Chapel at Queens University in Charlotte, NC. While at Queens, Dr. Henderson worked closely with Interfaith America to foster cooperative religious pluralism on campus and beyond. During the pandemic, she helped secure funding for and led campus-based interfaith relief efforts across the Carolinas, eventually joining the IA team to build the organization’s work at the intersection of faith and health.
During her time at IA, Dr. Henderson has led efforts to foster interfaith cooperation and religious literacy in a wide range of health-related settings. Under her leadership, IA’s Faith & Health team supports campus-based efforts such as curricular development and community partnerships, leads trainings and workshops for health systems and public health organizations, and hosts convenings designed to catalyze faith and health efforts across the health ecosystem. Along the way, Dr. Henderson works to amplify the voices of those committed to engaging religion as a social determinant of health in ways that are fruitful and life-giving.
Dr. Henderson earned her bachelor’s degree in English at UNC-Chapel Hill (1987), where she was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. Her Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary (1990) led to her ordination in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). After three careers (corporate writing, teaching, and parish ministry) and the birth of three children, she returned to Duke University to complete her Ph.D. in New Testament (2004). For over thirty years, she and her spouse Bob have delighted in their three children (now young professionals), abundant outside activity (walking, running, skiing, hiking, biking, and golf), and domestic and international travel—sometimes all at once. She also maintains an at-home yoga practice and enjoys reading widely.