Cherry Hill Seminary faculty member receives Chaplaincy Board Certification

Posted on April 21, 2022June 18, 2025

Columbia, S.C. — Cherry Hill Seminary is proud to announce that faculty member Shane Nelson, M.Div., M.A., has been granted certification as Provisional Board Certified Chaplain (PBCC).

The Board of Chaplaincy Certification Inc. (BCCI) is an affiliate of the Association of Professional Chaplains. BCCI certification is the leading standard for professional excellence in the field, a qualification required by many hospitals and other institutions which employ chaplains.

“To the best of the knowledge of the BCCI staff, I am the only Pagan-identifying chaplain who has been provisionally board certified by the Board of Chaplaincy Certification,” said Nelson. “This is a long time coming and has taken many years of graduate work, Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), personal reflection, and board interviews. This accomplishment also serves to open the door to become board certified for other Pagan practitioners who are working towards becoming, or currently are, professional chaplains.” Nelson is a faculty member in the Department of Pastoral Counseling & Chaplaincy at Cherry Hill Seminary.

At least one Cherry Hill Seminary graduate is currently pursuing BCCI certification. As mentioned by Nelson, the process is lengthy and rigorous, requiring demonstration of competencies, graduation education, and documented mentored experience.

David Oringderff, Ph.D., longtime Seminary faculty and Chair of the PCC department, said, “Having spent several decades mentoring seminarians and both practicing and aspiring chaplains, I am incredibly gratified to see the results of Shane’s hard work. He is a vital asset to our department, respected by both his peers and students. Sacred Well Congregation is also extremely happy to hear this news because Shane serves on our Board of Directors as Director of Military Affairs.”

Seminary director Holli Emore noted that as more individuals consider themselves solitary or unaffiliated with a religious body, chaplaincy becomes increasingly relevant. “When in crisis or stress, or during a disaster, people still look to those who can support them spiritually. At Cherry Hill Seminary, we emphasize the importance of all our students being able to support others, no matter what their beliefs. Pagans are uniquely positioned to honor diverse spiritual traditions, so Pagan-identifying chaplains can be strong partners on a chaplaincy team.”

Nelson was ordained through Sacred Well Congregation in 2013. He holds a BA in Religion from American Military University, a MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Northwest Christian University, and a MDiv from Starr King School for the Ministry. He is a Certified Drug & Alcohol Counselor Registrant, a Licensed Professional Counseling Registered Intern, and a Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist serving veteran, homeless, and forensic populations as a mental health provider. Nelson is a veteran with over ten years of military service, including three years of service to Sacred Well Congregation as a Distinctive Faith Group Leader (DFGL).

For more information contact CHS@cherryhillseminary.org, 803-862-9088.

Coming to the Center Hosts Graham Harvey

Posted on April 14, 2022June 18, 2025

Saturday, July 23, 2022 at 3:00 PM ET (US)

Click to register for this free livestream event

Dr Graham Harvey has been Reader in Religious Studies at the Open University since 1993, and is also the President of the British Association for the Study of Religions.

In addition to Animism, his work has covered a wide range of subjects, from Judaism, Paganism, Indigenous Religions and Shamanism. Current research interests: “First there is my ongoing interest in Indigenous rituals and performance cultures. For this I am involved in collaborative research and public engagement with Border Crossings, organisers of ORIGINS Festival of First Nations, a biennial arts festival in the UK – including participation in the journey of Totem Latamat (made by the Totonac multi-media artist Jun Tiburico in Mexico) across the UK to COP26 in Glasgow and to its final resting / retirement place at The Crichton in Dumfries. Secondly, I am beginning a project called “Prepare to meet your god(s)” which is about the practicalities of preparation for encounters with significant other-than-humans and/or with death.”

Read a full bio here

Giovanna Parmigiani

Posted on March 5, 2022June 26, 2025

Giovanna Parmigiani, Harvard Divinity School Lecturer in Religion and Cultural Anthropology. She is an anthropologist of religion and a scholar of Contemporary Paganisms. Watch the recording here

2021 Professor of the Year

Posted on February 28, 2022June 18, 2025

Cherry Hill Seminary is pleased to announce Dr. Deirdre Sommerlad-Rogers is the 2021 recipient of the Wendy Griffin Professor of the Year Award!

“This nominee has illustrated by personal and professional example how to be completely respectful of the diversity of personalities and opinions in this world. We’ve all witnessed the abundance of enthusiasm for any subject this individual has taught, such that students are consistently engaged in lively dialog that truly only comes to a close because our attention is called to the class ending time. In the most recent class I took with this nominee, there were several of us a bit intimidated by putting together powerpoint presentations, and this nominee was immensely encouraging and helpful so we could be successful.

“This nominee is driven by an incredible curiosity about life and communicates this to students in such a way that is catching. You can’t help but think, ‘I’ve never thought about that before’ and that leads to building connections in such amazing ways. On a personal note, this nominee has the patience and fortitude to answer any question I’ve sent their way, and the best part is–we share a love of goats!

“So. it is truly my pleasure to announce the 2021 Professor of the Year – Dr. Deidre Sommerlad-Rogers!”
– Cynthia Cebuhar, Votaries Alumni Member

About the Wendy Griffin Professor of the Year Award

Sponsored by the CHS Votaries Alumni Circle, this prestigious award is presented annually to one deserving faculty member who has demonstrated teaching excellence in the classroom and a commitment to spiritual growth for students. Nominations are accepted throughout the calendar year until Thanksgiving weekend, and the award is announced and presented at a special online event early in the new year following.

Honoring Academic Dean Emerita Wendy Griffin

As Cherry Hill Seminary’s first permanent Academic Dean, Wendy Griffin, Ph.D., and Academic Dean Emerita, brought to our seminary a dedication to academic integrity and a devotion to Pagan and Nature Spirituality. She was an academic pioneer in the study of Goddess Spirituality and Wicca, and served in the American Academy of Religion and on the editorial board of The Pomegranate: the International Journal of Pagan Studies. By the time she retired in 2018, Griffin had inspired students and colleagues alike with her intellect, skills and engagement.