A chaplain traditionally is a member of the clergy or a representative of a religious tradition attached to a secular institution such as the military, a hospital, or an academic institution. The first Trinity College chaplain was appointed in 1946 and is someone on campus from whom students may seek both spiritual and non-spiritual advice.
Discussions concerning loose guidelines as to what a chaplain's office would entail occurred during the tenure of President Remsen Ogilby, himself an Episcopal cleric. Popular consensus defined the role as needing to be filled by a priest of the Episcopal Church who would lead services at the Chapel, preach, counsel students, and teach one or two courses in the religion department.
When President G. Keith Funston came to office in 1945, he wanted to build on the foundation of the College’s past, which included fostering spiritual life on campus. He hoped that appointing an official chaplain would strengthen students' spiritual growth and have religion on campus be “a persuasive impact on as many students as possible–irrespective of their faith.” President Funston generally upheld President Ogilby's loose requirements while searching for a chaplain, wanting someone who valued equally pastoral responsibilities and academic ones, and who could direct Trinity’s spiritual activities. The Rev. Gerald B. O’Grady, Jr., a graduate of Williams College and Episcopal Theological Seminary, was eventually chosen as the College’s first chaplain in 1946. By the 1947-1948 academic year, “Chaplain” was listed as an official office of the College.
O’Grady, aware of the religious diversity of Trinity’s student body, developed a broad approach to his role, which he called “Maximum Ecumenicity.” This approach entailed respecting and integrating the different practices of the various Christian denominations while still primarily focusing on Anglican traditions. He also felt an obligation to the Episcopalians because they made up 40% of the student body at the time. During his tenure as chaplain, O’Grady taught many courses–as the College had requested–as well as upholding his distinctly religious duties and counseling of students. In 1951, he was awarded the Gold Hillel Key by B'nai B'rith, a Jewish Service Organization, for his “unique service in promoting better understanding and interfaith relations.” O'Grady, however, resigned from his position in 1955 to become rector of the American Church in Switzerland. His departure impacted Trinity's curriculum and was partially responsible for the formation of the College's Department of Religion.
Finding a new chaplain following O’Grady's departure proved difficult. President Albert Jacobs put together a committee dedicated to hiring the next College chaplain, but there was little consensus as to what qualities the new chaplain would possess beyond being a priest of the Episcopal Church. The Rev. James Moulton Thomas was eventually chosen in July 1956. Thomas was a Princeton graduate and had been very successful working with young people in past pastoral experiences. A large ceremony conducted entirely in Latin was held in November 1956 to officially install Thomas as chaplain, as President Jacobs hoped that such ceremony would emphasize the importance of the Chapel and the chaplaincy to College life.
Thomas introduced the “Chapel Cabinet” during his chaplaincy, which was made up of the heads of Trinity’s four religious organizations: The Canterbury Club (Episcopal), the Newman Club (Catholic), Hillel (Jewish), and the Protestant Fellowship. The cabinet hoped to lessen religious intolerance and promote interfaith cooperation. Despite this and other initiatives put forth by Thomas, there continued to be strong undergraduate resistance to the compulsory chapel service still in place at that time, so much so, that students threatened a lawsuit, citing that the services were a violation of their constitutional rights. Thomas argued that the mandatory service should be abolished, in hopes that it would allow “Chapel services to stand on their own” and have attendance increase as a result. The College was slow to act and eliminate the attendance rule, which, coupled with other reasons, is what caused Chaplain Thomas to resign in summer 1964. His successor was the Rev. Alan Condie Tull, whose approach resembled Chaplain O’Grady’s by integrating academic life and teaching duties into the position. Tull would go on to serve as College chaplain for the next thirty-five years.
All following chaplains have also been clergy in the Episcopal Church. The Rev. Ann Stoughton Charles, appointed in 1991, was the College’s first female chaplain, a graduate of Smith College and later, Virginia Theological Seminary. In 2021, the Rev. Marcus G. Halley became Trinity’s first openly gay chaplain. Halley holds a Master of Divinity from the Interdenominational Theological Center, as well as a Master of Theology from the School of Theology at the University of the South.
The Office of Spiritual and Religious Life: Confidential Care and Counseling
Appointment of Trinity College Chaplain and Dean of Spiritual and Religious Life, Office of the President, June 11, 2021.
Trinity College in the Twentieth Century (2000) by Peter and Anne Knapp, pp. 119, 122, 126, 165, 210-213.