Acadia Divinity College is pleased to announce Rev. Dr. Dorothy E. Hunse, Assistant Professor of Pastoral Care, as the new Director of the Charles J. Taylor Centre for Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care, effective July 1, 2020.  Dr. Hunse is the fourth Director of the Centre, following the service of Dr. Tracy vom Hagen (née Demmons) (2011-2013), Rev. Dr. Carol Anne Janzen (2013-2018), and Rev. Joseph Green (2018-2020).

The Charles J. Taylor Centre for Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care was established by Acadia Divinity College in 2011. This Centre fosters and promotes clinical and theological excellence in the area of Pastoral Care through personal growth, the building of professional capacities and rigorous theological reflection. The Taylor Centre trains and prepares men and women for pastoral ministry in specialized forms, including hospital chaplaincy, military chaplaincy, prison chaplaincy, and a variety of other caring professions, for which care for the Spirit is of primary importance.

Dr. Hunse brings a wealth of expertise to this role.  Prior to joining Acadia Divinity College in 2017, she served as a member of faculty at McMaster Divinity College and as the Multi-Faith Chaplain at Hospice Niagara in Ontario.

At Acadia Divinity College, Dr. Hunse has recently taught courses in the areas of Pastoral Care and Counselling; Chaplaincy; Prison Ministry; Ethics; Suicide; Care for People with Mental Health Concerns and Addictions; as well as Loss, Grief, and Death. In addition, Dorothy has presented to educational institutions and local churches on the topics of spiritual care, care of the dying, and grief in lecture, workshop, and retreat formats.

Dr. Anna Robbins, President of ADC says, “I am very excited to welcome Dr. Hunse into this role. She is the right person at this time in the life of the college to shape the work of the centre going forward. I look forward to what she will accomplish both in honouring the chaplaincy DNA at ADC, and in forging new directions. At the same time, I am deeply grateful to Rev. Joe Green for his fine work and commitment to the work of the Centre in serving as Director these past two years.”

Dr. Hunse is a graduate of McMaster Divinity College, having earned her PhD (Christian Theology) in 2014 and her Master of Divinity in 1998, receiving the Principal’s Gold Medal. During her MDiv studies, she completed a Pastoral Counselling Education Unit in 1997.  She also holds a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) from Brock University (1989).

Please join the President in welcoming Dr. Hunse to this new role.