67. Meet the British Army's First Ever Humanist Chaplain with Padre Neil Weddel & Clare Elcombe Webber

“Chaplaincy is defined by function, it’s not defined by belief.”Padre Dr Neil Weddell, the first ever non-religious pastoral carer (humanist chaplain) appointed in the British Army, joins Humanism Now alongside Clare Elcombe Webber, Director of Humanist Care at Humanists UK. We explore what chaplaincy really is, why this appointment is a historic shift for belief-diverse Armed Forces, and what humanist pastoral care looks like in practice for serving personnel and their families. Topics we coverThe evolving purpose of ChaplaincyWhy the Army’s first non-religious chaplain is such a landmark moment “Presence”, confidentiality, and sitting outside the chain of commandStoicism, existentialism, and humanistic psychology as practical frameworks for moral and pastoral supportHow humanist chaplaincy strengthens, not replaces, religious chaplaincyWhere chaplaincy fits alongside welfare and medical support in a whole-person wellbeing systemCeremonies in military life: inclusive funerals, namings, and personal milestonesWhat it takes to become a non-religious pastoral carer, and the pathway into the professionResources & further readingRoyal Army Chaplains’ Department: https://www.army.mod.uk/learn-and-explore/about-the-army/corps-regiments-and-units/royal-army-chaplains-department/Army Jobs -Chaplain role overview: https://jobs.army.mod.uk/roles/royal-army-chaplains-department/chaplain/Non-Religious Pastoral Support Network (NRPSN): https://nrpsn.org.uk/Humanists UK - First-ever humanist pastoral carer in the UK Armed Forces:  https://humanists.uk/2025/10/07/first-ever-humanist-pastoral-carer-in-the-uk-armed-forces-2/Soldier Magazine - “New kinda padre in town”:  https://soldier.army.mod.uk/issues/november-2025/update/new-padreSend us Fan MailSupport the showSupport Humanism Now & Join Our Community!Follow @HumanismNowPod | YouTube | TikTok | Instagram | Facebook | Threads | X.com | BlueSkyHumanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or [email protected]: Blossom by Light PrismPodcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.