Humanism Now | Secular Ethics, Curiosity and Compassionate Change 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 cover
- The evolving purpose of Chaplaincy
- Why the Army’s first non-religious chaplain is such a landmark moment
- “Presence”, confidentiality, and sitting outside the chain of command
- Stoicism, existentialism, and humanistic psychology as practical frameworks for moral and pastoral support
- How humanist chaplaincy strengthens, not replaces, religious chaplaincy
- Where chaplaincy fits alongside welfare and medical support in a whole-person wellbeing system
- Ceremonies in military life: inclusive funerals, namings, and personal milestones
- What it takes to become a non-religious pastoral carer, and the pathway into the profession
Resources & further reading
- Royal 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-padre
Support Humanism Now & Join Our Community!
Follow @HumanismNowPod | YouTube | TikTok | Instagram | Facebook | Threads | X.com | BlueSky
Humanism 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 hello@humanise.live
Music: Blossom by Light Prism
Podcast 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.