David Fleenor ’06: Spiritually Mature and Evidence-Based Chaplains

The Rev. David Fleenor, STM (GTS class of 2006) has written a chapter for the new book Transforming Chaplaincy: The George Fitchett Reader (Wipf and Stock, 2021). George Fitchett has been a pioneering advocate of the view that evidence-based spiritual care can and should transform chaplaincy as evidence-based medicine has transformed contemporary medical practice.

The book includes key selections from Fitchett’s ground-breaking research, introducing readers to issues that have continuing importance to spiritual care and professional chaplaincy. Fleenor’s chapter is one of the essays complementing the collection, specially commissioned from observers well-positioned to comment on future directions for both professional chaplaincy and spiritual-care research.  

Fleenor is a board-certified chaplain, ACPE Certified Educator, Episcopal priest, and a student in Rush University's Ph.D. in Health Sciences. In January 2022, he will begin a new role as the founding director of Clinical Pastoral Education at Stony Brook University Hospital where he will establish a new CPE program and a Master's degree in Healthcare Chaplaincy. David lives in Queens, NY with his wife, teenage stepdaughter, and Maltese puppy.