Religion in Multi-Ethnic Contexts:
A Multi-Disciplinary Case Study of Global Seafaring

This project explores the religious and spiritual needs of multinational seafarers working onboard cargo ships that call in the United Kingdom or North America. We explore the history and present work of port chaplaincy in the U.S. and U.K. and the theological implications of that work on seafarers, chaplains, and local congregations. The British component of this project is based at the University of Cardiff’s Seafarers International Research Centre and supported by a grant from the Economic and Social Research Council, Helen Sampson, PI. Sophie Gilliat-Ray, Nelson Turgo and Graeme Smith are collaborators. It includes archival research as well as interviews and ethnographic observation on board ships.

The North American component of this research is based on interviews with port chaplains in Canada and the United States and ethnographic research Cadge conducted in Boston. Portions of it are in collaboration with Jason Zuidema and Michael Skaggs and are supported by a grant from the Louisville Institute designed to strength congregation-port chaplain connections.