Chaplains: ahead of the Curve?

Brian McLaren makes an interesting observation which chimes with my experience. "I've been noticing more than ever how many chaplains are 'ahead of the curve' in dealing with the 'great emergence' we're part of. Many (not all!) pastors, professors, and denominational officials can stay in their comfortable echo chambers in a way that chaplains can't - whether they're serving in hospitals, prisons, universities, retirement centers, or elsewhere."
One of the perspectives that University chaplains wanted to put over in the CofE report a handful of years back 'Pillars of the Church', was that in terms of Fresh Expressions, we were often already doing the business and that our ministry was exploring territory others tended to follow. In other words, in post-modernity or post-Christendom (or whatever epoch we're in), chaplains are pioneers almost by definition. We are forced to engage with people 'where they are' and to handle their honest opinions of church ministry (they have no need to keep us sweet as we have little institutional clout and we don't do their christenings or stuff). And if we are to help them to expressions of corporate Christian faith, then it has to be 'relevant' for the most part.
interesting question ... - Brian McLaren: