Chaplains College School of Graduate Studies
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| Chancellor | Dale A. Scadron, Th.D., D.D. |
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| Website | chaplainscollegeschoolofgraduatestudies |
1. Chaplains College School of Graduate Studies
Chaplains College School of Graduate Studies is an institution dedicated to research-centric graduate education tailored for a global constituency. The College emphasizes the synthesis of theoretical rigor and original inquiry, aiming to advance the professional standards of chaplaincy. Led by a research-active faculty, the institution focuses on equipping practitioners for executive leadership through a curriculum grounded in academic excellence and inclusive practice.
2. Dr. Dale Scadron (Chancellor)
Dr. Dale Scadron is the founder of Chaplains College and Chaplains International, Inc. A theologian and author with over three decades of experience, Dr. Scadron is an ordained Foursquare minister and an alumnus of the Angelus Bible Institute. He holds a Doctor of Theology and a Doctor of Divinity from Crossroads Bible College, as well as a Doctor of Literature (honoris causa) from Omega Bible Institute. In 2022, he received the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the field.
Professional Background
- Executive Leadership: Serves as President of Chaplains International, Inc. and the Chaplaincy Training Institute; recognized as a pioneer in the development of law enforcement chaplaincy programs.
- Public Service: Previously served as a chaplain for the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), the Glendale Police Department, and the Kern County Sheriff’s Office.
- Federal Appointment: Currently serves as Senior Chaplain for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in McFarland, California; formerly served as Chaplain for the Taft Federal Correctional Institution.
3. Dr. Thomas Luke (2025 Nobel Prize Nominee)
The Reverend Thomas Luke, PhD, LittSD (hc), CSIC, is a dedicated advocate in the fight against child sex trafficking and a pioneering scholar operating at the vital intersection of faith and trauma. He is a distinguished missiologist, academic author, and humanitarian advocate. In 2025, Dr. Luke was nominated for both the Nobel Peace Prize and the Nobel Prize in Literature. He holds the rank of Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus of Transformational Theology at Chaplains College School of Graduate Studies, where his academic, research, and field tenure spanned from 1993 to 2026.
Transformational Theology Dr. Luke’s scholarly monograph was expanded and transformed from his doctoral dissertation, Transformational Theology, which received the Distinguished Dissertation Award. As the foundational architect of this interdisciplinary academic framework, Dr. Luke designed Transformational Theology to bridge the gap between practical theology and pastoral care. Developed as a cornerstone of his theological scholarship, this methodology is specifically applied to the rehabilitation, care, and long-term restoration of survivors of extreme trauma, with a primary focus on individuals who have survived child sex trafficking and present with dissociative identity disorder. Ultimately, the framework aims to facilitate the integration of alter identities into a unified identity in Christ.
Wise-Luke Spiritual Integration Counseling System The Wise-Luke Spiritual Integration Counseling System (SICS) represents a landmark application within contemporary practical theology. The system operates on a distinct multi-generational lineage of care and institutional development:
- Origin and Intuition: SICS was originally conceived as an informal pastoral framework by Dr Norm Wise. His early model was built upon a synthesis of profound spiritual discernment, pastoral intuition, and direct field experience in crisis intervention.
- Academic Codification: The framework was subsequently expanded, formalized, and codified into a rigorous academic discipline and professional credentialing standard by Dr. Wise’s protégé, Dr. Thomas Luke. Through this collaboration, the informal framework evolved into a structured curriculum and a recognized professional credentialing program within graduate theological education.
Theological-Pastoral Foundation The SICS framework is grounded in a distinct theological-pastoral synthesis, encapsulated by the scriptural mandate found in Luke 18:27 (NRSVue):
"What is impossible with man is possible with God."
This foundational text serves as the epistemological cornerstone of the system. It posits that while human intervention and conventional supportive modalities encounter definitive structural limits when confronting deep existential fractures, spiritual integration introduces a transcendent pathway toward complete restoration.
The Role of the Practitioner As the primary architect of the Certified Spiritual Integration Counselor (CSIC) credential, Rev. Dr. Thomas Luke defines the precise boundary between human guidance and spiritual restoration through a specific guiding axiom:
"While the counselor facilitates the supportive environment, it is the Divine Physician who effects the ultimate reconciliation and holistic healing of the internal system." — Chaplain Thomas Luke, Ph.D.
Academic Appointments
- Founding Scholar of the Discipline: Transformational Theology
- Founding Chair: Department of Transformational Theology, Chaplains College School of Graduate Studies
- Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus of Transformational Theology
- Field and Research Tenure: 1993–2026
