Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE): Mission and history
Our mission
To foster experienced-based theological education that combines the practice of spiritual care with qualified supervision and peer group reflection. Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) prepares persons for specialized spiritual health care ministries of its students.
Recent history of the CPE program
1960 - Fairview Clinical Pastoral Center accredited by Accreditation Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc. Fairview CPE Center, the second largest center in the upper midwest, has retained its accreditation for its entire history.
1991 - Fairview Southdale Hospital, Fairview Ridges Hospital and Fairview Riverside Medical Center (now University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview, Riverside Campus) established the basic design of the inter-institution CPE program.
1995 - Ebenezer Society (a Lutheran organization specializing in long-term care and assisted living for the elderly) joined Fairview, expanding opportunities for CPE students.
1997 - Fairview purchases University of Minnesota Hospital and Clinic resulting in the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview and combining the longstanding University CPE program with the Fairview CPE Center.
2004 - Fairview CPE Center began redesigning the supervisory education program and committed resources to the education of new supervisors in the sub-region.
2008 - An extended unit of CPE was introduced that runs for 40 weeks with evening and weekend ministry and evening seminars to allow students to hold full time jobs while taking their first unit of CPE.
Currently - Fairview CPE Center is the second largest center in the upper Midwest and offers more education units than any other CPE center in the Twin Cities.
