A Visible Reminder of the Holy
The Marsh Institute’s logo, a hurricane lamp, reflects the ministry of chaplains. The lamp represents “The Visible Reminder of the Holy” chaplains bring to those dark places like a battlefield, a hospital ICU, a correctional inmate cell, a burned-out building, a disaster scene, or in the aftermath of a suicide in the university dorm. Chaplains fulfill a sacred calling to accompany and provide professional support and spiritual nurture for everyone in their distinctive secular communities, which authorize and hold them accountable.
Observe closely and you’ll notice a book and shepherd’s hook on each side of the lamp. For Christians, the sacred text of the Bible informs spiritual care and pastoral duties. The shepherd’s hook is a heritage reminder of chaplains’ role in guiding and caring for others, much like shepherds care with their flock. The shepherd’s hook was the U.S. Army chaplains’ insignia from 1880 to 1898.