Book Review – The Chaplain: A Novel by George E. Conway

The Chaplain: A Novel by George E. Conway (2025: Westminster John Knox Press) 

As someone who tries to do his best to keep up with chaplaincy publications, I was intrigued to stumble across a novel about a chaplain working in an Episcopal school. I am pretty confident in saying novels exploring the work of Anglican school chaplains are pretty thin on the ground, so with my interest suitably piqued I set about getting a copy.

For the author, George Conway, this book is clearly a labour of love, drawing on his lengthy and varied experiences working in independent schools as a football coach, teacher, chaplain and Headmaster.  It is also a reflection of his admiration for the US special forces through his work as a volunteer with the Honor Foundation, which assists Special Forces members transition into civilian life. It may seem like an interesting juxtaposition, chaplaincy and special forces, but Conway draws on both to create a story that explores the work of school chaplaincy and has plenty of action and drama to make for an engaging read.

The novel is about the Reverend Andrew Jackson Knight (Jax) the new chaplain at St Blaine’s Academy, a co ed boarding Episcopal boarding school in Pennsylvania. The reader follows his journey meeting students and staff and gently gaining their respect as the new kid on the block. It explores the work of a chaplain in Jax’s pastoral encounters, classroom lessons and chapel homilies.

Conway manages to cram an impressive number of topics into the narrative from the challenges of AI in the classroom, to dealing with corruption in the school administration, to the difficulties trying to maintain a personal relationship in the fishbowl life of a boarding school.

What makes Jax an intriguing character is that he is a former navy SEAL, so he brings an interesting set of skills and life experience to his work as a school chaplain. The by line for the book is ‘An injured Navy SEAL becomes a chaplain at a Boarding School. What could go wrong?’ Turns out quite a lot.  To keep the plot driving forward Jax contends with having to rescue a lost student, dealing with a murder, and even foiling a terrorist plot.

For those of us whose greatest chaplaincy nemesis is a recalcitrant photocopier the book moves from scenes in the classroom that you can easily relate to, to scenes of clandestinely sneaking into the mansion of a school benefactor, taking out security guards along the way, that are not only a challenge to relate to, but make you a bit uncomfortable coming from an ordained cleric.

While Conway’s admiration for the military that permeates the novel is admirable, one does wish that Jax would lean more into grace and forgiveness as a key means of resolving some of the challenges he faces rather than resorting to violence. To be fair, some of this reflects Conway’s desire to create an airport thriller that sweeps the reader along in the story. It does mean the book is an interesting mash up of writing styles. There are sections that are Tom Clancy-esque while others unpack an RE lesson where you learn how you might respond to atheist New Testament scholar Bart Erhman and gain insights into da Vinci’s Last Supper.  

Conway explains what motivated him to write the novel ‘I wrote this book to share some timeless truths about life and faith. While the plot, characters, and setting are fictional, the principles are enduring. My goal was to create a story that might resonate with young men, offering entertainment, meaningful insights, and an example of triumph over adversity.’

If you are after a novel that manages to be both escapist and at the same time makes you reflect on your ministry context this book is well worth a read.

The Chaplain can be ordered through Amazon or selected bookshops.