Category Archives: Chaplain

Army Chaplain Pastors Rangers

In a video at the Baptist Press, Chaplain (Capt) Jeff Struecker speaks about the spiritual support he gives the trainees at the US Army Ranger School.

The more difficult the circumstances, the more receptive they are to issues of faith…

There is an urgency for me to share the gospel of Jesus Christ…

My heroes are Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, and Airman, and I can’t think of a greater privilege than to be a pastor to a group of my heroes.

The Chaplain is the former Staff Sergeant Struecker of Blackhawk Down fame.  One of his stories is recounted in Stories from a Soldier’s Heart, and he has written his story in The Road to Unafraid.  (See the last three paragraphs of this article.)

Report: “Fundamental” Chaplain “Suppressed” in Iraq

The World Net Daily, which can sometimes be justifiably accused of sensationalizing its stories, carries a report about a fundamental Baptist Chaplain who claims that his services in Iraq were “suppressed” because “it was offensive to the brigade chaplain.”

Without the true facts of the case, it is impossible to draw a conclusion.  It is true that it would be improper for a chapel service to be cancelled for its theology; it is also true that the military is under no obligation to have a chapel service for every “flavor” of religion in its ranks.

It is possible that this is the case to which the ACLJ previously referred.

Air Force Awards Chaplains Service

According to an AF.mil article, the Air Force has announced the winners of the 2007 Chaplain Service Awards.  Among many others was included the “Spirit of the Four Chaplains Award,” which honors the memory of the four Chaplains lost on the USAT Dorchester 65 years ago this year.  In the quartet there was a Catholic Priest, Jewish Rabbi, and two Protestant Chaplains.  More information on the four Chaplains can be seen on the website of the Four Chaplains Memorial Foundation, which

exists to further the cause of “unity without uniformity” by encouraging goodwill and cooperation among all people.

“Unity without uniformity” may be an excellent way to describe the necessary relationships among those of varying faiths in the military today–where Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors and Marines work together without any requirement that they necessarily believe the same tenets (or are required to accept the truth claims of another system).

Jewish Chaplains in Iraq

An AF.mil article highlights the unique circumstances of a Jewish US Air Force Chaplain in Iraq.  The article notes that he is the only AF Jewish Chaplain in the AOR, though a recent article at the Jerusalem Post indicates that there are four more in the US Army also deployed there.

ACLJ Petitions for Military Chaplains

The ACLJ, which is sometimes referred to as the Christian version of the ACLU, renewed its call for a petition to protect the right of military Chaplains to pray within the dictates of their faiths, even outside scheduled sectarian services.  This appears to be an update to a similar push last year.  While there are no explicit rules that prohibit a sectarian prayer outside of a religious service (those that did exist were rescinded by act of Congress), the “sensitivity” of the subject has led many to avoid any perception of it whatsoever.

The ACLJ also noted an as-yet unpublished story out of Iraq which contends that a Christian service was “suppressed” because of the “Chaplain’s theology.”

While the religious situation in the military is not nearly so dire as the ACLJ (or the MRFF) would sometimes seem to think, there are people on both sides that do believe it is, and they are making concerted efforts to influence both the military and national opinion.

UPDATE: OneNewsNow picks up the story here.

National Day of Prayer: May 1st, 2008

From the Presidential Proclamation,

Americans of many different faiths share the profound conviction that God listens to the voice of His children and pours His grace upon those who seek Him in prayer…I ask the citizens of our Nation to give thanks, each according to his or her own faith, for the freedoms and blessings we have received and for God’s continued guidance, comfort, and protection.

A background on the tradition can be seen here.

Some have complained that the National Day of Prayer has been “hijacked” by the “religious right.”  This perception is probably due to the fact that Christians have been the most enthusiastic about supporting the observance.  As explicitly stated by the National Day of Prayer “task force,” each American is free to observe the NDP as they desire, or not at all.  Though they are expressing this “tolerant” view, some participants of the alternative “inclusive” NDP plan to picket the observances coordinated by the NDP task force.

According to the Dallas Morning News, Air Force Deputy Chief of Chaplains Brigadier General Cecil R. Richardson will speak to a Dallas-area observance of the NDP on “Prayer as Our Tradition.”   As with all military associated events, “persons of all faiths, cultures and generations are encouraged to attend.”  General Richardson has been selected to become the next Air Force Chief of Chaplains.

Congressional Call for Chaplain Investigation

As noted on the Charlotte Observer, Rep. Sue Myrick (R-NC) has called for a

government investigation of all US military chaplains who were approved by Abdurahman Alamoudi.

All military Chaplains are required to have an endorsement by an ecclesiastical body.  Alamoudi formed the American Muslim Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs Council, which provided such an endorsement for Muslim Chaplain candidates.

Alamoudi is now serving 23 years in jail on terrorism related charges, after having been involved financially with Libya and with an assassination plot on Saudi Prince Abdullah.

Though Myrick has been criticized for her statement, it is noteworthy that Rep. Charles Schumer (D-NY) voiced the same concerns over 5 years ago.

Depending on the source, there appear to be approximately a dozen Muslim Chaplains in the military.  Notably, one government web article in 2006 stated that there were more Muslim and Jewish Chaplains than there were Catholic per military observant.

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