Tag Archives: southern baptist

Col Boling New Director of ANG Chaplains, with Diversity

Chaplain (Col) Leah Botona Boling recently became the director of the Air National Guard Chaplain Corps, and the Air Force was quick to point out she was the “first female, person of color” to hold that position. More important to the people she serves, of course, are her beliefs. Oddly, the chaplain’s religious beliefs were rarely mentioned in the articles vaunting her elevation to the position. Speaking of what she brings to the role, she said

I bring the female perspective, the mother perspective, the Filipina perspective and, most important, the Leah Botona Boling perspective.

On one hand, the statement is notable for highlighting that every person brings their “perspectives” with them into every role in which they serve. Boling doesn’t seem to support the idea that a person should leave some part of themselves at the door – read: those who think Christians shouldn’t allow their beliefs to influence their leadership or politics.

At the same time, note the “perspective” the chaplain left out: her faith.

It shouldn’t have been hard to Read more

Teacher Fired for Not Using Male Pronouns to Address Female Student

Peter Vlaming, a French teacher at West Point High School in Virginia, was recently fired for refusing to use male pronouns when addressing a female student:

While Vlaming conceded to referring to the student by [her] male name, he refrained from addressing [her] by any identifying pronoun, the Times-Dispatch said.

This sounds much like the situation with Shawnee State University and Dr. Nicholas Meriwether, who was fired not for what he said, but for what he refused to say. In both cases, the reports indicate Read more

Progressive Religious Groups Had No Effect on Kavanaugh, Mikey Weinstein. Here’s Why.

While some have vaunted (or mocked) the power of the ‘religious bloc’ in American politics, the nomination and confirmation of now-Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh was the latest insight into when that power appears to be ineffective.

On Wednesday, October 3rd, the National Council of Churches issued a statement calling for Kavanaugh’s nomination to be withdrawn. The NCC said its stance was because

Judge Kavanaugh exhibited extreme partisan bias and disrespect…[and] his testimony before the Judiciary Committee included several misstatements and some outright falsehoods.

Judge Kavanaugh’s [record] is troubling with regard to issues of voting rights, racial and gender justice, health care, the rights of people with disabilities, and environmental protections.

The NCC, according to it own website, has 38 “member communions” that “include more than 45 million people in over 100,000 congregations.” If you do the math, that’s nearly 14% of the entire US population.

Yet, despite this condemnation from Read more

Great Awakening at Fort Leonard Wood and Beyond

As previously noted, more than 2,000 US Army trainees have professed faith in Christ recently at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.

Chaplain (Capt) Jose Rondon…began to track what has been called a “spiritual awakening” on the military base in March, when he reported that more than 200 professed faith during chapel services on the base on March 11 and March 18. By June 24, that number had risen to 880 professions of faith and has continued to rise throughout the summer – reaching 2,077 on Aug. 19.

Retired Chaplain (MajGen) Doug Carver said the revival wasn’t limited to FLW [emphasis added]:

More than 2,000 troops gathered Read more

Conservative Chaplains Lose Lawsuit But Lead US Military Chaplaincy

Howard Friedman’s Religion Clause reported on the summary judgment granted in In re Navy Chaplaincy, a very long-running lawsuit alleging the US Navy chaplaincy was essentially rigged for liturgical/Catholic chaplains. The DC federal district court ruled against the chaplains.

However, given how many years the lawsuit has been running its course, it is worth noting who is leading the US Navy chaplaincy now:

In fact, the rest of the US military chaplaincy leadership reads much the same. With one possible exception, the list reads like a who’s who of conservative and Read more

Statement from Chaplain (MajGen) Doug Carver on Scott Squires

From US Army Chaplain (MajGen) Doug Carver (retired), as quoted at the Baptist Press, reacting to the Army’s decision not to punish Chaplain (Maj) Jerry Scott Squires, despite an official investigator’s recommendation it do so:

“This is great news for both Chaplain Squires and all of the military chaplains who are serving our men and women the U.S. Armed Services,” said Gen. Douglas Carver, executive director of chaplaincy at the North American Mission Board (NAMB). “It is a significant victory for all who support and defend the freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, especially regarding the freedom of religion…”

Carver thanked Squires’ commanding general “for having the moral courage to make the correct but difficult decision regarding the investigation into Chaplain Squires…”

Few chaplains have endured the investigative scrutiny that Read more

Army Chaplain Observes Quiet Revival at Fort Leonard Wood

According to an article at ChurchLeaders.com, there’s a revival going on in the US Army at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri — and a Southern Baptist chaplain is responsible:

Almost 1,000 soldiers in basic training at Ft. Leonard Wood in Missouri have given their lives to Jesus Christ since March in what can arguably be called a spiritual revival.

There is no question God is doing something amazing at the army base and that He is using Captain Jose Rondon, a chaplain at the base, to carry out His plans.

Chaplain Rondon gives a fairly simple exhortation to his fellow believers — “Stay INTENTIONAL” — and he also makes a point of going where his troops go: Read more

Mikey Weinstein: Southern Baptists are Terrifying, Existential Danger

Michael “Mikey” Weinstein’s MRFF recently had a case of the vapors when they read the Southern Baptist Convention’s chaplaincy website, which includes the 1941 quote from Alfred Carpenter that

Every chaplain is a missionary in uniform, and an evangelist at large…

Weinstein’s group let loose the vitriol:

MRFF’s Constitutional [sic] civil-rights [sic] battle for separation of church and state in the U.S [sic] military faces vicious opposition from fundamentalist evangelical Christian dominionists hell-bent on ensuring military chaplains function as “government paid missionaries”…

As previously discussedevery Christian Read more

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