Category Archives: Chaplain

al Jazeera Revisits US Military and Christianity

Near the end of June, al Jazeera aired a program called “Fault Lines” that again brought up the issue of religion in the US military (see prior discussion).  The episode was hosted by Josh Rushing, a former US Marine turned al Jazeera reporter.

The “Fault Lines” program can be viewed as Part I and Part II. The program begins with a pan out from a US church with Rushing saying

Many on the Christian right describe the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, well, in similar terms as the Taliban and al Qaeda: as spiritual wars of the highest magnitude.

The prejudicial statement, which describes a minority view as if it was a commonly accepted American perspective, Read more

Unique Audio Bibles Bound for the Middle East

As noted at the ChristianPost, an organization called Faith Comes By Hearing and Campus Crusade for Christ’s Military Ministry have joined forces to make an innovative tool available for Christians in the military: a “military BibleStick.”  The device is a small mp3 player that comes pre-loaded with an “audio drama New Testament.”

As with Bibles and other religious material provided by private organizations to contacts within the military Read more

Rick Warren to Address Muslim Group

Pastor Rick Warren is being criticized for his decision to speak at the annual convention of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) over the fourth of July weekend.  The ISNA was an “unindicted co-conspirator” in a terror trial in 2007.  The trial ultimately resulted in the conviction of the Holy Land Foundation and its leaders for funneling funds to Hamas.

The convention is expected to draw 30,000 people, and is apparently still holding out hope that President Obama will make an appearance.  ISNA leader Sayyid Syeed participated in Warren’s Saddleback Civil Forum on Public Health last December.

There have been reports that the ISNA has replaced CAIR, another unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation trial, as the FBI’s primary contact with the Islamic community.

The ISNA remains one of the few Islamic endorsing agencies for US military Chaplains.

“Obama’s Church” and its Military Chaplain

A near firestorm was raised on Monday when Time‘s Amy Sullivan reported (and a variety of sources repeated) that the Obama family had decided that Camp David’s Evergreen Chapel would be its “home church.”  The White House staff contradicted the Time article, saying that the Obamas are still looking for a “church home.”  The Time contributor is “standing by” her story, saying that the fact that the Obamas are intending to attend the Chapel while at Camp David justifies her report.

More interesting, however, was the intense scrutiny given to the Chaplain currently associated with Camp David. Read more

Chaplain Wounded in Combat Dies

Chaplain Tim Vakoc, a US Army Catholic priest, succumbed to the results of his combat wounds earlier this week.  Chaplain Vakoc had been wounded by an IED in May of 2004, and is believed to have been the first military Chaplain so wounded in the current conflict.  He had been a Chaplain since 1996, and is the first Chaplain to die due to combat in the current conflict.

As noted by Chaplain Mitch Lewis.

Jewish Chaplain Builds his Congregation

The Stars and Stripes covers the efforts of a US military Jewish Chaplain serving the troops while in Germany.  Chaplain Avi Weiss admirably faces a daunting task as one of the few Jewish Chaplains for members of a faith spread across much of the European theatre.  He has previously served at the equally (or more) challenging Army facilities in South Korea, as well as Army bases in the United States.

The Chaplain already has a religious newsletter and has been called upon for an interesting reason Read more

Christian Military Leaders Targeted, Intimidated

Michael Weinstein and his Military Religious Freedom Foundation have routinely called for court martial, punishment, and have even implied harm against military members publicly associated with expressions of religious thought.  Weinstein has reserved particular vitriol for senior officers, including the Chief Chaplains of both the Army and Air Force, the Secretary of the Army, the members (and Chairman) of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, military academy leadership, and others.  His intent appears to be to silence or exclude Christians by changing military policy and public opinion where he can, and intimidation using public excoriation where he cannot.

It is likely that the MRFF’s criticisms of military leadership will continue.  They have already leveled criticism at the Obama administration’s selection for the new Secretary of the Army, New York Republican Congressman John McHugh.

Michael Weinstein called McHugh “suboptimal” Read more

US Military Chaplain Distributes “Bibles” to Iraqis

US military Chaplains serve all.  They serve regardless of faith or lack thereof.  They provide counsel and reassurance independent of affiliation.  While staying true to their own religious tenets, they aggressively support all personnel with whatever they require to meet their spiritual and religious needs.

That’s why it is not surprising that a US military Chaplain recently handed out religious texts to local Iraqis. Read more

1 … 60 61 62 63 64 … 74