Tag Archives: Prayer

Church Services Remember Four Chaplains Day

Update: A Navy Chaplain spoke at a Virginia church service noting

“These chaplains were united in their belief that with God all things are possible,” and they served as an enduring witness to “the power of God to transcend chaos and calamity and produce in us the strength to do all things.”

The story of the four chaplains inspired three Colorado Springs-area military chaplains.

February 3rd marked the 70th anniversary of the sinking of the US Army Transport Dorchester — a tragedy made famous as much by the act of four chaplains as the fact 627 of the 900 men aboard died.

The four chaplains were Protestants George Fox and Clark Poling; Catholic priest John Washington; and a Jewish rabbi, Alexander Goode.  The chaplains famously gave up their own life vests and sank with the ship, arm in arm without regard to any person’s particular religious faith.

The Rev Robert Phillips of Peoria, IL, remembered the chaplains at the end of his service and remarked on the impact the chaplains had on the military as a whole:  Read more

Aviano Fighter Pilot’s Body Recovered

The body of Capt Lucas Gruenther, the F-16 pilot lost on Monday off the coast of Italy, was recovered Thursday.  Though he had been missing, hopes had been raised after the recovery of a drogue chute and helmet among aircraft debris — seeming to indicate a successful ejection into the chilly waters.

From the family’s statement:

A compassionate husband, a loving son, and a devoted brother; Luc leaves behind a family who loves him dearly and a legacy Read more

Aviano Continues Search for Missing F-16 Pilot, Father-to-Be

Aviano Air Base has begun using its own F-16s to support the search for Capt. Lucas Gruenther, who went missing during a four-ship training sortie Monday night.  Debris has been found believed to be from his aircraft.

It seems he is soon to become a new father:

Gruenther and his wife, Cassy, are expecting their first child in two to three weeks, the Bee reported.

Along with the Aviano AB wing commander, our prayers are with his family:

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Capt. Gruenther and his family,” [31st Fighter Wing Commander Brig. Gen. Scott J. Zobrist] said.

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Anti-Religious Groups Harass West Point over Prayer

Since former cadet (and current MRFF “client”) Blake Page made his awkward public departure from West Point over “criminal” Christianity, there has been a simmering of the issue of prayer at the US Military Academy.  For the most part, the only loud voices were critics who want to see West Point end public prayers.

The Alliance Defending Freedom just recently weighed in, encouraging West Point to stand firm in the face of criticism and honor both its legacy and religious freedom.  The ADF’s David Hacker said

“The First Amendment allows public officials to acknowledge our nation’s religious heritage,” he notes. “Anti-religious groups with misguided ideas about the First Amendment should not be allowed to destroy a time-honored, perfectly constitutional American custom.”

The ADF sent a letter to West Point on behalf of the Chaplain Alliance Read more

Activists Call for End to West Point Prayers

Americans United for the Separation of Church and State has called on the US Military Academy at West Point to “stop including prayer during official events.”

In a letter to Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. David H. Huntoon and other officials, Americans United asserted that the academy’s prayer policy runs afoul of the Constitution and violates the rights of cadets.

West Point responded simply by saying there are no mandatory prayers at the Academy.  Americans United seems to believe the First Amendment was written to protect offended ears, not speech.  Their letter supports — unwittingly or not — the stereotype that merely being exposed to a ‘religious act’ is offensive and therefore illegal [emphasis added]:  Read more

Prayer in Combat, Michael Weinstein, and Cookies

An LA Times article on the drawdown in Afghanistan had an interesting lede:

Photo at LATimes.com (David S. Cloud / Los Angeles Times / December 9, 2012)

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — Fifteen U.S. soldiers huddle in a circle. A blue Toyota packed with explosives has been reported somewhere in the city. The troops bow their heads and clasp hands.

“Dear Lord, protect us and protect those entrusted to us as Read more

Future NCMAF President Endorses Hostile View of Chaplaincy

The Reverend Sarah Lammert, the next President of an overarching group of US military chaplain endorsers, the National Conference on Ministry to the Armed Forces, has endorsed a surprisingly hostile article on the role of military chaplains.

OutServe — the homosexual advocacy magazine focused on the US military — recently published an article questioning whether military chaplains were “force multipliers” or “force distracters.”  The author, a reserve US Army Lieutenant Colonel and homosexual, centered much of her discussion on a quote from a “code of ethics” for military chaplains.  In particular, she returned to:

When conducting services of worship that include persons of other than my religious body I will draw upon those beliefs, principles, and practices that we have in common.

Through several paragraphs LtCol Vicki Hudson ultimately seemed to distill her displeasure down to chaplains praying, and she said:  Read more

Unitarian Chaplains Multiply in US Military

An article at the Unitarian Universalist website notes an increase in Unitarian military chaplains and chaplain applicants after decades of under-representation.  The article reports the denomination now has 10 chaplains, with 7 more applying.  While a significant increase from the “one or two” chaplains before (including Army Chaplain Rebekah Montgomery), it still isn’t a high number.  The reason for the low interest?

It’s no secret that for many years after the Vietnam War many UUs harbored some hostility toward the war and the politicians who promoted it. In some cases veterans themselves were treated distantly in our congregations, even shunned.

One UU chaplain said they are needed to balance out “evangelicals”:  Read more

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