The Southern Baptist Convention has sponsored what is probably the perfect VBS theme for Air Force Chapels:
The “Amazing Wonders Aviation: Encountering God’s Awesome Power” is the theme for 2012, though, so you may have a year to wait.
This year, military congregations around the world continue to host Vacation Bible School to minister to children both in and out of the Read more
A US Army article again highlights SPC Simranpreet Singh Lamba, the sole non-medical Sikh Soldier granted a waiver of uniform standards so he may adhere to his religious dress requirements.
The article again documents the difficulty Lamba had in having his enlistment accepted. It also repeats the prior news that Lamba has had no significant issues either with the institutional Army or with individual Soldiers, despite his (significantly) minority faith: Read more
Want to know what Michael Weinstein and his self-founded Military Religious Freedom Foundation stand for? Ask his staff and supporters.
GodDiscussion.com, which has a close relationship with Leah Burton — one of two members of Michael Weinstein’s MRFF board — recently hosted a fundraiser for the MRFF in coordination with the Fort Bragg “Rock Beyond Belief.” They were bringing in money for three reasons, in their own words:
(1) the soliders [sic] at Ft. Bragg who face potential legal challenges in having their Rock Beyond Belief secular alternative to Frankin Graham’s Rock the Fort proselytizing concert
(2) legal representation of service members nationwide who face discriminatory “Spiritual Fitness Tests” and
(3) the general fight against Christian extremism within the Armed Forces.
It’s interesting they’d raise funds for Read more
The Journal of Faith and War has published articles on a variety of topics covering aspects of national security, leadership, God, religion, and the military.
They recently re-published the 2010 paper by Chaplain (then-LtCol) Jimmy Browning, entitled “Religious Expression or Religious Coercion: Commanders Caught in the Crossfire.” The paper was noted here last year, and is a brief but very interesting perspective on religious issues as they pertain to military leadership.
Chaplain (Col) Browning is now Deputy Commandant of the US Air Force Chaplains’ Corps College. The College is part of the joint Chaplain school at Fort Jackson, SC.
According to an official Air Force release, the US Air Force chapel community raised more than a quarter million dollars to aid the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
In the wake of the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan March 11, members of the Air Force Chaplain Corps on 43 installations helped raise more than $257,000 toward relief efforts for victims of the disaster, officials said here June 9.
The effort began with a call from the Air Force Chief of Chaplains:
On March 15, Chaplain (Maj. Gen.) Cecil R. Richardson, the Air Force Chief of Chaplains, encouraged chapel community Airmen and their families to take designated offerings at worship services to assist the earthquake victims.
The funds went to a variety of aid organizations, including a Catholic aid group and the Billy Graham-founded Samaritan’s Purse: Read more
Recently, an email from an officer announcing a Bible study at Kirtland AFB was the subject of a complaint from Michael Weinstein’s Military Religious Freedom Foundation, leading to the question here, “Can a military officer advertise a Bible study?”
Some relevant quotes from the original complaint, as sent to (and publicized by) the MRFF by an enlisted Airman:
During the past 6-7 months a unit commander, who is now the Deputy Group Commander decided to send mass e-mails to the wing regarding bible study sessions. These are sessions that were led by the individual sending the e-mails…a person in a command position, clearly a conflict of interest. A lot of us expressed concern about the perception that leadership is endorsing what should clearly be a chaplain endorsed and led activity.
Just imagine the following scenario… if you were a young Airman wanting to look good for a Below the Zone package, the Deputy Group Commander is leading a bible study, a young impressionable person might Read more
Newly promoted Chaplain (Col) Jeffrey Houston was awarded the Bronze Star in a ceremony by MajGen David Perkins, commanding general of US Division North in Iraq. General Perkins did not mince words in lauding the value of Houston or Chaplains in general:
“While we may have the best gear in the world and the best training in the world, the thing that makes us special is the people,” said Perkins. “Chaplains, specifically people like Jeff, give us inner strength. That is what he has done for me, and that is what he has done throughout his military career.”
Military Chaplains serve in a unique — and essential — role within the US armed forces. Regrettably, their value is most often noticed in their absence.
(As an aside, last year General Perkins had the pleasure of a meeting with Michael Weinstein — which resulted in Weinstein saying “see you in court.” Naturally, the threat was empty.)
A US military news release documents the story of US Navy Chaplain (LT) James Ragain, currently deployed to Afghanistan. While much of the article covers the standard mantras of Chaplains and their roles, Ragain’s story demonstrates the strengths of having a military Chaplain integrated with a combat unit:
“He’s probably the greatest secret weapon I have here in my squadron,” said Marine Corps Lt. Col. Clarence Harper, the squadron’s commanding officer. “The way he goes about building religious Read more