 A Catholic chaplain celebrating mass in an Austrian military hospital in 1916 | |
| Occupation | |
|---|---|
| Names | Chaplain, Rabbi, Purohit, Imam, Priest, Padre (Spanish), Cappellano Militare (Italian), MSWO |
Occupation type | Profession |
Activity sectors | Religion, morale, religious support |
| Description | |
| Competencies | Counseling |
Fields of employment | Military |
Related jobs | Chaplain assistant |
Amilitary chaplain ministers tomilitary personnel and, in most cases, their families andcivilians working for themilitary. In some cases, they will also work with local civilians within a military area of operations.
Although the termchaplain originally hadChristian roots,[1] it is generally used today in military organizations to describe all professionals specially trained to serve any spiritual need, regardless ofreligious affiliation. In addition to offeringpastoral care to individuals and supporting their religious rights and needs, military chaplains may also advise the executive[which?] on issues ofreligion,ethics,morale, andmorals as affected by religion. They may alsoliaise with localreligious leaders in an effort to understand the role of religion as a factor both in hostility and war and in reconciliation and peace.[2]
Military chaplains normally represent a specific religion orfaith group but work with military personnel of allfaiths and none. Some countries, like Australia, the Netherlands, and Belgium,[3][4]also employhumanist or non-faith-based chaplains who offer a non-religious approach to chaplain support. From 1918 to 1942,political commissars in the SovietRed Army monitored and shaped the beliefs, loyalties, and enthusiasms of Soviet soldiers and officers in a context of officialstate atheism.[5]
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In the United Kingdom, theMinistry of Defence employs chaplains, but their authority comes from their sending church.[6] At the present time there are no non-religious chaplains. Royal Navy chaplains undertake a 16-weekbespoke induction and training course, including a short course atBritannia Royal Naval College, and specialist fleet time at sea alongside a more experienced chaplain. Naval chaplains called to service with the Royal Marines undertake a commando course atCommando Training Centre Royal Marines, Lympstone and if successful serve with a front-line Royal Marines unit.[7] British Army chaplains undertake seven-weeks training at The Armed Forces Chaplaincy CentreAmport House and theRoyal Military Academy Sandhurst.[8] Royal Air Force chaplains must complete 12 weeks Specialist Entrant course at theRAF College Cranwell followed by a Chaplains' Induction Course at Armed Forces Chaplaincy CentreAmport House of a further 2 weeks.[9] Amport House was sold by the MOD in 2020.
In the United States, the term,nomination, is not generally applied to the process of becoming a military chaplain. Individuals volunteer, and if they are accepted, they arecommissioned as military staff officers in the Chaplain Corps. Members of the clergy who meet the qualifications for service as an officer in the military are free to apply for service with any of the three United States Chaplain Corps: the Army, Navy, and Air Force each has a Chaplain Corps, with Navy chaplains also assigned to serve with Marine Corps units, Coast Guard units, and theMerchant Marine Academy. Some clergy, like rabbis, can apply without permission from any individual or organization within their faith group; others, in faith groups that have a hierarchy established to make decisions on the postings or positions of their members, must be granted permission from the appropriate official, such as the appropriate Bishop. As the application process proceeds, and the military determines whether the applicant will meet standards in areas such as health, physical fitness, age, education, citizenship, past criminal history, andsuitability for service, which includes supporting thefree exercise of religion for men and women of all faiths, anendorsement from anendorsing agency that is recognized by the Department of Defense, representing one or more faith groups in the United States, will be required, in part to ensure that the separation of church and state is honored. Neither the government as a whole nor the military in particular will be put into the position of determining whether an individual is abona fide priest, minister, rabbi, imam, etc. (The requirement for such an endorsement has been in force since 1901, and today many of the various religious endorsing agencies work together under such non-governmental voluntary umbrella groups as theNational Conference on Ministry to the Armed Forces.) Although ordination is usually required for chaplain service, some "equivalent" status is accepted for individuals from religious groups which do not have ordination, such as theChurch of Christ. Additionally, in cases where an endorsing agency is not yet established for an individual's religion, it is possible for him or her to be endorsed by the endorsing agency of another group, a process which was followed for the first Muslim chaplains in the military. In any event, this endorsement is recognized asnecessary, but not sufficient for acceptance as a chaplain: in other words, the military will not accept an individual for service as a chaplain, nor allow him or her to continue to serve, without such an endorsement remaining in force; however, the decision as to whether to accept that individual remains with the military service, and the individual can be rejected for a number of reasons, including the needs of the military, even with the endorsement of an endorsing agency.
TheGeneva Conventions are silent on whether chaplains may bear arms. However, the Conventions do state (Protocol I, 8 June 1977, Art 43.2) that chaplains arenon-combatants: they do not have the right to participate directly in hostilities.
It is generally assumed that duringWorld War II, chaplains were unarmed. Crosby describes an incident where a US chaplain became a trained tank gunner and was removed from the military for this "entirely illegal, not to mention imprudent" action.[10] At least some British chaplains serving in the Far East, however, were armed:George MacDonald Fraser recalls[11] "the tall figure of the battalion chaplain, swinging along good style with his .38 on his hip" immediately behind the lead platoon during a battalion attack. Fraser asks, "if the padre shot [an enemy], what would the harvest be ... apart from three ringing cheers from the whole battalion?"[11]The ReverendLeslie Hardman, the BritishSecond Army's senior Jewish chaplain, who became well known for his work amongst the liberated prisoners after the capture ofBergen-Belsen concentration camp, was another who insisted on being armed while on active service.[12]
In recent years, both the UK and US have required chaplains, but notmedical personnel, to be unarmed in combat, although the US does not prohibit chaplains from earning marksmanship awards or participating in marksmanship competitions. Other nations, notably Norway, Denmark and Sweden, and also Australia,[13] make it an issue of individual conscience. There are anecdotal accounts that even US and UK chaplains have at least occasionally unofficially borne weapons: Chaplain (then Captain) James D. Johnson, of the9th Infantry Division, Mobile Riverine Force in Vietnam describes (Combat Chaplain: A Thirty-Year Vietnam Battle) carrying the M-16 rifle while embedded with a combat patrol. Since 1909 US chaplains on operations have been accompanied by an armed chaplain assistant.[14] However, perhaps on this occasion it was felt that an unarmed uniformed man would draw unwelcome attention.
Captured chaplains are not consideredprisoners of war and must be returned to their home nation unless retained to minister to prisoners of war.[15]
Inevitably, serving chaplains have died in action. TheUS Army andMarines lost 100 chaplains killed in action during World War II: the third highest casualty rate behind theinfantry and theArmy Air Forces.[10] Many have been decorated for bravery in action (five have been awarded Britain's highest award for gallantry, theVictoria Cross, and nine have received theMedal of Honor). TheChaplain's Medal for Heroism is a specialUS military decoration given to military chaplains who have been killed in the line of duty, although it has to date only been awarded to the famousFour Chaplains, all of whom died in theDorchester sinking in 1943 after giving up their lifejackets to others.
In 2006, training materials obtained by US intelligence showed that insurgent snipers fighting in Iraq were urged to single out and attack engineers, medics, and chaplains on the theory that those casualties would demoralize entire enemy units.[16] Among the training materials, there included an insurgent sniper training manual that was posted on the Internet. Among its tips for shooting US troops, there read: "Killing doctors and chaplains is suggested as a means of psychological warfare."
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Military chaplains are often supervised by achaplain general or chief of chaplains, on the staff of the leader of the nation's military forces. In some countries, like Israel, Canada, and South Africa, one chief of chaplains/chaplain general serves in that position for all chaplains of all religions, in all branches of the military.[citation needed] In many other countries, such as France, there is a separate chaplain general/chief of chaplains for each faith group represented by chaplains.[citation needed] In other countries, like the United States and United Kingdom, there is one chaplain general/chief of chaplains for each branch of the military. So, for example, in the United States, there is anArmy,Navy, andAir Force chief of chaplains. They meet on as representatives to theArmed Forces Chaplains Board,[17] to discuss issues that cross service lines, but each reports as a staff officer of his or her service, to the Chief of Staff of the Army or Air Force, or theChief of Naval Operations of the Navy. (In the United States, Navy chaplains serve Navy,Marine Corps andCoast Guard personnel. Navy chaplains also assigned to theMerchant Marine Academy, for Merchant Marine personnel.)
TheInternational Military Chiefs of Chaplains Conference grew out of a conferenceNATO chiefs of chaplains organized by theUnited States European Command (USEUCOM) in 1990.[18] It welcomes any chief of chaplains (orchaplain general, an equivalent term used by many nations).
Catholic chaplains are generally organized intomilitary ordinariates, such as theArchdiocese for the Military Services, USA. Potential Roman Catholic chaplains must seek permission from theirdiocesan bishop orreligious superior to serve as a military chaplain. While serving as a chaplain, thepriest ordeacon remainsincardinated in his homediocese, but is temporarily under the direction of theprelate of the ordinariate for the duration of his service.
Each of the variousProtestant Christian denominations may set its own requirements for certification as a minister.[20]
Besides theMilitary Rabbinate of Israel, today, military rabbis serve throughout several countries of the world, most notably in the US military forces, and various European armies.Since the rise of the Christian religion in Europe and worldwide, as a matter of course Christians fought against Christians over and over again. During World War I, for the first time a substantial number of Jews served on all sides of the war, and so did military rabbis. As a result of 18th and 19th centuries` emancipation, "military field rabbis" served on all fronts and in all combating nations.
Badges and insignia vary widely across nations and services; though generally include some form of symbol specific to the individual chaplain's religion.
In addition to badges and insignias for individual chaplains, certain nations, including the United States, fly aChurch or Worship Pennant during the time a chaplain leads a religious worship service, especially on ships at sea. On United States Navy ships it is the only pennant that flies above the United States flag.
Roman Catholic military chaplains served in the Argentine armed forces since the early nineteenth century, and wore officers´ uniforms and ranks.However, the use of these was discontinued in the 1970s in the Army and the Air Force, and in the 2000s in the Navy, due to allegations of some chaplains supposedly abusing their military position and thus discouraging their subordinates to approach them when in need. Nevertheless, chaplains continue to wear combat uniform (but no rank insignia) when accompanying the troops in field operations or exercises, and are still considered as a part of the officers corps; some chaplains in specific positions (such as the military bishop or the chief chaplain of each individual armed service) are given some ceremonial privileges, but no rank.No specific provisions exist for the spiritual support to non-Catholics, mostly due to their -still- low numbers, but it remains an open issue.
| External videos | |
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 Chaplaincy Program in the Armenian Army (Preparations For the Parade) |
TheArmenian Army has a sponsoredchaplaincy program which is jointly funded by theMinistry of Defence of Armenia and theArmenian Apostolic Church. More than 50 clergymen serve as chaplains in theArmed Forces of Armenia. They often organize religious programs and offer opportunities for prayer, especially before each military exercise conducted by the armed forces. The clergy program was created in 1997 on the initiative ofKarekin I and the directive of Minister of DefenseVazgen Sargsyan. A combined clergy company will usually take part in the quinquennialIndependence Day Parade onRepublic Square. All military chaplains are commissioned army officers.[21][22]
Chaplains in the Australian Defence Force (ADF) have almost the same status as chaplains in the British armed services. Chaplains in theAustralian Army andRoyal Australian Air Force (RAAF) arecommissioned officers and wear the uniform of officers of their particular branch of the services as well as the rank to which they are qualified. Chaplains in theAustralian Army and theRoyal Australian Air Force begin their commission as a Captain (Army) or Flight Lieutenant (RAAF) respectively. There are five levels or "divisions" for the seniority of chaplains in the Australian Army and Air Force with each division corresponding to a worn rank. The highest "division" is Division 5 who are "principal chaplains," of which there are three per service representing the three major Christian denominations:Catholic,Anglican andProtestant. The principal chaplains of the Army wear the rank of brigadier and in the RAAF, air commodore. Australian Army chaplains, whatever their rank, are mostly referred to as "Padre" by officers and soldiers alike. The title is also widely used in the RAAF for their chaplains.
From July 2020, Maritime Spiritual Wellbeing Officers (MSWOs) were introduced to the Navy Chaplaincy Branch, designed to give Navy people and their families with professional, non-religious pastoral care and spiritual support.[23]
Like chaplains in theAustralian Army and RAAF,Royal Australian Navy (RAN) chaplains and MSWOs arecommissioned officers and wear the uniform of an RAN officer, but like the British Royal Navy (RN) do not wear rank rank. For reasons of protocol, ceremonial occasions and for saluting purposes, they are normally grouped with Commanders (O-5).[24] The more senior Division 4 Senior Chaplains are grouped with Captains (O-6) and Division 5 Principal Chaplains are grouped with Commodores (O-7), but their rank slide remains the same. Principal Chaplains and MSWOs, however, have gold braid on the peak of their white service cap.
The title "Padre" for chaplains is less common and not officially encouraged in the Royal Australian Navy, although it is known to be used by some sailors and Navy chaplains in preference to the more formal title of "chaplain" or form of address towards an officer such as "sir." Like British Royal Navy chaplains, Royal Australian Navy chaplains wear a slightly different peaked cap to other Navy officers which apparently was designed byWinston Churchill.[25]
In the Australian Defence Force (ADF), the heads of military chaplaincy for those Christian denominations and of the Jewish faith that have an official association with the ADF, are also members of the ADF's "Religious Advisory Committee" (RAC). With respect to theCatholic andAnglican churches, their Bishops are members of RAC and they and the other members of RAC have the status of a two star General (US) or Major General (Australian Army), or Rear Admiral (RAN) or Air Vice-Marshal (RAAF).
The Anglican and Roman Catholic strands of Australian Defence Force Chaplaincy have websites that explain their church's mission within the Australian Defence Force.[26][27] While the Protestant strand does not have a website, one of their chaplains has a representative blog site.[28]
Belgium has Catholic, Jewish, Protestant and Humanist chaplains.
TheBrazilian constitution in its article, 5-VII, guarantees religious assistance in civil or military institutions of collective detention, such as prison, hospital or any other institution.[29] TheBrazilian government hires a chaplain for every two thousand soldiers of a religion.[30]
Brazilian law is not complied with, as there are onlyCatholic andProtestant chaplains, ignoring theKardecist Spiritism religious group that has the minimum number required by law to have a chaplain.[31] The inclusion ofAfro-Brazilian religions was discussed in the judiciary, distinguished black militants asking for military chaplains in theBrazilian Armed Forces.[32]
Brazil has a gigantic religious variety withCatholics,Protestants,Muslims,Jews,Kardecist Spiritism,afro-Brazilian religions,Brazilian animist religions,Brazilian Syncretic Religions, but in theBrazilian Armed Forces onlyCatholics andProtestants have chaplains.[33] Brazil adopted professional military chaplains only inWorld War II, during which 25Catholic priests and 2Protestant reverends gave religious assistance to 45,000 Brazilian soldiers in theItalian campaign.[34]
During theParaguayan War, a German reverend enlisted as a soldier to provide religious assistance toProtestant soldiers,[35] at the time 90% ofBrazilians wereCatholic.[36]
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The Canadian Armed Forces Chaplaincy has approximately 192 Regular Force chaplains and 145 Reserve Force chaplains[37] representing theProtestant,Roman Catholic,Muslim andJewish faiths. The mission of this Branch is to "support and enhance the effectiveness of the CF as a whole – its leadership, the individual men and women who serve and their families – through the provision of comprehensive religious and spiritual support, advice, and care."[38] The vision of the Chaplaincy is to "be an operationally relevant Chaplaincy that supports and cares for all CF personnel and their families, wherever they live and serve, empowering them spiritually and morally to meet the demands of military service."[38]
Their role is to:
When offering prayers during parades and ceremonies, it is customary that the order to remove headdress be given to those on parade.[39] In November 2004,Court Martial Appeal Court of Canada ruled that this order was "not lawful"[40] since it unjustifiably required all attendees to show participation in a prayer that may not believe. Following this ruling, non-believers are now permitted to retain their headdress just likeJews andSikhs do in accordance with their faith.[39]
Known in Danish asFeltpræsten (English:field priest), there are 95Church of Denmark military chaplains serving in theDanish armed forces, ministering to all personnel regardless of their particular faith or lack of faith.[41]
Chaplains are uniformed, and the chaplaincy service has a system of internal grades separate from the usual ranking system, allowing each chaplain to be regarded as equal in rank to the person he is addressing.[42]
In most countries non-combatant personnel carry no weapons, but Danish chaplains are permitted to carry a sidearm for purposes of self-defence.[42]
| Grade | Navy | Army | Air Force |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dean |  |  |  |
| Chaplain |  |  |  |
| Conscript Chaplain |  |  |
During the Second World War or to Finland the Winter War, Continuation War, and Lapland War Finland was unique among German allied Axis powers in including Jewish soldiers in its military as well as having field chaplaincy services available for them.[43][44]
During theMiddle Ages, the cloak ofSaint Martin of Tours, (cappa Sancti Martini), one of the most sacredrelics of the Frankish kings, would be carried everywhere the king went, even into battle, as a holy relic upon whichoaths were sworn. The clergyman who served as custodian for the cloak in itsreliquary was called acapellānus, and, by extension, all clergymen who officiated in reliquaries, sanctuaries, or chapels were eventually calledcappellāni. This eventually gavechapelain in Old French and was borrowed into English.[45]
Saint Louis was the king who gave legal status to the military chaplains, since chaplains serving under their lord in the Crusades were the first to be militarized. In 1531, during theBattle of Kappel, the Swiss reformistHuldrych Zwingli became the very first Protestant military chaplain to be killed on the battlefield.
The modern FrenchAumônerie militaire (military chaplaincy) was created and instituted by a 8 July 1880 Act of Parliament, which sets forth how the chaplaincy functions with regard to the Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish faiths. The Secularism Act (1905), which establishes a strictseparation of church and state in the French government, does not however apply to the military. The defense minister appoints three command-level military chaplains—one per faith—in charge of all chaplains. The chaplains, serving in the army, are assigned by one of these three military chaplains. The first Muslim chaplain-general, Abdelkader Arbi, was commissioned in 2006.[46]
French military chaplains wear a uniform sinceWorld War II, but have no rank or rank insignia. The modern military chaplaincy is rooted in that war, where military chaplains were incorporated in almost everyFree French Forces fighting unit and made up of personnel from England, France, or any of its imperial domains. After the war, military chaplains were sent to occupation zones in Germany and Austria.
In the 1950s, military chaplains were sent in theFrench Union's territories, includingIndochina andAlgeria. In 1954, pastor Tissot was one of the last paratrooper volunteers to jump over the besiegedDien Bien Phu fortified camp in northernVietnam. On 7 May, he was made prisoner of theViet Minh and sent to a re-education camp, deep in the jungle.
Since 1984, French military chaplains are involved in every military operation—including theGulf War—fromRapid Reaction Force (Force d'Action Rapide) units to navy ships.
InFrance, the existence of military chaplains has come under debate because of theseparation of church and state; however, their position has been maintained as of 2004[update].[47]
| Chief Military Chaplain |    | |||
| French Army common services | French Navy | French Air and Space Force | National Gendarmerie | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deputy Chief Military Chaplain |  
|   |   |  |
| Regional military chaplain |    | |||
| Military chaplain |  
|   |   |  |
| Lay person – military chaplain Catholic chaplaincy of the army |  | |||
| Reserve military chaplain |  
|  | ||
Initially only Christian chaplains worked in German armies. Only after theFrench Revolution did Jews become citizens with equal rights in Germany for the first time. An integration of Jewish soldiers within the army gave the German Reich the opportunity to recognize the Jewish urge to fight for the German "Fatherland". The times of common Christian suppression and supremachy status changed and more and more German Jews served in the liberal French Armies of the German territories under French influence, e.g. in the Bavarian army.
In Prussia, kingFrederick the Great also showed religious tolerance, but in case of the Jews he exerted intolerance. The Jews were divided into six classes, and only the privileged first class hadde facto equal rights as citizens. Very few Jewish soldiers in the Prussian army of the 18th century left historical traces, e.g. Konstantin Nathanel of Salomon, who was promoted to general in 1760. Although the Jewish presence in Germany is older than Christianity,[48] the first "field rabbinat" was introduced during World War I. The German Kaiserreich appointed c. 30 military rabbis. Field rabbi Dr.Leo Baeck wrote the "Israelite Field Prayer Book".
Germany had a tradition of appointing Catholic and Evangelical military chaplains and Jewish military field rabbis. This was continued in the Army and Navy of theWehrmacht, for the Roman Catholic and Protestant denominations only. A total of 95% of all Germans being Christian, German soldiers during Nazi times continued to belong to the churches and had the words "Gott mit uns" (God with us) on the belt buckles of every Army and Navy enlisted men and non-commissioned officers.[49][50] Despite this proportion of Christians, the totalitarian national socialistic government of the German Reich tried to weaken the authority and influence of the churches over their German adherents. Besides the internationalJewish question, the international character of the Catholic church was another challenge. A few Catholics who devoutly resisted the Nazis, suffered imprisonment and hardship. The case was solved by theReichskonkordat (1933) between theHoly See and Nazi Germany. The government of the German Reich early established a pastoral ministry for the German Army and the Reichskonkordat settled the appointment of an Army bishop. Therefore, the military chaplains could more freely operate out of the Catholic hierarchy.Franz Justus Rarkowski,S.M., became ordained the Catholic military Field Bishop (Feldbischof) ofNazi Germany in 1938 until 1945.
German military chaplains who served the Wehrmacht were part of the German mainstream and lent the Nazi war effort legitimacy. The Christian military chaplains served between strange poles. While the Nazi ideology was at its core anti-Christian, 95% of Germans were baptized Christians. German soldiers during the Nazi era continued to belong to the churches and had the words "Gott mit uns" (God with us) on their belt buckles. "Being a chaplain in the German army had always been a prestigious position and the Nazis wanted people who represented that old military tradition (..) and not sow discord or division. They wanted people who were not troublemakers."[49] The German military chaplains mostly wanted to bring the word of the Christian God to men in the field and to deliver the sacraments, make their families proud and serve their country. “The motives of the chaplains were not unusual, (..) their noble, personal and professional motives turned them into a legitimating force in a war of annihilation.”[49] Military chaplains in Nazi Germany were rigorously screened. First, names were put on the desks of the local civilian bishops, and then the names had to be approved by the accordingMinistry for Church Affairs. Eventually the names were cleared by the military's chaplaincy office and theGestapo ("Secret State Police").[49][51][check quotation syntax]
Throughout theThird Reich period, the Army and Navy had military chaplains. When needed, other branches of the armed forces acquired chaplains from the Army or Navy or from nearby parish. On an occasion the SS units also had chaplains. In the Heer (Army), military chaplains were organized into Group 3b (Pastoral Group) of the General Army Office under theArmy High Command. In mid 1935, four groups of military chaplains were introduced. In 1936, similar groups were introduced for theKriegsmarine although the evolution over time was different. The groups are as follow.[52][53][54][55]
German military chaplains did not get into the ordinary military rank system, but received privileges like any other regular officers. Army chaplains had four different types of clothing:[56]
No weapon was permitted to be carried by chaplains, but one photographic evidence shows a chaplain with a pistol holster on his left waist.
For the headdresses of the Army chaplains, the most common were:[56]
All the buttons, national eagles, cockades, Gothic crosses, and cap chinstraps were silver for military chaplains and gold for Field Bishops.The collar patches had violet underlay and violet piping for Catholic chaplains, and field grey underlay and violet piping for Protestant (Evangelist) chaplains.
For the Kriegsmarine, the uniform was identical to naval jacket of regular officers, but without sleeve laces and with chaplain collar patches. The collar patches were different to those of the Army. Two-prong officer's belt or brocade belt could be worn.
Although the official regulation states that military chaplains had to wear goldenpectoral cross, there were two standard-issue crosses that were worn:[52]
Photographic evidences show numerous variety of pectoral crosses worn by German military chaplains during World War II.
Oftentimes, German military chaplains were issued an armband with a red cross sign and violet stripe to show their neutrality on the battlefield, in accordance with the Geneva Conventions, which designated chaplains as neutral parties.[57] This was calledArmbinde mit Neutralitätsabzeichen (Armband with Neutrality Sign).
Among other things, military chaplains also wore standard liturgicalvestments such as chasuble, cope, and stole.
German religious constitutional law and its state-church law is involved in the democratic national identity of modern Germany, especially in various articles of theGerman Constitution. Initially, a "military-chaplaincy" contract was only signed between the state and the Protestant Church, but was extended to all other religious communities for reasons of parity.[58] Furthermore, the 1930sReichskonkordat between the Holy See and Germany is still in force. In Germany, military chaplains of theBundeswehr have no rank but have a special civilian status as part of the armed forces. Military rabbis (Militärrabbiner) or chaplain were banned during Hitler's rule and were reintroduced to the German military on 29 May 2020, by the Germany Parliament into law since 1957. It is the first expansion of the law on the military pastoral care.[59][60] The Jewish chaplains serve theBundeswehr's estimated 300 Jewish service members.[60]
The Military Rabbinate is a unit in theIsrael Defense Forces that provides religious services for military personnel, Jewish and non-Jewish, and makes decisions on issues of religion and military affairs. The Military Rabbinate is headed by the Chief Military Rabbi, who carries the rank of a Brigadier General.
The Military Rabbinate constitutes the body responsible for religious institutions in the military. In every unit or military base there are Military Rabbinate military personnel assigned responsibility for conducting or coordinating religious services, overseeingkashrut laws of the kitchen, and the maintenance of thesynagogue and religious supplies. Actively serving military personnel can request Military Rabbinate representatives to perform marriage ceremonies andbrit milah for baby boys. The unit also oversees the legal and religious certification of marriages and divorces of individuals during their military service.
The Military Rabbinate is responsible for treating the bodies of soldiers in accordance with religious law, including the identifications and post-mortem treatment of bodies, and conducting military funerals. The Military Rabbinate also coordinates the burial of enemy soldiers and the exhuming of bodies in conjunction with prisoner exchanges.
The Military Rabbinate was founded in 1948 by RabbiShlomo Goren, who headed it until 1968.
In most all naval ships, there is aShintoKamidana (神棚,God-shelf, lit).
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ships also often contain aKamidana.
Korean Armed Forces operate4 Religious affirmations of Chaplain Service. TwoChristianity denominations such asProtestant andCatholic and non Christianity branches such asBuddhism andWon Buddhism.
Protestant is consisted byPresbyterian denominations such asTonghap,Hapdong,Koshin andKijang and other non Presbyterian denominations. Non Presbyterian denominations are consisted byLutheran,Methodist,Baptist andSalviation Army.Anglican could not havevicar andministers in the armed forces.Orthodox Church also could not send their ministers to Korean Armed Forces.
BuddhismChaplains are belonged toJogye Order ofMahayana. UnlikeProtestant and likeCatholic Church, only monks whose denominations areJogye Order could be Military Chaplains forBuddhist.
In the Netherlands, there are chaplains of Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, and humanist faiths, provided by the De Diensten Geestelijke Verzorging (DGV) or the Spiritual Care Services. Chaplains are trained in Vormingscentrum Landgoed Beukbergen.[61]
The chaplain service in Norway is called The Norwegian Armed Forces Chaplaincy, and is a joint Norwegian Armed Forces service.[62]
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Chaplaincy in thePolish Armed Forces is led by theMilitary Ordinariate of Poland. Even during the Communist period, unlike most East Bloc states, the Polish military retained a "General Dean's Office of the Polish Army" to serve as a chaplain unit in theofficially atheist military.[63]
The position of chaplain in the army and navy of the Russian Empire was present until 1917. In 1914, there were about 730 priests and 150 deacons in the ranks of the Russian Imperial Army, and at the height of the war the number of chaplains in it was about 5,000 people.
The first All-Russian Congress of Military and Naval clergy in the Russian Empire was held in St. Petersburg from 1 to 11 July 1914, it was attended by 49 chaplains representing all 12 military districts of the state. It defined the range of duties of the military clergy: in addition to the priestly tasks themselves, chaplains were instructed to assist in wound dressing, to help in the evacuation of killed and wounded soldiers, to notify the relatives and friends of the killed soldiers of the death of soldiers, to participate in the organization of societies to help the disabled, as well as to take care of the arrangement of travelling libraries and military graves.
In the Russian Federation, Ukraine (and in most of the countries of the former Warsaw Pact) the institution of chaplaincy is being revived.
Airborne Orthodox churches have appeared in the Airborne Forces of the Russian Federation.
Prior to 1968, chaplains wore badges of rank ascommissioned officers.[64]
Since 1968, however, all chaplains have been senior officers and accorded the protocol status ofcolonel /captain (navy). They carry the military rank ofchaplain and the rank insignia, which is unique to the Chaplains Service, comprises aChi Rho monogramme[65] surrounded by a triangle. The monogramme represents the first two letters of Christ inGreek. It originates from the days ofConstantine, the firstEmperor of Rome to grant religious freedom toChristians. His own conversion to the Christian faith was initiated by a dream in which the Chi-Rho monogramme appeared to him. The triangle surrounding the monogramme is the symbolic representation of theHoly Trinity.
During the vision of the monogramme, Constantineheard the Latin wordsin hoc signo vinces. The English translation of theseLatin words is: "In this sign, you will conquer". This is the motto of the Chaplains Service and forms part of theCorps Badge.
In 1998, after working as chaplain general in exile for the ANC, theAfrican National Congress, during the fight against apartheid,Fumanekile Gqiba was appointed as the first black chaplain general for SANDF, theSouth African National Defense Force. In 2004, Major General Gqiba left the military to accept his appointment as South African Ambassador to Israel.
In the SANDF Chaplain Service, theHindu faith is represented by a Regular Force chaplain. The rank is Cpln (Vipra) and the mode of address Vipra. The rank insignia is a deepa (lamp) with flame. This is the symbolic representation of enlightenment, the life objective of all Hindus.
Muslims do not have Regular Force chaplains in the SANDF because they are small in number. They are however served by part-time workers through the Chaplains Service of the SANDF and are addressed according to their religious customs asimams.
Christian chaplains are generally referred to and addressed as Padre. They may however, be addressed according to the practice of their religious bodies e.g., Father,Pastor, Umfundisi (Zulu andXhosa), Moruti (Sotho), Dominee (Afrikaans) etc. The official written form of address isCpln (for chaplain) followed by the appropriate ecclesiastical title of the respective chaplain e.g., Cpln (Rev), Cpln (Fr), Cpln (Pastor), Cpln, etc.[66]
Along with chaplains from many other nations in the southern region of the continent of Africa, South African chaplains participate in SARMCA, theSouth Africa Regional Military Chaplains Association, which is a component organization of SADC, theSouthern African Development Community.
In recent years, military chaplains have taken a more important role in theUkrainian Armed Forces. Since theRussian military intervention in Ukraine that began in 2014, many Ukrainian citizens with a religious background have volunteered to serve in the armed forces as chaplains to certain battalions and regiments in theUkrainian Ground Forces fighting in theAnti-Terrorist Operation Zone during theWar in Donbas. The purpose of utilizing these chaplains, according toPrime Minister of UkraineArseniy Yatsenyuk was to boost Ukrainian army morale during the conflict. Originally, theUkrainian Catholic Church designated around 70 priests to work with their designated units, all of which came from the Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant faiths. TheCenter of Military Chaplaincy of theUkrainian Greek-Catholic Church is a notable chaplaincy organization in Ukraine that provides counseling and pastoral care to officers, soldiers and their families. Today, a chaplain is not an official military position, but rather a volunteer service. A notable Ukrainian military chaplain isIvan Hrynokh, who served with theNachtigall Battalion during theSecond World War.[67]
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The first English military-oriented chaplains were priests on board proto-naval vessels during the eighth century AD. Land based chaplains appeared during the reign ofKing Edward I, although their duties included jobs that today would come under the jurisdiction ofmilitary engineers andmedicalofficers. A priest attached to a feudal noble household would follow hisliege lord into battle. In 1796 the Parliament ofGreat Britain passed aRoyal Warrant that established theArmy Chaplains' Department in theBritish Army.
The department was awarded its "Royal" prefix in 1919 in recognition of their chaplains' service duringWorld War I, and the current form of military chaplain dates from that era. A chaplain provides spiritual and pastoral support for service personnel, including the conduct of religious services at sea or in the field. In the Royal Navy, chaplains are traditionally addressed by their Christian name, or with one of many nicknames (Bish; Sin-Bosun; Devil Dodger; Sky-pilot etc.). In the Army andRoyal Air Force, chaplains are traditionally referred to (and addressed) aspadre or as Sir/Ma'am (although not the latter in the RAF). Many Padres in the British Army will insist on not being referred to asSir/Ma'am as they are explicitly outside of the chain of command in the units to which they have been attached, which emphasises their pastoral role rather than a command position.
In theRoyal Navy, chaplains have no rank other than "chaplain", while in the Army they hold commissioned relative rank but are universally referred to as "padre". On the foundation of the Royal Air Force Chaplains' Branch an attempt was made to amalgamate these differing systems by creating "relative rank", where rank is worn but without executive authority. In practice chaplains of all three services work in similar ways, using what influence and authority they have on behalf of those who consult them or seek their advice.
DuringWorld War II the head of chaplaincy in the British Army was anAnglicanchaplain-general (amajor-general), who was formally under the control of the Permanent Under-Secretary of State.[68] An assistant chaplain-general was a chaplain 1st class (fullcolonel) and a senior chaplain was a chaplain 2nd class (lieutenant colonel).[69]
All chaplains arecommissioned officers and wear uniform. Army and Air Force chaplains bear ranks and wear rank insignia, but Navy chaplains do not, wearing a cross and a special version of the officers'cap badge as their only insignia.
Chaplains in the armed forces were at first allChristian orJewish. The first Jewish chaplain was appointed in 1892 and some 20 to 30 were commissioned during World War II.[70] Until recent times, theMinistry of Defence (MoD) has employed only Christian chaplains, with the Jewish community providing an honorary chaplain under long-standing arrangements, although Jewish chaplains have served in theTerritorial Army. In October 2005 the Ministry of Defence appointed four chaplains to the military; one each from theBuddhist,Hindu,Muslim andSikh faith communities.[71] TheRoyal Army Chaplains' Museum holds information and archive material relating to the history of theArmy Chaplains' Department.
In the United States, military chaplains have an officer's rank based on their years of service and promotion selection from among their peers. Chaplains serving in the US Armed Forces wear the uniform of their respective branch of service, and normally wear clerical attire only during the performance of a religious service. The position of rank and chaplain faith group insigniavaries in each military department and may vary significantly from one type of uniform to another within a military department. The US Army, Air Force, and Navy (as a component of the Department of the Navy, the Marine Corps is supplied by US Navy chaplains) require an 'ecclesiastical endorsement' from the candidate's faith group (which in the case of the Navy must be one registered with the Department of Defense).[72][73][74]
TheCivil Air Patrol, the volunteer auxiliary of the US Air Force, also has chaplains, who must meet the same standards for appointment as active-duty Air Force, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard chaplains. They wear the same insignia as US Air Force chaplains and can be called upon to assist Air Force chaplains.[75]
US military chaplains, both individuals and in groups, have been involved in a number of controversies. Complaints have been made against chaplains for mandatory prayers, coercion, and using government money to promoteEvangelical Christianity.[76] Groups representing atheists have pushed for the appointment of someone representing their viewpoint to the chaplaincy.[77] Individual cases include that of Air Force Lt. Col. Garland Robertson, discharged in 1993 afterexpressing political opinions in a letter to theAbilene Reporter-News[78] and Navy Chaplain Lt.Gordon Klingenschmitt who, against direct orders to him personally, as well as military law and tradition, protested openly and publicly while in uniform against military policies which he believedrestricted the free exercise of his religion.[79]
Theconstitutionality of the US chaplaincy has been the subject of legal challenges and scholarly dispute. One appellate case,Katcoff v. Marsh (1985) upheld the system as a permissible attempt to support service members in the "free exercise" of their religious beliefs, though others have described the details of the chaplaincy system as violations of the legal principles that the federal government maintain neutrality and avoid becoming entangled in religious affairs.
More than 400chaplains have died while serving in the US military.[80]
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In all the hot spots – yet rarely mentioned – military chaplains are some of today's unsung heroes.On the role of chaplains in multinational operations.
[...] every unit in the Soviet army had a chaplain, called a commissar, who monitored the piety of soldiers and officers.
... Chaplains and MSWOs are commissioned officers without rank. However, for ceremonial and protocol purposes they are, where appropriate, normally grouped with Commanders (O-5). ...
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