Does the work of military chaplains passively support the system of war?
It is clear that the military has established a special place for leaders of faith to support the spiritual needs of men and women in the United States military, but why haven’t the Brethren taken part in this ministry. It is an unconventional combination of skills and training which would prepare a person for such a call, but a combination that obviously exists. Answering a call to minister to the very needy…men and woman in the military who may be exposed to absolutely dreadful circumstances, seems to be as valid a call as any.
Ministering to individuals who are facing their mortality every day. Ministering to individuals whom are required to follow orders, which they may or may not agree with. Providing ministry to individuals who may have taken a life in war does not overtly seem to support the system of war. However, there are a lot of questions still to be answered. How else would an individual get to the “front line” to provide such ministry? Are military chaplains required to train with weapons? Are military chaplains required or expected to bear arms if or when confronted by the “enemy”? Are chaplains permitted to demonstrate passive non-resistance?
Currently, the US military is in great need of chaplains from ANY denomination. Citing an article from the 2/5/08 USA Today, “To persuade more ministers to enter the military, the Guard started a special recruiting program two years ago. Recruiters troll for prospects at church conferences, seminaries and major ministries. The Guard offers new chaplains a $10,000 signing bonus and $20,000 to repay student loans. There's also a $30,000 bonus for chaplains who stay in for a second six-year tour.” At a time when jobs are difficult to find, one that offers a signing bonus is hard to pass up.
And so in the absence of chaplains from denominations which openly support war and military service, it appears that some Brethren have considered answering this call. The Brethren enjoy a rich tradition of stepping up as volunteers in times of hardship and misfortune in addition to the rich tradition of “peace witness”. So, why not answer the call to military chaplaincy? If an individual has studied and understood the Brethren example of peace witness and still feels compelled to serve as a Chaplain, how can one argue that this individual is wrong? A common analogy to this dilemma is that we do not condone drug abuse, but we do minister to drug abusers. Although tarnished by their actions, they are not unforgiveable. Expressing love and compassion will likely help them to heal and to understand their misgivings, however, this ministry may be provided by a public citizen or a “civilian”.
Many Brethren have or are serving in the military and may, at worst, get the “cold shoulder” from fellow congregants upon their return from service. But this is the exception. Most will smile, hug and express gratitude for the service to our county, without hinting at our personal disapproval if it does exist.
However, could it be that we Brethren, do not want to encourage individuals to join the military with the comfort of knowing that a caring pastor will be there to help during difficult times. Is it a “tough love” mentality in which Brethren are making a statement by their absence? “If you choose to fight, we will not stand by to give you support for the fight.” Brethren have instead demonstrated peace witness, through conscientious objection or through alternative service.
As an alternative to military chaplaincy, why not provide ministry to the youth who are considering joining the military, prior to their induction. There is currently no draft system in the United States, so those who are fighting in wars are “conscientiously accepting” the concept of war as they have volunteered to be part of the system.
It is my personal opinion that one who decides to become a military chaplain is supporting the military machine as it has come to be known. They will undoubtedly become one more mouth to feed, one more unarmed officer to protect and one more uniform to be made and cleaned, and cleaned and cleaned. In addition to the salary paid, each active service member costs about $2100 per day. That is one expensive ministry.
