ABSTRACT

This study grew out of a concern about areas of tension between church-state doctrines held by Southern Baptists and certain aspects of the military chaplaincy. It focuses on such questions as the following: Are chaplains torn between the responsibility to serve two masters, i.e., their commanding officers on the one hand and their conscience and the Word of God on the other? Is the chaplain caught in the midst of a conflict between the church and state? Is his freedom to minister significantly limited? In the light of these ethical questions there is a need for Southern Baptists to examine the implications of such issues and to arrive at a consensus which attempts to express clearly the position of the denomination on the contemporary issues involved.

The central thesis of the inquiry is that, inasmuch as tremendous changes are taking place so rapidly in the nation, the military, and the church and its ministry, each denomination is compelled to restudy all related historical and theological issues and prepare for the chaplaincy of the future. The church is responsible to shape the nature of its chaplaincy ministry in a way which is consistent with its traditional teachings on church-state relations.

This study will focus on such issues as the following: (1) the propriety of the church's ordained ministers being employed within the military establishment under policies and procedures established by the state and with salary paid by the state. (2) The church's responsibility for influencing those policies and procedures of the chaplaincy ministry and possibly sharing in its financial support; (3) The question of how a chaplain can maintain his own integrity and risk the displeasure, opposition, or possible discipline, of his commanding officer; (4) The freedom of the chaplain to form his own judgments, and preach his convictions and minister without restriction under the lordship of Jesus Christ; (5) The question of whether his position implies agreement with the military or political authorities or approval of war; (6) The consideration of the feasibility or desirability of further civilianization or demilitarization of the military chaplaincy, and what the denomination should plan to do for such an eventuality.

In order to give this study a specific and precise purpose it was decided in the beginning to limit it to the Southern Baptist Convention and to the military chaplaincy and to formulate a position statement of approximately 1,000 words for Southern Baptists to consider as a possible position on the subject of the military chaplaincy in the light of realistic and defensible church-state doctrines and other allied social and ethical teachings. This statement will propose a denominational stance toward the shape of the military chaplaincy of the future and will incorporate any suggested changes which may develop from the study.

Along with the 1,000 word position statement will be prepared an appropriate document presenting the basis of and rationale for the position statement. This is the function of the main body of the study which seeks to learn from the experiences of the past and present. Never during the course of this study was any consideration given to abandoning the Christian responsibility and obligation of a spiritual ministry to military personnel.

The only matter under question was how best to accomplish this ministry. The study reviews the past two centuries of our nation's and churches' concerns for religious ministry to armed forces personnel, and it addresses the approaching third century of our national era. It searches for a way whereby better arrangements can be made for a more effective and more consistent chaplaincy ministry than that currently available in the present system of church-state accommodations.