Military Chaplaincy: A Divine Calling or Just a Job?

Introduction1

Thesis Statement2

Discussion2

The History of Military Chaplains2

Military Chaplains4

Military Chaplains- A Call from the Divine and Spiritual Work or Simply the Source of Earning Money5

Threats, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Strengths that are faced by the Chaplain in the Military or in the Armed Forces6

Conclusion8

End Notes9Military Chaplaincy: A Divine Calling or Just a Job?

Introduction

Chaplains are referred as the ministers like pastor, priest, imam or the common representatives of religious cultures or values, who are connected with any worldly institution like private chapel, university, police department, military unit, prison or hospital. Despite the fact that, originally the term “chaplain” demonstrates the representatives and the legislatures of the Christian faith, but in the current era this idea is applicable to the people of other different philosophical traditions or religions. Recent researches and studies demonstrates that in the recent days, large number of lay people have got the professional training in the area of chaplaincy and afterwards, they got appointed as the chaplains in various prisons, universities, hospitals, schools and in military services. It is often observed that, the concept of chaplaincy have got increased and enhanced popularity in the field of military and civil services. The military chaplains offer emotional and spiritual support to the employees or workers, including the religious services in the fields of wars or at the borders. The history of military chaplains is considered as the long and the most ancient histories.

The initial English military-based chaplains were started during the eighth century while the land oriented chaplains emerged during the era of King Edward I. Therefore, the present form of military chaplain is linked with the time period of the First World War. It is a fact that the military chaplains plays a significant and prominent role in the fulfilling the spiritual and religious requirements of the families and troops. It is a major discussion topic that whether the military chaplains is based on the call of divine and religious work or it is nothing more than the duty for the sake of money. The proceeding paper demonstrates the concept that whether the military chaplains are the tools of spiritual work or call of divine or it is simply the paid workers? In order to understand the actual concept various incidents are also incorporated, as examples, in the proceeding discussion.

Thesis Statement

It is a fact that the military chaplains are one of the effective tools and have played a vital role in solving different conflicts of humans. In the current era, the military chaplains have several prominent spiritual functions, activities and accountabilities and it is responsible to nurture the religious requirements of the families as well as of the troops.

Discussion

The History of Military Chaplains

The history of the military chaplains demonstrates that, it is driven or originated by the self-evident ministerial model which is called as the ministry of presence. This standard of the ministry guided and changed the path of the military chaplains of America from the streets of Concord and Lexington, through ...