Chaplain

A chaplain is typically a member of the clergy serving a group of people who are not organized as a mission or church; lay chaplains are also found in some settings such as universities. For example a chaplain is often attached to a military unit (often known as padre), a private chapel, a ship, a prison, a hospital, a college or other (especially boarding) school, even a parliamentary assembly and so on. Lay persons may also be appointed as official or unofficial chaplains, particularly to organisations too small to justify an ordained chaplain.

Origins

History records various 'equivalents' from ancient Assyria onwards, sometimes rendered as 'chaplains'. Favored theories of the derivation of the term relate to the relic cloak (capa or capella) of St. Martin of Tours or from the Latin term Capellanus. In various languages, the word equivalent to Almoner (e.g. Aumônier in French, Aalmoezenier in Dutch - but also Kapelaan with the military) is used in many instances where English uses chaplain, sometimes there are still other terms (e.g. also Proost, otherwise equivalent to Provost, in Dutch).

In the Old Testament book of Joshua, Levite priests accompany the Israelites' military and political expedition into Israel; carrying the Ark of the Covenant and playing a major role in the goodwill of military matters. While these priests cannot be considered "chaplains" with the current meaning, their role as spiritual aides provides a model for modern chaplains to rely upon.

Originally a Christian chaplain had a function of serving as an aide to a bishop and various chaplains still help the pope in his ecclesiastical duties. In other circumstances their duties were limited to saying a mass in certain functions. In many catholic parishes the curate has one or more younger priests, styled Chaplains, attached to him, under his ordinary jurisdiction.

Court

Many historical monarchies and major noble houses had or even still have one (often several) 'private' chaplain, either following them or attached to a castle or other residence. Castles with attached chaplains generally had at least one 'chapel', sometimes as grand as a cathedral (as St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, also the 'home' of the Order of the Garter). See also Chapel Royal, and the Ecclesiastical Household.

Since in feudal times most laymen, for centuries even most noblemen, were poorly or not educated, the literate clergy was often employed as advisers and secretarial staff (as in a chancery) until the advent of legists and proper bureaucratic civil service (mainly under Absolutism), hence the term clerk, derived from Latin clericus ('clergyman'). This made them very influential in temporal affairs; there was also a moral impact since they heard the confessions of the elite.

Military

The first English military-oriented chaplains were priests on board proto-naval vessels during the eighth century CE. Land based Chaplains appeared during the reign of King Edward I, although their duties included jobs that today would come under the jurisdiction of military engineers and medical officers. A priest attached to a feudal noble household would follow his liege lord into battle. In 1796 the Parliament of Great Britain passed a Royal Warrant that established the Royal Army Chaplains' Department in the British Army.

The current form of military chaplain dates from the era of the First World War. 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 nick-names (Bish; Sin-Bosun; Devil Dodger; Sky-Pilot etc). British Army, chaplains are traditionally referred to (and addressed) as padre.

In the Royal Navy chaplains have no rank other than "chaplain." They are identified by a unique cap badge (similar to an officer's, but with gold-rimmed black leaves instead of solid gold ones), and their rank insignia is a fouled anchor superimposed over a cross. In order to remain accessible to all (chaplains are "a friend and advisor to all on board"), a chaplain assumes the rank of whoever they are counselling (ie, they are effectively a Commander when speaking to a Commander, and an Able Rating when speaking to such).

In the United States, military chaplains have rank based on years of service and promotion selection. They are identified in uniform of both rank and religious symbol insignias.

Christianity is not the only faith to have chaplain-equivalent positions. Other religions, such as Judaism, Islam and Buddhism may also provide chaplains for military service. The British Armed Forces traditionally only employed Christian and Jewish chaplains; the appointment of civilian chaplains from other faith groups occurred for the first time in October 2005.

Chaplains are nominated in different ways in different countries. A military chaplain can be an army-trained soldier with additional theological training or a priest nominated to the army by religious authorities. In Britain, the Ministry of Defence employs the chaplains but their authority comes from the church. Royal Navy chaplains undertake a 16 week bespoke induction and training course including a short course at Britannia 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 gruelling 5 month long Commando Course, and if successful wear the commando’s Green Beret. British Army chaplains are trained by the Armed Forces Chaplaincy Centre at Amport House. In the United States military, chaplains must be endorsed by their religious affiliation in order to serve on active duty. This religious endorsement must be obtained throughout the active duty years of service and in fact can be withdrawn at any time by the religious body that the chaplain is affiliated. Without such endorsement, the chaplain can no longer serve on active duty as a chaplain.

In France, the existence of military chaplains has come under debate because of the separation of Church and State; however, their position has been maintained as of 2004.^*

United States Armed Forces Roman Catholic Chaplains

The United States Armed Forces are served by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. This Archdiocese oversees all the Catholic chaplains in the Armed Forces. Catholic Chaplains can serve in the Army, Navy, or Air Force.

In the United States, Catholic Priests are required to seek permission from their diocesean Bishop or religious superior to be released from parish or other diocesean work for at least three years. Candidates are given medical examinations to see if they would be healthy enough to serve. They are also required to fill out an application, and have letters of recommendation. The findings are presented to a board which evalulates each candidate. The application process usually takes from two to six months to complete.

Noncombatant status

The Geneva Conventions (Protocol I, 8 June 1977, Art 43.2) are clear that medical personnel and chaplains are noncombatants: they do not have the right to participate directly in hostilities. The widely held view that the Conventions require chaplains to be unarmed is untrue. (The fallacious argument begins with the fact that the Conventions specifically permit medical personnel to bear arms but do not mention chaplains. This misses a key point: the specific permission given in Protocol I, 8 June 1977, Art 13.2(a) refers to civilians, not service personnel). At least some UK chaplains serving in the Far East were armed during WWII. In recent years most western nations have required chaplains (but not medical personnel) to be unarmed, however Chaplain (then Captain) James D. Johnson, of the 9th Infantry Division, Mobile Riverine Force in Vietnam describes (Combat Chaplain: A Thirty-Year Vietnam Battle) both "unofficial training" with small arms and carrying the M-16 rifle while embedded with a combat patrol.

Captured chaplains are not considered Prisoners of War (Third Convention, 12 August 1949, Chapter IV Art 33) and must be returned to their home nation unless retained to minister to prisoners of war. Inevitably, serving chaplains have died in action. Many have been decorated for bravery in action (five have won Britain's highest award for gallantry, the Victoria Cross). The Chaplain's Medal for Heroism is a special military decoration of the United States of America which honours military chaplains who have been killed in the line of duty, although it has to date only been awarded to four chaplains (all of whom died in the same incident in 1943).

Badges and Insignia

Military Chaplains are accorded officer status. In most navies, their badges and insignia do not differentiate their levels of responsibility and status. By contrast, in Air Forces and Armies, they typically carry ranks and are differentiated by crosses or other equivalent religious insignia. However, United States military chaplains of every branch carry both rank and Chaplain Corps insignia.

Chaplain's badges and insignia follow this general pattern (taken from the Royal Australian Navy):

A gilt cross is worn by chaplains of all Christian denominations and worn in the same manner as specialist badges.
A chaplain’s cap badge is of the same design as an officer’s cap badge except that the laurel leaves are embroidered in black silk, edged and veined in gold. The peak of the cap is covered with black cloth.
A clerical collar stock and/or black military style clerical shirt may be worn instead of white shirt and tie (including dress shirt and bow tie for evening wear.)
The badge worn by chaplains on shoulder boards consists of a gold embroidered foul anchor on a Maltese cross of embroidered silver. This is similar, in embroidery, for soft rank insignia for shirts.
Honorary Chaplains to the Sovereign wear a red cassock and a special bronze badge consisting of the Royal Cypher and crown within an oval wreath. The badge is worn above medal ribbons or miniature medals during the conduct of religious services. On the left side of the scarf by chaplains, who wear the scarf and on academic or ordinary clerical dress by other chaplains.
Royal Navy Chaplains had no uniform until WWII when Churchill was allegedly concerned about German spies dressed as clergy entering Dockyards. Chaplains still enjoy the privilege of wearing a clerical suit as their uniform: it is in general Anglican chaplains serving ashore other than with the Royal Marines who use this right.

Various Non-Military

Chaplains also can be attached to emergency services agencies (see the International Chaplains Association or International Conference of Police Chaplainsor the Federation of Fire Chaplains), educational institutions like universities and colleges, private clubs such as the Knights of Columbus, scout troops, ships, places like hospitals, prisons or nightclubs, and on occasion private companies and corporations. Chaplains also serve in hospice programs and retirement centers. The term can also refer to priests attached to Roman Catholic convents.

Many hospitals and hospices employ chaplains to assist with the spiritual needs of patients, families and staff. In the United States, healthcare chaplains are typically educated through the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education and may be certified by one of the following organizations: International Chaplains Association, The Association of Professional Chaplains, The National Association of Catholic Chaplains, or The National Association of Jewish Chaplains. In Canada, they may be certified by the Canadian Association for Pastoral Practice and Education. Certification typically requires a Masters of Divinity degree, faith group ordination or commissioning, faith group endorsement, and four units (1600 hours) of Clinical Pastoral Education.

Even some large businesses employ chaplains for their staff and/or clientele. The National Institute of Business and Industrial Chaplains is one of the agencies that certify chaplains for business settings in the United States.

Chaplains in fiction

Chaplains have appeared as characters in several works of fiction about historical and imagined militaries. Father Mulcahy, a character in the M*A*S*H novels, film, and TV series, is perhaps the best known fictional chaplain.

In the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe, Chaplains are combat priests who administer to the spiritual needs of every Space Marine Chapter.

References

Johnson, James D., Combat Chaplain: A 30-Year Vietnam Battle (University of North Texas Press, 2001)
Smith, John C., Chaplain (International Chaplains Association)

External links

Chaplains | Religious work | Military occupations | Military ranks | Ecclesiastical titles

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