Chaplaincy in the United States
First, illustrate the chaplains� ministry Strengths and Opportunities while serving in the U.S military
pluralistic environment.
2.Second, illustrate the chaplains� ministry Weaknesses and Threats while serving in the U.S military
pluralistic environment.
Military Chaplaincy in the United States
Strengths and Opportunities in the Military’s Plurialistic Environment
Strengths
One of the key strengths of Chaplaincy in the Military’s pluralistic environment is the fact it has
the full backing of the federal government in terms of funding as well as strong historical ties
with the military. While Chaplaincy does not contribute to the tactical strength of the United
States Military, the contributions that have been made by those who have served in this office
remain an important factor. Funds provided by the federal government help to provide
remuneration for those who serve as Chaplains (Bergen, 2004).
As far as opportunities go, it is known that a vast majority of the individuals who are employed
by the military have some form of prior spiritual exposure mostly due to their families professing
Christianity and other religious faiths. This means that the Chaplain’s services will mostly serve
to compliment already existing beliefs.
Threats and Weaknesses of Chaplaincy
One key weakness of the Chaplaincy in the military’s pluralistic environment is the fact that the
current and potential congregants are likely to identify with their specific denomination or
religious faith. Majority of the Chaplains in the Military are sourced from evangelical churches
and this means that their services will be best appreciated by military personnel with an
evangelical background.
A key threat to Chaplaincy in the military’s pluralistic environment is the growing number and
influence of individuals whose beliefs and lifestyles are on a collision course with the key values
held by chaplains regardless of the religion they are sourced from. These groups continue to
lobby against the existence of Chaplains by claiming that it is unconstitutional for such an office
with strong religious connotations to be funded by the Federal government.
Reference
Bergen, Doris L. The Sword of the Lord: military chaplains from the first to the twenty-first
century. Univ of Notre Dame Pr, 2004.
