Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) has introduced a bill that aims to clarify the duties and religious liberties of military chaplains. In recent decades, some military chaplains have faced harassment and discipline for voicing Biblical beliefs that are in accord with their denominational affiliations.
“For our country’s 250-year history, military chaplains have walked alongside our service members through the hardest moments of their lives, offering prayer, counsel and hope in isolated posts and combat zones alike,” Lankford said Aug. 6 in a statement. “Chaplains serve because they are called to it. Congress has a responsibility to make sure they can carry out that calling faithfully, without being forced to violate the tenets of their faith and without fear of retaliation for holding to what they believe. This bill honors the men and women who minister to our heroes who defend our nation.”
Additional support
Senate co-sponsors of the Military Chaplains Modernization Act, include GOP senators Chuck Grassley of Iowa, Katie Britt of Alabama, Mike Rounds of South Dakota and Kevin Cramer of North Dakota.
Rep. Keith Self (R-Texas) has championed the bill in the House, which was part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that passed July 22.
According to Lankford’s office, the Armed Forces Chaplains Board, which provides “advice and recommendations to Department of War officials on matters of religious exercise,” also supports it.
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EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Jerry Pierce and originally published by Decision Magazine.
