The World Religions Chaplain: A Practitioner's Perspective
Timothy Bedsole Wednesday, 16 December 2009
Religious support includes the entire spectrum of professional duties that a chaplain provides and performs in the dual role of religious leader and staff officer . . . Religious support in joint operations is dedicated to . . . meeting the personal free exercise of religion needs of military and other authorized members [and] providing commanders with professional advice regarding the dynamic influence of religion and religious belief in the operational area.
—Joint Publication 1-05, "Religious Support in Joint Operations" (2004)
"Religious support" to the military's members and the families of U.S. armed forces traditionally includes two functions. One is to provide opportunities to worship within the military community. The other is to advise commanders on religious factors shaping a mission. This second function is what I do in my current position as the first World Religions Chaplain serving at a Corps level command.
To read the entire article, please visit this article's page at informaworld, where articles are available for purchase from Routledge, our publishing partner.