{"id":12559,"date":"2022-11-24T13:02:06","date_gmt":"2022-11-24T02:02:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rationalemagazine.com\/?p=12559"},"modified":"2025-01-11T12:35:58","modified_gmt":"2025-01-11T01:35:58","slug":"losing-faith-in-defence-chaplaincy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rationalemagazine.com\/index.php\/2022\/11\/24\/losing-faith-in-defence-chaplaincy\/","title":{"rendered":"Losing faith in Defence chaplaincy"},"content":{"rendered":"

This article is the second in a series on religion in the Australian Defence Force. <\/span><\/i>Read the first article here.<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n

During the Great War, chaplains serving alongside Australian infantrymen were surprised to find non-religious men were capable of performing good and even heroic acts. \u201cSince most chaplains believed that religion provided the only basis for the exercise of the virtues, they needed to reconcile these apparently contradictory facets of character. Some chaplains implied that if a man was virtuous he was necessarily religious,\u201d <\/span>wrote Michael McKernan<\/span><\/a> in his book <\/span>Australian Churches at War<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Upon returning home, chaplains were often asked whether men became more religious under fire. McKernan noted that some chaplains witnessed a lack of interest in religion among most soldiers. Asked if there was any truth to the claim that there were \u2018no atheists in foxholes\u2019, C.O.L. Riley reported he had seen no evidence of mass conversion.<\/span><\/p>\n

In today\u2019s Defence Force, there are more atheists in foxholes than ever, with still no sign of mass conversions. The religious demographics within Defence have dramatically changed since the early part of the 20th century, with official figures now showing the non-religious make up the majority of service personnel.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some things, however, haven\u2019t changed. Defence continues to rely on clergy \u2013 also known as \u2018padres\u2019 and \u2018chaplains\u2019 \u2013 to provide frontline pastoral care and wellbeing support for personnel in Navy, Army and Air Force. And some chaplains continue to believe that God is required for service personnel to effectively deal with the stresses of war.<\/span><\/p>\n

Australian taxpayers are, in effect, funding a religious mission as the primary mode of care in a government institution experiencing a mental health crisis among its workers \u2013 a crisis that has <\/span>witnessed \u201calarming\u201d suicide rates<\/span><\/a> and that is the subject of an ongoing royal commission.<\/span><\/p>\n

With <\/span>questions now being asked<\/span><\/a> about the appropriateness of Defence\u2019s reliance on religious clergy as the frontline support capability for service men and women, this article, published as part of a <\/span>Rationale<\/span><\/i> series on religion in the military, provides insights into the religious capability in question.<\/span><\/p>\n

A review of public remarks by chaplains in promotional materials and official Defence publications, such as the <\/span>Australian Army Chaplaincy Journal<\/span><\/i><\/a>, raises further doubts that the Defence Force\u2019s chaplaincy capability can effectively meet the needs of Defence personnel, especially those with no religion.<\/span><\/p>\n

Many chaplains, no doubt, have the best interests of service personnel in mind and do exceptional work in caring for them. However, this article reveals attitudes and views among the Defence chaplaincy branches \u2013 many aired in official channels, no less \u2013 that seem incompatible with delivering appropriate care and at odds with not only Defence values but wider societal values.<\/span><\/p>\n