Chaplains at work in the gulf
Chaplains have been involved in military service since the time of the Roman Army. A formal Army Chaplains' Department has existed as an integral part of the British Army since 1796, when a Royal Warrant was issued.
Army chaplains take care of the spiritual and moral well-being of the soldiers and often have to go into dangerous situations, as soldiers do. During the First and Second World Wars, over 300 chaplains were killed in action.
Chaplains serve a multitude of purposes in the Army apart from being parish priests and carrying out all the same duties as a local vicar would. They also help to train soldiers in what is known as character training – courage, discipline, selfless commitment, integrity, loyalty and respect for others.
Recognising that the support of an Army chaplain enables soldiers to cope with the harsh realities of war, prompted the Army to seriously examine ways in which it could provide emotional and spiritual support to its soldiers and led to a series of debates designed to highlight the need to encourage chaplains to join the Army.
'Christians should play no part in war' was the subject of a lively debate between a British Army chaplain and a London Bible College student which was attended by more than 50 students from London Bible College recently.
While the emotive topic sparked widespread debate as both sides argued the role of Christianity in the armed forces, the London Bible College welcomed the Army's move to open up the debate about the role of religion in the Army.
Supporting the pacifist view on war, London Bible College theological student, Andy Bannister, argued that Christians did not need to be involved in war, but acknowledged the relevance of religion in military organisations. "Jesus is clear about this. The Christian is a citizen in the Kingdom of God, not the UK," said Mr Bannister.
The Revd Jonathan Woodhouse, an Army Chaplain who had been a student at London Bible College during the 1970s, empathised with this argument but contended that Christians and chaplains could not afford to be bystanders and should participate in helping those who were in need of their services. "We have to participate in the reality of the world and minister to people who are involved in actions of last resort. It is either isolation or involvement. (for Christians) And God's choice is involvement," he said.
The recent debate at London Bible College is the beginning of telling young ordinands about the possibility of ministry in the Army. "This is the most amazing ministry I have ever had. I'm not separated from people, I'm talking to people in a way that I never did in a parish," said the Deputy Chaplain-General. " It's a privileged job. You go into the soldiers' work life, their sports life, their social life and their family life. You get involved in their whole world. It's wonderful," he said.
Following the publication of the McGill report in 1999, which was commissioned by the Army, plans have been made to recruit more Army chaplains. The report examined the need, and relevance of, spiritual values in today's Army. It concluded that the need is as great today than it ever has been.
The British Army currently employs 151 chaplains and over the next seven to eight years it hopes to increase this number by 25%, but the burning questions are how will it manage that in a Church where ordinands grow older each year? And what will new recruits hope to expect when they come to the Chaplaincy?
To find out more about the role of the Army Chaplain, please contact the Royal Army Chaplains' Department on 01980 615 805 or peruse the website www.armychaplains.com.
