Prior to Election Day, members of our congregations and communities expressed fears of widespread violence at election sites. They expected intimidation and confusion. By the time the day was over, our on-the-ground network of poll chaplains relayed story after story of interventions deterring countless attempts
As millions of Americans went to the polls to vote today amid anxiety about the results, concerns about voter intimidation, and even worries about post-election violence, some clergy showed up as election chaplains to bring a calming presence and safeguard voter rights.
After the most tense election season in generations, clergy members are being trained and deployed to defuse potentially violent encounters on Election Day. Read full piece
Several groups are encouraging clergy to serve as chaplains at polling places. Clergy can be on hand to pass out snacks to voters waiting in long lines, maybe a poncho if it starts to rain. They could also play a role amid the rancorous tenor
[caption id="attachment_65145" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Col. Moon H. Kim, right, Camp Humphreys garrison chaplain, teaches Republic of Korea Army chaplains about logistics and religious support, Nov. 7, 2019, at Four Chaplains Memorial Chapel on Camp Humphreys, South Korea. U.S Army photo, 2nd Infantry Division/Creative Commons[/caption] (RNS) —
As university campuses around the country shut down and move classes online in efforts to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, chaplains and faith-based campus groups are stepping in to ease the transition.
Chaplains like Mote have long been familiar faces at airports, hospitals, colleges, military bases and other places. As fewer people identify with a specific religion or attend religious services, Americans may be more likely to meet a chaplain than a local clergy person at a
In 1917, when the United States entered the World War I, chaplaincy was a majority white and fully Christian organization. No law specifically stated the acceptable religious backgrounds of military chaplains, but only mainline Protestant ministers and Catholic priests wore the insignia of the military’s
Regardless of their own faith background, fire chaplains typically work with people of all faiths and beliefs, outside of traditional congregations or parishes. They provide care to firefighters, family members and members of the public in a range of crucial ways.
When Alabama executed Domineque Ray, a Muslim, the warden told him only prison workers could be present at the moment of execution; since the prison employed solely Christian chaplains, they were his only option. Largely unnoticed is the state indicating it would end the practice of having a chaplain or spiritual