Update 3/26: SDA Guidance, Update 10/31: Texas Baptist Guidance and August DoD Guidance, Update 10/2: Disciples of Christ guidance, Update 9/19: Catholic Guidance, see below for details. The military chaplaincy faces a clear threat as more chaplain endorsers come out with policies denouncing their duties in favor of anti-gay theology. There is also redemption in […]
A Humanist Celebrant with Masters degrees from Brite Divinity school and Oxford Theology, has applied to be a humanist chaplain. Some Christians have decided to treat his application as a threat, denouncing the idea as an ‘oxymoron’ and ‘contradiction in terms’. Other Christians and chaplaincy professionals have decided to speak for themselves. A broad coalition of […]
In a major step forward for humanist support, alternatives to church have been provided to humanists at Air Force Basic Training at Lackland Air Force Base. Victoria Gettman, Debbie Bienen, and the Freethinkers Association of Central Texas have stepped forward to help Air Force trainees who are looking for humanist support. The request started with […]
Two brothers, Drs Brian and Craig Wansink have self-funded and directed a study of responses to combat stress in and after military service. The study was published in the independent Journal of Religion and Health. The interim media coverage showed combat vets pray in response to stress. Many outlets friendly to nontheists were quick to […]
The Veterans Administration, in its list of authorized emblems for its headstones, has been a pioneer in recognizing diverse beliefs. They have recently added the Hammer of Thor, named Mjölnir (Crusher), to accommodate the wishes of sincere devotees of pagan (Ásatrúar) beliefs. They also include other pagan symbols, Jewish, Native American, Sikh, atheist, and humanist […]