Milary Atheist chaplains

Military Association of Atheists & Freethinkers

Home

Community »








Education »







Advocacy »





About »









Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers Providing community for atheists, humanists, and other nontheists in the military.

 

Meet MAAF


Get Involved Locally

Join Now

& Donate

Chaplains Click Here

Track Issues


See Top Stories
 


Chaplain Outreach
This page is for all chaplain activities. Chaplains, chaplain assistants, prospective chaplains, and those who want services from chaplains will find information. This for both military and civilian chaplains in all institutions, and is open to current and prior military as well as civilians. Chaplains read on. Those who want to be new chaplains, to change their endorsement, or to be lay leaders working with chaplains, skip down for more information.

MAAF is supporting the application of Humanist Society Celebrant Jason Heap for Navy Chaplaincy. View the recent interfaith sign-on letter in support of humanist chaplaincy. Also listed are several statements and resolutions in support of humanist chaplaincy by the humanist community.
Dear Chaplain
Dear Chaplain: This page and the assistance we offer is outreach to help you help military personnel who seek a secular approach and a nontheist community. While MAAF has run into chaplains interested solely in spreading their own ideas or just doing a Sunday service for their own denomination, we have confidence that that is not the norm and that chaplains in general are sincerely interested in providing support to all service members on the terms of that service member. We’re here to help with information and materials. You know there are nontheists in your unit. Do they come to you for help? Would you really understand their position and community enough to point them in the right direction? Let us help you. Just as importantly, let us show our community that chaplains are willing and able to support atheists and humanists.
If you are unfamiliar with Humanism, consider the following short explanation: Scientific naturalism sees the lens of science as the best way to understand the world, assigning certainty only according to the weight of evidence. Humanists are skeptical of evidence through any source, especially revelation, tradition, or authority. Right actions follow from an ultimate value of human-flourishing, human-based rational ethics and our evolved empathy and instincts as social animals. Tools such as deontology, virtue ethics, consequentialism, and utilitarianism are used in concert to create a solid foundation for ethical action in any given situation. A humanist makes meaning in life by viewing the world through the lens of scientific naturalism, acting according to human-based, rational ethics, and by seeking lasting personal fulfillment through the advancement of oneself, one’s community, and humanity.
Humanists are also atheists, but that’s not really the point. Several important stories below lay out issues of belief and policy in more detail:
•Open letter to chaplains, Oct 29, 2011
•Playing Favorites: What beliefs should chaplains support?, Apr 23, 2012
•Humanist Lay Leader/DFGL Feature, Mar 19, 2012
•What do we mean by humanism (FAQ)
•Chaplain services website reform, Sep 22, 2011
•Open letter to chaplain endorsers, Jun 22, 2011
Additional Page contents
Continue reading on for additional resources:
•Additional Resources for Chaplains: demographics, articles, stories, brochures, etc
•Secular counseling: standard, family, and substance counseling support and information useful for nontheists.
•Minimum Statement of Support: equal support for nontheists
•Chaplain Headquarters contact information
•Humanist chaplain – application information to change endorsement, be a chaplain, or to be a lay leader; and our chaplain covenant.
Minimum Statement of Support
The MAAF Chaplain Outreach Program and is intended to be a minimum standard of commitment to equal treatment of all service members as well as respect for religious diversity within the military. Signing onto this statement is a way to communicate to nontheist service members that chaplains will help everyone. Chaplains and chaplain offices are invited to publicly show support by contacting MAAF. MAAF equally seeks feedback from any chaplain unwilling to sign on for any reason.

Nontheistic service members including atheists, agnostics, humanists, freethinkers, and others identifying as nontheists serve honorably within our nation’s military. Chaplains should support nontheistic service members with the same enthusiasm, resources, and services that they provide for theistic service members. Leaders should not use their position to influence individuals or the chain of command to adopt the leader’s own personal religion. These are minimum standards of conduct to which all service members, especially chaplains and commanders, should adhere.
Below is a list of current chaplain endorsing agencies that agree in principle to our Minimum Statement of Support or who have acted in accordance with our call for endorser support:
Alliance of Baptists | Interfaith Alliance | Sacred Well Congregation | Coalition of Spirit-Filled Churches | Society for Humanistic Mormonism | Swedenborgian Church | Unitarian Universalist Association
Below are organizations that signed onto a more restrictive ‘pledge’ version that preceded this ‘minimum standard’ version:
American Atheists, American Ethical Union, American Humanist Association, Atheist Alliance International, Center for Atheism, Council for Secular Humanism, Institute for Humanist Studies, Internet Infidels, Secular Coalition for America, Secular Student Alliance, Society for Humanistic Judaism, Society for Humanistic Mormonism

Additional Resources for Chaplains
•Chaplain-related stories at the MAAF blog
•View the MAAF Living Well brochure, the MAAF perspective on military spirituality training and recommended reading that chaplains can use to better support our members.
•Military Demographics showing atheists are the second largest non-Christian group and others like Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, and Wicca.
•Chaplain lesson plan [needs update but still valid]: Training to help chaplains to better understand our challenges.
•Clergy Project - [external link] – By former clergy, for clergy struggling with faith and interested in humanism; fully confidential
Secular counseling
Although the military chaplains should be able to service counseling needs, there are a number of services MAAF recommends for the needs of nontheist service members.
•Secular Therapist Project is a growing effort to find and support secular and humanistic counselors and has a referral program.
•Grief Beyond Belief – although just a Facebook group, there are good support and references here.
•SMART Recovery substance abuse counseling.
•MAAF has reviewed family counseling programs and recommends Prepare-Enrich and Gottman Relationships. MAAF is working with Prepare-Enrich to develop dedicated humanist modules. see article
•Consider individual counselors who work with MAAF: Freethought Counseling with Patricia Guzikowski, and Joe Beck, of the Council for Secular Humanism, (716) 912-7055, joebeck1@mac.com
•In addition to MAAF, Humanist celebrants can have good humanist insights and information: The Humanist Society, UU Humanists, Harvard Humanist Chaplain, and American Ethical Union may be able to refer to a celebrant in your area.
Official Chaplain Headquarters
The following addresses are provided for members and supporters to communicate this program to chaplain leaders to encourage them to contact MAAF for training development, materials, and better support of nontheists.
•Chief of the Chaplain Service, HQ USAF HC, 1380 AF Pentagon Rm 4E260, Washington, DC 20330-1380, 571-256-7729, Maj Gen Howard Stendahl (ELCA Lutheran), as of Jul 2012, Deputy Brig Gen Bobby Page (Texas Baptist)
•Army Chief of Chaplains DACH-ZA, 2700 Army Pentagon Rm 3E524, Washington, DC 20310-2700, 703-695-1133, MG Donald Rutherford (Roman Catholic), as of Jul 2012, Deputy BG (Charles) Ray Bailey (United Methodist)
•Office of the Chief of Navy Chaplains, 2000 Navy Pentagon Rm 5E270, Washington, DC 20350-2000, 703-614-4043, RADM Mark Tidd (Presbyterian USA) as of Aug 2010 (Chair of AFCB as of Jul 2012), Deputy Chief RADM Margaret Kibben (Presbyterian USA)
•Armed Forces Chaplains Board, 4000 Defense Pentagon Rm 2E341, Washington, DC 20301-4000, 703-697-9015, Executive Director AF Col Jerry Pitts (Southern Baptist) as of Jul 2012
•Chief, CAP Chaplain Service HQ CAP-USAF/HC, 105 S Hansell St, Maxwell AFB, AL 36112-6332, 877-227-9142 ext 418, Col Delano Ellis (Anglican-Pentecostal)

Humanist Chaplain and Lay Leader Endorsement Program

View the endorsement guidelines including the chaplain covenant and then complete the application process. Apply as a celebrant (clergy), lay leader, and/or chaplain.
MAAF administers the military and veteran endorsement programs of humanist organizations who hold IRS “church” tax exemptions: Humanist Society

*** MAAF always maintains confidentiality for any current chaplains interested in switching endorsement ***
You can make a huge difference being a leader in the humanist community (and this applies to atheists, freethinkers, and other nontheists). Being a lay leader requires commitment to humanism and a continuing commitment to personal moral, emotional, and intellectual development. As a certified representative, you can work with the military, veterans affairs, hospitals, and other institutions to support atheists and humanists. While this program is tailored for the military, civilians can apply to work with the military. In addition, endorsement can be used for military and civilian institutions.
The Chaplain resources above explain what we are looking for from chaplains and what kind of humanist tradition our chaplains are expected to represent.
Expectation of MAAF leaders:
•Commitment to the MAAF expression and tradition of humanist values, including scientific naturalism and human-based rationalistic ethics as well as willingness to serve fellow atheists and humanists
•Understanding of the MAAF expression and tradition of humanist values as well as the current developments and issues surrounding MAAF, humanism, and humanist thought.
•Leadership experience and capability to carry out duties of any positions held.
•Application: Complete the application process, including membership, fees, questionnaire, and references.
•Department of Defense requirements: Lay leaders require dedication more than anything, but the Department of Defense has stringent and Christian-centric standards including a single 72-hour graduate accredited university degree in a related field, two years of congregational leadership experience, and must be age 40 or lower. Chaplain endorsement can be conferred even if the candidate does not meet Department of Defense requirements, but for now, those interested in military chaplaincy should be aware of restrictions.
Because the Humanist Society has a prior fully-formed endorsement process, MAAF has worked with them to provide administrative support within their existing framework. MAAF also worked directly with the Society to ensure the process reflects the highest standards.
View the endorsement guidelines including the chaplain covenant and then complete the application process. Apply as a celebrant (clergy), lay leader, and/or chaplain. Regardless of endorsement, MAAF or the Society may require additional agreements related to reporting and conduct in certain positions.
MAAF also accepts direct endorsement requests for lay leaders and chaplains, in certain cases. To apply directly, join MAAF and you will be able to present your application. However, the Society process is encouraged.
For any questions, contact MAAF.
   
 
 


About MAAF
MAAF is a 501c3 charitable and tax-deductible DC Nonprofit Corporation
 1380 Monroe St NW PMB 505, Washington, DC 20010 * (202) 656-MAAF (6223) * community@militaryatheists.org
contact information is valid for membership, donation, media, and general inquiries
Fighting for the Freedoms We Defend

Creative Commons License
MAAF site content by Military Association of Atheists & Freethinkers is licensed under a free culture Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. All rights reserved for trade- and service marks.

Posts by Category
Select Category Chaplain  (65) External  (27) Featured  (97) MAAF Operations  (40) Marquis  (43) Military Policy  (72) Network  (47) News  (63) Profile  (7) Review  (6)  

Posts by Date
Select Month October 2013  (3) September 2013  (5) August 2013  (4) July 2013  (6) June 2013  (4) May 2013  (4) April 2013  (1) March 2013  (6) February 2013  (1) January 2013  (2) December 2012  (5) November 2012  (2) October 2012  (4) September 2012  (1) August 2012  (6) July 2012  (5) June 2012  (4) May 2012  (4) April 2012  (5) March 2012  (4) February 2012  (6) January 2012  (5) December 2011  (7) November 2011  (5) October 2011  (6) September 2011  (7) August 2011  (7) July 2011  (7) June 2011  (5) May 2011  (4) April 2011  (1) March 2011  (5) February 2011  (5) 


Socialize
FacebookTwitterRSS FeedLinkedIn
 

Military Association of Atheists & Freethinkers 2012

WordPress - Gabfire


     
 









ShareThis Copy and Paste

 - See more at: http://militaryatheists.org/chaplain/#sthash.0rDbKQiY.dpuf















http://militaryatheists.org/chaplain/