Military Chaplains as Peace Builders: Embracing Indigenous Religions in Stability Operations

The doctrinal role of United States military chaplains must be expanded to allow for formal inclusion of indigenous religious groups and religious leaders into stability operations. This additional role for chaplains beyond the traditional function of providing for religious and spiritual support of military personnel and their families might best be described as the role of religious liaison. In one sense, this additional role of religious liaison could be viewed as an expansion of the traditional chaplain role of advisor to the commander. Currently, United States military chaplains are trained to conduct religious area analyses and assessments, but primarily for the purpose of advising the commander. The expanded role as religious liaison would allow for chaplains to directly interface with indigenous religious groups and religious leaders with the goal of developing dialogue, building relationships, promoting goodwill and creating formal inter-religious councils. A commander often has a military lawyer and intelligence officer by their side when substantial decisions are being addressed. Chaplains in the future will be just as important to a commander conducting stability operations, as currently are intelligence and legal personnel. Military leadership must be comfortable with embracing this added value by understanding that an individual does not have to become religious in order to understand religion and appreciate its importance in stability operations. The original document contains color images.