politics
Pentagon Streamlines Chaplain List, Removes Denominational Labels
The Department of Defense revised its list of religious affiliations this week, dropping the Christian designation from 21 groups including Latter-day Saints, Catholics, Lutherans and Pentecostals. Utah Senators Mike Lee and John Curtis objected to the change for their own faith.
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The Department of Defense this week removed the Christian label from 21 religious traditions on its list of affiliations available to service members, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Catholic, Lutheran and Pentecostal groups.
The revision is part of an effort to reduce more than 200 categories to a shorter roster that chaplains can use to allocate resources. The department stated the change does not assess the legitimacy of any belief system.
Lee and John Curtis, both Republicans and Latter-day Saints, said the exclusion contradicts how their church defines itself. Curtis posted that Latter-day Saints are "unequivocally Christian" and called government characterization of a faith's identity unacceptable. Lee wrote that his church membership is "inextricably intertwined with my Christianity" for 17 million members.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints states on its website that it is a Christian church that is neither Catholic nor Protestant and that Jesus Christ is central to its members' lives. The church has nearly 18 million members worldwide and a record of military service.
Theological differences cited by some other Christian groups include Latter-day Saint views on the nature of God and rejection of the Nicene Creed. The Catholic Church has stated that Latter-day Saint baptism does not meet its criteria for a Christian baptism.
