While no reports indicate any known court martial or disciplinary proceedings related to evangelism, we also know that the time for clarification and protection of religious liberty is before such rights are taken away, not simply after they have been. Moreover, we have seen too many other incremental steps to marginalize and stigmatize the free exercise of religion, especially among evangelical Christians, in the military and elsewhere. Notice, for instance, the ongoing struggles for evangelical Christian chaplains to pray in public settings as evangelical Christians, in the name of Jesus, which is the only way evangelical Christians believe we can come before God the Father.
Recent days have seen a flurry of media stories about various questions of religious liberty within the United States military. Many of these stories have prompted concern among Southern Baptists and other evangelical Christians as to whether our Christian servicemen and women, and the chaplains who serve them, are facing hostility from military leaders directed particularly toward evangelical Christianity.

These reports have prompted a time of intense investigation by our respective organizations, as we seek to ascertain clarity about the factual basis and the larger meaning of these reports. The North American Mission Board (NAMB) of the Southern Baptist Convention is assigned with ministering to our military through our function as the endorsing agency for Southern Baptist chaplains. The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) of the Southern Baptist Convention is tasked with advocating our cherished Baptist commitment to a free church in a free state.

We have no interest in fomenting conspiracy theories or faux outrage, seeing that such will serve neither the gospel of Jesus Christ nor our mission to minister to our neighbors with this gospel. We have no interest in misrepresenting our military leaders or their civilian command. The Bible calls on us to pray for and to honor our government leaders (Rom. 13:1-7; 1 Pet. 2:13-17).

At the same time, we do not want to ignore potential threats to religious liberty. The First Amendment guarantees of the free exercise of religion and the freedom from an established state religion are grounded in a natural right—the right to a free conscience under God. This right is not granted by the state, or by the state’s armed services, but is to be recognized and protected. Our Baptist forebears, from Thomas Helwys to Roger Williams to John Leland and beyond, were often irritants to the powers-that-be, precisely because they knew religious liberty is too important to be left to the whims of kings or presidents or bureaucrats.

When reports emerged about purported threats to religious liberty, we immediately moved into investigation and action, working with military and political and advocacy leaders across the nation. Gen. Douglas Carver of NAMB, retired United States Army Chief of Chaplains, led the way in investigating and advising us of the current landscape. Here is a recap of the more controversial reports of recent weeks.

On April 8, media sources reported that United States Army troops were told, in briefing materials, that evangelical Christians were “extremists,” included in the same category as al-Qaeda.
FACT: This characterization did happen, in a redeployment briefing for Army Reserve soldiers in Pennsylvania. The Department of Defense looked into this, and corrected the briefing materials.

On April 25, news reports indicated that the United States Army had blocked the Southern Baptist Convention’s website www.sbc.net due to “hostile content.”
FACT: This incident took place across Army, Air Force, Marine and Navy bases, not simply Army bases. Military officials tell us the concern was related to malware issues, related to maintaining the safety of military computer networks from viruses and hacking, not an intentional move to block the Southern Baptist Convention site for ideological reasons.

On April 28 news reports indicated that the Pentagon had tapped Mikey Weinstein, infamous for his inflammatory anti-Christian remarks, as an adviser on religious issues in the U.S. military.
FACT: The Department of Defense confirms that Weinstein requested and was granted a meeting with Pentagon officials but denies he serves as a military consultant or in any other official capacity.

On May 1, some news sources reported that soldiers could be prosecuted for sharing their faith, up to and including court-martial.
FACT: The Department of Defense clarified that no troops or chaplains are being court-martialed for evangelism. Military spokespersons said that evangelism is not a punishable offense, but that “proselytizing,” defined as an unwelcome coercion of religious beliefs, would be considered a Uniform Code of Military Justice offense because such action violates good order and discipline by forcing faith beliefs on those not welcoming such advances.

These reports have elicited a great deal of concern and confusion among military chaplains, pastors and congregations. In some cases, misinformation has been mixed with fact, with the possible result of furthering already tense relationships between military and religious communities.

We reject any and all attempts to sensationalize or misrepresent situations, in this or any other context. Having said that, we are concerned.

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