The fact that the SBC got the press attention on the matter of homosexual ministry is helpful. The issue is fraught with practical problems for the three Service Chaplain Corps, and such headlines can add to the “discussion.”  But let it be known that the SBC is surrounded by a large “cloud of witnesses”…faith-group friends who affirm the importance of marriage as “one man; one woman”…to which we “just say yes!”

The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) has been in the news recently as saying “no to gay weddings for military chaplains.”  Other news outlets reported this as “Southern Baptist Chaplains Banned from Performed Same-sex Weddings.” I’m not sure why the SBC gets all the press on the subject. Maybe it’s because it is the largest fish in the military chaplain pond. Or maybe it’s because it has a good public relations arm. No matter what the reason, this is simply not “news.”

The SBC, and other faith-group endorsers,1 representing way more than half of the five-thousand-plus military chaplains, have not performed same-sex weddings for as long as they, and the military, have existed. In fact, most of America’s civilian clergy ought to be numbered, too, in the ranks of those who “just say no” because that’s been reality since America’s founding.

As for the “Chaplains Banned” headline…“banning” something is to suggest there was some previous inappropriate negative action somehow. So we say, for example, “She was banned from the cheer-leading squad.” American clergy were not, and are not, doing something they should not have done. Rather, they were following their biblical faith-tenets in their ministry. I’d rather see a headline like “SBC Continues to be Faithful to her Heritage.”

Such headlines generate additional thoughts:

One, the SBC is only one of many endorsing bodies who have recently just said ”no” to performing homosexual weddings, marriage retreats and other venues where homosexual behavior may be promoted.  At last count, more than half of all uniformed chaplains’ endorsers have given guidance similar to the SBC statement, to include the Roman Catholic Church, the Orthodox Jewish community, the National Association of Evangelicals, and the Presbyterian and Reformed Commission on Chaplains.  Even some Protestant denominations, which have championed the approval of homosexual clergy, forbid their chaplains from marrying same-sex couples.

Two, the reason so many endorsing bodies are saying “no,” is because, at its core, homosexual behavior is a basic theological belief: it’s a sin. Saying “no” has always been good advice for those wrestling with sin of any kind.

Three, military ministry continues to be full of opportunities to “Just say Yes!”  Military chaplains, as they’ve done since 1775, will say “yes” to:

• Celebrating First Amendment religious freedom
• Supporting religious pluralism.
• Lovingly care for all who come to them for religious support.
• Referring people to those who can best assist a military person.
• Respecting everyone for “who they are.”
• Sharing their faith with those who are interested.
• Advising commanders on the religious needs of their subordinates.
• Offering a listening ear, compassionate heart and gracious words to all.
• “Nurturing the living; Caring for the wounded; and Honoring the Dead.”

The fact that the SBC got the press attention on the matter of homosexual ministry is helpful. The issue is fraught with practical problems for the three Service Chaplain Corps, and such headlines can add to the “discussion.”  But let it be known that the SBC is surrounded by a large “cloud of witnesses”…faith-group friends who affirm the importance of marriage as “one man; one woman”…to which we “just say yes!”

Note:

1. An “endorser” is a Department of Defense-authorized official who certifies that a person is a legitimate clergyperson in one of America’s 190+ faith-groups.

Douglas E. Lee is a PCA Teaching Elder and retired Army chaplain of 30+ years. He attained the rank of Brigadier General and now serves as the Executive Director of the Presbyterian and Reformed Commission on Chaplains and Military Personnel (PRCC), which includes the PCA and 6 other like-minded denominations. The PRCC endorses over 300 military and civilian chaplains.