Overview

During the second half of the twentieth century, the American military chaplaincy underwent a profound transformation. Broad-based and ecumenical in the World War II era, the chaplaincy emerged from the Vietnam War as generally conservative and evangelical. Before and after the Vietnam War, the chaplaincy tended to mirror broader social, political, military, and religious trends. During the Vietnam War, however, chaplains' experiences and interpretations of war placed them on the margins of both military and religious cultures. Because chaplains lived and worked amid many communities--religious and secular, military and civilian, denominational and ecumenical--they often found themselves mediating heated struggles over the conflict, on the home front as well as on the front lines. In this benchmark study, Jacqueline Whitt foregrounds the voices of chaplains themselves to explore how those serving in Vietnam acted as vital links between diverse communities, working personally and publicly to reconcile apparent tensions between their various constituencies. Whitt also offers a unique perspective on the realities of religious practice in the war's foxholes and firebases, as chaplains ministered with a focus on soldiers' shared experiences rather than traditional theologies.

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9781469612942

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Reviews

Highly recommended. All levels/libraries. -- Choice

A detailed account of chaplains during the Vietnam War. . . . [A]n interesting review of an often overlooked aspect of the conflict.-- On Point: The Journal of Army History

Engaging and fascinating. -- American Historical Review

Engaging and fascinating. <i> --<i>American Historical Review</i></i>

Engaging and fascinating. -- American Historical Review

A major achievement. . . . Whitt has provided an excellent resource for understanding the impact of Vietnam on the modern chaplaincy, and an excellent defense of chaplaincy against its critics. All military chaplains, especially those in supervisory roles, should read this work. -- Cercles

Fresh and illuminating persuasively refutes the long-established and prevailing narrative that chaplains sold out their religious role and obligations for promotion and professional approval.-- Journal of Church and State

Whitt argues that while chaplains did struggle with how to define their religious faith, they generally found their faith compatible with their military obligations. This was possible primarily because they focused on pastoral rather than prophetic roles. The book is well-conceived, well-organized, and well-written, and should appeal to people interested in religion and religious history, military history, and the history of the Vietnam War era. --Mitchell Hall, Central Michigan University

Author Information

Jacqueline E. Whitt is assistant professor of strategy at the Air War College, USA.

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