Vickers, Robert. (1986, Spring). The military chaplaincy: a study in role conflict. Military Chaplains Review, 15(2), 76-90.
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The chaplain faces both philosophical and functional role conflicts. This dilemna is so powerful because each role is consuming. (p. 77)I'm going to use this quote not for what it is originally meant to be talking about, but as it applies to me back when I was working at the Vienna mission. That is, it might be helpful to break down the issues into philosophical and functional role conflicts, so let's see what that does as far as helping to understand what happened back then.
Well, for me there definitely was a role conflict or dissonance, which is why I was trying to compensate by having the outside people ministry. So right there you know there is going to be some role conflict. But also, I felt my knowledge and background was not used at all during my time with the mission and I think that could be considered a kind of role conflict.
As to philosophical conflicts, I've discussed this a fair amount and even in recent posts, such as about how the mission seemed to believe that the ends justify the means, whereas I'm an idealist. So we clearly had philosophical conflicts, and I was aware of that while I was there and being cognizant of some of these things really helped because when you're able to put your fingers on something - at least for me this is so - it really helps. I don't know what I would have done otherwise, because I was all alone there in the middle of this. I had no one to talk to about this stuff because I couldn't trust anyone. So I guess I was the only idealist in a sea of people who had caved in to the "ends justifies the means" philosophy. At least everyone else was satisfactorily socialized except me, so I assume they all got it. So they're all probably singing, "How do you solve a problem like Meg....?" Maybe not. (Sorry that was a reference to the song in the Sound of Music.)
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I'm skipping a lot of the text, even though it's interesting... it doesn't really have anything I want to comment on.A large number of writers have claimed that the chaplain either should not be prophetic, cannot be prophetic, or will not be prophetic due to circumstances beyond his control. They say that since the state is morally autonomous and not subject to moral absolutes, it is inappropriate for anyone to attempt to be prophetic with regard to the state or its officials. Secondly, they claim that the chaplain has become domesticated through military service, and is thus effectively silenced. The further claim that the chaplain who is wearing the uniform of the government, paid by the state,and dependent upon senior officers for advancement cannot possibly proclaim a prophetic gospel. In their view, it would be impossible for the chaplain to be prophetic from within the system because his primary allegiance is to the system; "faith must bow to the state." The chaplaincy is seen to much a part of the system which it serves, and therefore blind to what goes on within the system.Don't you just hate it when someone predicts something and later it comes to be just as they said and they they come in "na-ner-na-ner-na-ner -I-was-right! I-told-you-so!"
One writer claims that the chaplain learns very easily that if he wishes to survive in the system he must not "rock the boat." He further claims that the chaplains who rise in the system are those who compromise. How can one possibly be prophetic and compromise at the same time? A warning echoed by many that to become overly identified with the military officer role carries with it the danger of becoming socialized into the institution and of losing identity and value as a clergyman.
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In the life and work of the chaplain it appears likely that either the role of the military officer or the clergy role will become the dominant one. If the clergy role is chosen, one can count on the risk of possible isolation and rejection, even dismissal; to choose the military officer role, one can perhaps achieve career success but it may take a heavy toll on one's ministerial affectiveness. As Jesus said, each person should therefore "count the cost." (Luke 14.28) (p. 84-85)
Well, this is a case like that. Unequally yoked! How many other ways do I have to tell you! And, in similar manner, the Vienna mission shouldn't have been messing with any of that kind of stuff either! Why on earth did they need to have an H.R. department manned totally by U.S. military chaplains? And that's not even mentioning that one of the missions on their staff - one of the 5 original missions - took money from the CIA, so who knew whatever else there was going on that was leading to the kind of stuff I just didn't feel comfortable with and then how they treated me - and how they treated my parents extra special (which they didn't do for other guests, incidentally).
So, yeah, count the costs, and then don't get unequally yoked. Could you see Jesus getting unequally yoked? I mean, sure, he'd associate with and minister to unbelievers, but He wouldn't be unequally yoked with them. But, of course, he always had the harshest words for the religious leaders anyway, so I wonder what he'd say to the Vienna mission and the set up they had going there. We already saw how He wouldn't fit in there.
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Since that is all I wanted to take from that article, I'm going to do another short article:Grenz, Clinton E. (1972, Aug.). An Army "industrial" chaplaincy model. Military Chaplains' Review, 31-34.
The term "industrial" here has a particular meaning (which I didn't know before either). It's a way to refer to the working in bases near cities and where there are something like a factory or materiel setting. Evidently there is an Army program called "Industrial Chaplaincy Program," that was at 125 companies at the time of the writing of article.
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The Counseling Ministry
Managers at every level attempt to identify problems, recognize patterns and set goals through his counseling ministry, becomes a valuable asset to management due to his training and experience. He becomes an interpreter and communicator of human and spiritual needs as well as projector of human and spiritual homes. He becomes a part of the problem-solving team in his concern for the individual.
The Army Materiel Command chaplain faces the kinds of problems which other chaplains and ministers face: religious and moral conflicts, alcoholism and drug abuse, family financial problems, supervisor and worker conflicts, and marital frictions, FM 16-5 states: "The chaplain is available to individuals under military jurisdiction who desire confidential interviews." Within the Army Materiel Command this includes civilian and military personnel alike.
Preventive Ministry
Management is recognizing that its employees are its most valuable assets, and therefore it wants to help them. The Army "Industrial" chaplain is equipped to offer supportive educational services to first line supervisors, middle managers and executives to improve human relations as it relates directly to counseling skills, communications, and alcohol and drug rehabilitation. The major emphasis is to have a balanced managerial concern for human relations and productivity.
This type of ministry will result in improved understanding, attitudes, and behavioral patterns among the supervisory force. Critiques from supervisors have indicated an unusually high degree of acceptance of this supportive service.
Redemptive Ministry
The Army "Industrial" Chaplaincy does not attempt to provide for the total religious needs of the civilian workforce. It functions as a supplement to the local ministries of local churches. If emphasizes breakfast study groups, non luncheons, and evening "rap" sessions, as well as weekly religious informal happenings conducted during employee luncheon breaks.
The rapport and communicative relationship that has bee established at the Sacramento Army Depot through these informal study groups has created a better understanding both horizontally between man and man and vertically between God and man. Civilian clergyman are delighted that this kind of ministry is provided by the command through an Army chaplain. (p. 32-33)
This is actually a good chunk of the article. The thing is that the chaplains in these Industrial Chaplain Programs really take a hit as far as their chaplains duties and role is concerned. So they end out mostly on the counseling end of thing, some of which may include some religious aspects of course, but from the description, it sounds like a lot of it is based on things the Army wants and Army values and things like that. So the chaplain will end out doing some of the socialization, it sounds like it, too, maybe more than in some other chaplains' positions. Here it looks like a big chunk of what they do.
The thing is, can you take the chaplaincy piecemeal like this? Can you say, well, here it's okay, but here they just went overboard. Or here, well, they didn't do it right? Is it possible that maybe the whole thing is just wrong? And it just takes the places like this to maybe get some people to agree that there could be something off. Of course, some people won't even see it here.
So then the other thing is that I could see the human resource staff in the Vienna mission seeing themselves sort of in this same light in the mission as described here. So just adjust the wording a little to make it fit the mission and it's possible that that's not too far off from a description of what they did in the mission, more or less. I'm going on a limb here, but it feels right; it just fits.
