Military Chaplain?

Question

Do you have to be an ordained Priest to become a Military Chaplain? Like is seminary school required, and the vows and all? Or would having a degree in Theology be enough and continue your vocation through the Military after that?

Roman Catholic

Answer 1

Priests have to be ordained and also receive permission from their Diocesan Bishop or the head of their religious order if they are not a diocesan priest. Protestant clergy need some sort of theological or divinity degree. Rabbis have to be graduates of a Rabbinical School. I don't believe Muslim Imams have to hold a degree in religious studies from a university or seminary. At present there are six Imams who are members of the Chaplain Corps in the different services.
You will need to talk to a recruiter in an Officer Selection office of a recruiting service to get more clarification.

Answer 2

No, you must be an ordained member of your faith group and hold an ecclesiastical endorsement from a recognized body within that group.

A chaplain's functions are clergy-based, so a layperson (no matter how faithful) cannot be commissioned to such duty.

You MIGHT be eligible for a chaplain candidate program, in which you would be commissioned as an O-1 in the Reserve while attending seminary. You would not be on active duty for this time, other than 45 days or so during the summer.

Upon graduation, you would then be eligible to apply for appointment as a chaplain.

Most chaplains hold a Master of Divinity degree or equivalent graduate degree.

Answer 3

Ordained

Answer 4

Depends on what religion you would be associated with in the military. Jewish chaplains would no doubt be full rabbis, etc. You could call a local military base and talk to the chaplains office and they can explain to you.

Answer 5

Depends the army need some Chaplain