Serving Without Pushing - Pluralism in Public School Chaplaincy

Session Topic: Trust, Pluralism, and Religious Accommodation

🎙️Welcome Back

Speaker 1:
Welcome back, everybody!
Today, we’re going to talk about the pluralistic environment of a public school, which is actually very similar to the pluralistic environment of the military.
This is probably one area where the parallels are strong.

Let’s start with a question—
How did you feel about being a chaplain in a pluralistic military environment?

🌍 Serving in a Pluralistic Environment

Speaker 2:
Overall?
I was excited about it.

It gave me an opportunity to:

• Learn about a lot of people
• Experience things I wouldn’t have encountered otherwise

I remember being interviewed to become a Navy chaplain.
The senior Navy chaplain said:

“Okay, here’s the scenario. You’re on a ship. Your fellow chaplains are one Buddhist and one Muslim. And there’s a problem. How are you going to address it?”

I said,

“I have no idea… but it’s going to be interesting.”

And that’s how it’s been. Challenging at times, yes—but also deeply enriching.

I’ve worked with:

• Hundreds of Christian denominations
• Leaders from many different faith groups

And through it all, I didn’t come to value my own tradition less…
But I began to value other traditions more.

🕍 Exposure to Different Traditions

Growing up in West Michigan, I knew nothing about:

• The Eastern Orthodox Church
• Liturgical traditions
• Even some Protestant denominations

But as a chaplain, I got to:

• Attend Greek Orthodox services
• Take my kids to Catholic Mass
• Learn from diverse expressions of faith

That would have never happened had I stayed in my hometown.
And it opened my eyes to the richness of the Body of Christ—and even beyond that.

📜 What Is Religious Accommodation?

Speaker 1:
That’s so interesting.
Now, in the military—and in public school chaplaincy documentation—you often see the phrase “religious accommodation.”
What does that actually mean?

⚖️ Religious Accommodation = Constitutional Foundation

Speaker 2:
Religious accommodation is actually the constitutional justification for chaplaincy.

You probably won’t be surprised to know that many people over the years have said:

“We shouldn’t pay chaplains. There’s supposed to be a separation of church and state.”

But what they forget is that the First Amendment protects freedom of religion.

So—if the government brings someone into the military, or into a public institution like a school, it must provide for their religious needs.
That’s the principle of accommodation.

📌 Real-Life Example

Let’s say a Jewish sailor comes to me and says:

“I need to eat kosher, but the galley doesn’t offer kosher food.”

My job is to work with the command to figure out how to meet that need.

⚖️ Legal Shift: From Burden of Proof to Duty of Accommodation

In the past:

• The individual had to prove why the government should accommodate their belief.

But now:

• The law says the government must accommodate, unless it can prove a valid reason not to.

🧔 Beard Example: Pagan Norseman Group

A recent example—
A religious group called Pagan Norseman requested to wear beards in the military.

Military regulations typically prohibit beards because they interfere with gas masks.
But if someone claims it’s a religious need, then the government must try to accommodate, unless there’s a clear reason not to.

✏️ Sabbath Example: Pen vs. Pencil

Here’s a quirky one—

A Jewish sailor needed to take a required test on a Saturday (his Sabbath).
The test had to be done in pen… but his faith considers writing in ink to be work.
Writing with a pencil, however, is not considered work.

So we sought an accommodation to let him:

• Take the test in pencil
• On the Sabbath

The command asked, “Why should we allow this?”

The answer?

“Because the law says we must accommodate religious needs unless we can’t.”

🚢 The Chaplain’s Role: Protecting All Freedoms

So as a chaplain, I don’t just fight for my own religious rights.

I’m called to:

• Protect the religious freedom of everyone
• Advocate for people from every faith group

On one aircraft carrier I served on—5,000 people—we had 16 different worship services every weekend.

Some examples:

• Contemporary Christian
• Traditional liturgical
• Eastern Orthodox
• Jewish services (with multiple branches represented)

📖 Core Competency: Religious Accommodation

So while care and support are important chaplain competencies…
It’s religious accommodation that is the constitutional foundation for chaplaincy in public institutions.

And this principle will carry directly over into public school chaplaincy as well.

⚖️ Public School Chaplaincy ≠ Religious Instruction

Speaker 1:
So let’s be clear up front—
Chaplaincy in public schools is not about holding chapel services.
There are no religious rituals being led during the school day.

But let's consider a scenario:

• Say there are Islamic students in your school.
• During Ramadan, they can’t eat or drink during the day.
• Yet they’re still expected to participate in PE class—sometimes running miles in the heat.

That’s a clear need for religious accommodation.

🧕🏽 Religious Clothing & Uniforms

Some schools, including public ones, may have uniform policies.
Certain faith groups have specific modesty or clothing guidelines that conflict with those rules.

The chaplain can:

• Advocate for the student
• Explain why this is a religious accommodation
• Help administrators understand what’s needed
• And evaluate:

What harm would there be in allowing this?
What harm could result if we don’t?

📘 Becoming Culturally Smart

Speaker 2:
Most school superintendents and staff won’t be familiar with every religion.

That’s why every military chaplain owns a guidebook of religions and denominations.
It helps you:

• Understand what’s required by different groups
• Explain accommodations clearly
• Protect religious rights across the board

🌎 Public Schools Are Legally & Culturally Pluralistic

Let’s break that down:

• Public schools are not sectarian.
  That means they aren’t supposed to promote one religion.
• But schools are full of spiritual people.
  Spirituality is often:
• Cultural
• Personal
• Deeply shaping identity

To ignore that is to ignore something essential about a student’s or teacher’s humanity.

🗣️ Chaplaincy: Advocate for All, Not Just Your Own

Yes, it can be hard.

As ministers, we naturally feel most aligned with our own beliefs.
But as chaplains, we are called to:

• Advocate for all faith expressions
• Ensure freedom of religious expression
• Promote respect and tolerance

It might be a:

• Muslim student
• Buddhist teacher
• Jewish staff member
• Or someone from a less common faith group

🧠 Why Religious Freedom for All Matters

Speaker 1:
Here’s my instinct—
Whenever there’s a cultural debate about religion, I always side with religious freedom.

Because if we exclude one, we eventually endanger all.

Is that right?

Speaker 2:
Absolutely.

The media and social media often frame it as:

“I want my religious rights.”

But true religious freedom means:

• It’s freedom for everyone—
• Even for those we disagree with.

🛡️ Protecting Others Protects You

Speaker 2:
Back on my ship, we had a group of Wiccans—pagan practitioners.

I personally didn’t agree with their beliefs.

But we:

• Provided space and time for their worship
• Gave them access to materials
• Supported their freedom to practice

Because if they’re not free to worship,
Then I may not be free to worship someday either.

🧭 All Worldviews Carry a Religious Core

As Dr. Roy Clouser points out in our philosophy program:

"Every worldview contains a core belief that functions like a religion."

Even if someone says they’re not religious,
They often still hold deep, guiding beliefs that shape:

• Values
• Morality
• Purpose

This is why tolerance and openness are so important.
Not agreement—but respect.

🕊️ Invitational Presence in a Pluralistic Space

So how should a public school chaplain function?

By offering an Invitational Presence:

🙏 The Invitational Approach

✅ Begin with their story, not your beliefs
✅ Listen for spiritual hunger or curiosity
✅ Gently invite—never pressure
✅ Let your speech always be with grace
✅ Maintain a posture of respect and openness
✅ Be known for trustworthiness, not persuasion

Speaker 1:
That’s such a powerful reminder…

You don’t have to convince.
You just need to show up with love.
And that opens doors for gospel-shaped conversations in time.

🕊️ Non-Coercive Ministry in Public Schools

Session Topic: Invitational Presence & Ethics of Public Chaplaincy

📚 What Is Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)?

Speaker 1:
There’s a training model called CPE—Clinical Pastoral Education.
We’re thinking about developing a version of that here.

One of the core principles in CPE is this:

The belief system of the person being served is the focus of ministry—not the belief system of the chaplain.

So if you're a chaplain:

• Talking to a teacher or student at the school
• Your faith perspective only comes into the conversation if:
• They ask, and
• They genuinely want to know

Your role is not to convert or instruct—
It is to affirm and support their spiritual dignity.

🧏 Start With Their Story, Not Yours

Speaker 2:
That’s the essence of Invitational Presence.

✅ Begin with their story.
❌ Not with your beliefs.

If they ask:

“What do you think?” — you still clarify:
“Would you like my perspective from my faith tradition?”

You wait until invited, and even then, especially with children, you must tread lightly.
Children can be easily influenced, so clear boundaries are essential.

🚫 Avoiding Appearance of Coercion

As we researched for this class, it became very clear that schools are rightly cautious.

Even with student-led Bible studies, many schools do not want the chaplain involved.
Why?

To prevent:

• Appearance of religious favoritism
• Risk of indoctrination
• Blurring of the line between public and private faith spaces

🧠 Example: The Admiral’s Conference Room

Speaker 2:
When I was in the military, an admiral offered me use of his conference room for Bible study.

I said, “Thank you, but no thank you.”

Because:

• That space belonged to leadership
• Using it might imply institutional support for our group
• Other faith groups didn’t get that offer

So we declined. To protect freedom and fairness.

🏫 What If Students Want to Start Faith Groups?

If students want to:

• Lead a Bible study
• Organize prayer
• Form a faith-based discussion group

The chaplain:

• Supports them logistically
• Helps all faiths organize similar opportunities
• Ensures that it is student-led and student-run
• Avoids attending so it doesn’t look like endorsement or favoritism

🗣️ “I’m here to support everyone—Christian, Muslim, Jewish, or other faiths.”

⚖️ Ethics of Non-Coercive Ministry

Let’s define it:

🕊️ Non-Coercive Ministry means creating space for spiritual growth without manipulation or pressure.

One fear people have about chaplaincy is:

• That it will promote Christianity
• That students will be pressured to convert
• That religious ideas will be injected into classrooms or counseling

That is not our mission.

😔 The Struggle of Staying in Your Lane

Speaker 1:
It can be hard as a minister when we know students are being taught things we disagree with—
like naturalistic evolution as the only explanation for life.

It’s tempting to want to jump in and correct it.

Speaker 2:
But that’s not the role of the chaplain.

We are not:

• Science teachers
• Apologetics instructors
• Defenders of doctrine in the school

We are:

• Ministers of presence
• Advocates for freedom
• Servants of every soul in the system

🌱 The Mission: Creating Freedom for the Soul

If we create an environment where:

• The soul is free
• Students and staff feel safe
• Faith can be explored without pressure

Then we open the door for what God may do.

But if we:

• Shut down every voice except our own
• Push our beliefs instead of listening
• Impose rather than invite

Then we’ve likely closed that door.

🙏 Prayer, Presence, and Public Chaplaincy

Session Topic: Boundaries, Ethics, and the Chaplain’s Role in Public Schools

🧭 Navigating Prayer in Public Settings

Chaplain Tom:
In the military, sometimes I was invited to pray at a staff meeting.
Other times, I wasn’t—because prayer didn’t fit the function or the setting.

"If you were at a private company, you wouldn’t normally expect to pray before a meeting."

Whenever I was invited to pray:

• I considered who was present
• I considered the purpose of the gathering
• I shaped my words accordingly

In a public school, however, I would not expect to have many opportunities to pray publicly.

📣 Supporting Student-Led Prayer

A more likely situation:

A group of students wants to pray before a football game.

In that case, the chaplain's role would be:

• ✅ Advocate for the students’ right to pray
• ✅ Ensure that it's student-led
• ❌ Avoid leading the prayer yourself
• ✅ Ask: “Are there other students from different faith backgrounds who need time or space for prayer?”

This advocacy is about religious accommodation, not personal leadership.

📝 Know the Local District’s Policy

As a chaplain, part of your role is to:

• 🔍 Research your local district’s religious accommodation policies
• 📞 Converse with the superintendent
• 🛡️ Assure that your role respects pluralism and local expectations

Your responsibility includes:

• Being aware of diverse student needs
• Taking your mandate seriously to protect religious freedom

🧾 Parental Consent in Religious Education Contexts

Some schools now require parental permission for sensitive topics.
This could apply to:

• 🏫 Classes on religious history
• 🧠 Electives on spiritual development
• 📚 Even chaplain-led discussions

Tom:
If I were asked to teach a class on the development of religion, I would ask:

“Have parents given permission for their child to participate in this?”

Always respect boundaries and permissions—it builds trust.

✍️ What Does “Record Spiritual Conversations” Mean?

Henry:
“What does it mean when a school says to record spiritual conversations?”

Tom:
It likely means to take notes, not audio record.

🔒 Recording conversations without consent would destroy trust.

Instead, if district policy requires it:

• Keep confidential notes
• Follow FERPA and privacy laws
• Protect student dignity

🧼 A Lesson in Sensitivity

Tom (story):
One time I was preaching and used a phrase I grew up hearing:

“Bitching and complaining.”

My daughter later said,

“Dad… you said that word in your sermon!”

I didn’t even realize it. But someone did—the superintendent of the local school.

That small misstep became a big issue.

So, I apologized, and that helped resolve the situation. But I learned:

Even common words can offend people from other traditions or cultures.

🌍 Words Matter — Context Matters

In ministry—especially chaplaincy—you must understand:

• 👂 Who you're serving
• 🌐 Their background
• ❗ What offends them
• 🔄 What builds trust

Avoid:

• ⚠️ Offensive slang
• ⚠️ Culturally insensitive language
• ⚠️ Humor that excludes or objectifies

“We will offend people sometimes. But let’s avoid unnecessary offense.”

🏌️‍♂️ Golf Course Chaplaincy vs. Public School Chaplaincy

Henry (laughing):
In my golf club chaplaincy, I sometimes use borderline words to be relatable.

But:

• ❌ Never the D-word
• ❌ Never the GD-word
• ✅ Still mindful of what I say

That’s a country club.

But in a public school, there’s no room for error.

You must:

• Speak with clarity
• Avoid ambiguity
• Be above reproach

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 The Temptation to "Be One of the Guys"

Tom:
Some chaplains want to fit in, so they:

• Tell off-color jokes
• Make sexist remarks
• Lower their standards to gain trust

But that backfires.

People might say:

“He claims to be a chaplain, but he talks like that?”

That destroys trust—and trust is your greatest currency in chaplaincy.

“Sometimes, people don’t need you to be one of the guys.
They need you to be their chaplain.”

📚 Knowing Before Speaking: Context, Culture & Comparative Religion

Session Topic: Sensitivity, Education, and the Role of Chaplains in a Diverse World

🎯 Know Your School, Know Your Context

Henry:
As a chaplain, know your school and talk to the administration.

“My grandkids will grow up saying things I don’t understand... and before I start using their emojis and abbreviations, I better know what they mean.”

✅ Don't speak a language (cultural or digital) you don’t fully understand.
✅ Avoid unintentional missteps by doing your homework.
✅ Be humble and ask for clarification.

🧘‍♂️ Why Take a Comparative Religion Course?

Tom:
Growing up in West Michigan, I never knew anyone who was Greek Orthodox.
Later, I learned about Russian Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, and so on.
At first, I thought they were all the same—they’re not.

Assumptions can lead to missteps. And missteps hurt communication.

✅ A comparative religion course helps chaplains:

• Avoid unnecessary offense
• Communicate respectfully
• Understand faith traditions without stereotyping
• Ask questions with genuine curiosity

“I want to be a learner. That shows respect.”

🏥 Real-Life Application: Respecting Death and Grief Customs

Tom’s story from Iraq:
A Jewish soldier was tragically killed.
The family’s tradition required burial within 24 hours.
A U.S. senator called me from Washington, D.C., asking us to return the body immediately.

We couldn’t comply that quickly, but we:

• 🕊️ Explained the delay with dignity
• 🕯️ Worked to expedite the return
• 🫱 Connected the family with a local rabbi to explain religious allowances in exceptional cases

Even if we couldn’t meet the letter of the law, we showed respect for the spirit of their beliefs.

💬 Another Real-Life Story: When Condolences Offend

Tom:
I once attended a funeral where the deceased’s religion believed in reincarnation.
In that tradition:

• 🚫 There is no death
• 🚫 Mourning is considered inappropriate
• 😐 Expressions of grief are offensive

I expressed my condolences, unaware of the custom, and the father was a bit offended.
Later I learned my presence was appreciated—but my words were not.

“If I had taken a comparative religion course, I might have known that.”

🧠 Great Resource at Christian Leaders

Henry recommends:
📘 Comparative Religions, a 2-credit course by Dr. Roy Clouser

• Taught previously at The College of New Jersey
• Covers:
• Differences between Buddhism and Christianity
• Overlaps with Judaism
• Worldview foundations of New Age, Hinduism, and more
• Highly rated by students

“Even I went through all the lectures and found it outstanding.”

🏫 The Daily Reality of Chaplaincy

As public school chaplaincy becomes more available across U.S. states:

• 📌 Religious accommodation will be a daily task
• 💡 Understanding beliefs—not just tolerating them—is essential
• 🧭 Your role requires wisdom, tact, and learning

👋 Until next time...

Keep growing. Keep listening. Keep standing for truth with grace.
You are not just learning information—you are preparing for ministry.