As a Chaplain, Must I Always Publicly Pray in Jesus’ Name?
— Monday, May 21st, 2012 —
Dear Dr. Moore,
I’m a committed evangelical Christian, and also a chaplain with responsibility for people from all sorts of religious backgrounds. I am called on to pray at many functions, with mixed audiences. Some over me are pressuring me not to end my prayers “in Jesus’ name” but to instead pray more inclusively to God, generally. I can pray “in Your name” and that seems to solve the problem. I mean Jesus, of course, but it wouldn’t be as patently offensive and it would enable me to minister here longer and more effectively. Is that ethical?
A Confused Chaplain
Dear Chaplain,
You’re assuming this quandary is about language. It’s not. Praying in Jesus’ name isn’t simply a cultural addendum at the end of a request, something evangelicals do in the same way we repeat phrases like “just” and “lead, guide, and direct us.” We pray in Jesus’ name because Jesus commanded us to do so (Jn. 14:13). We pray in Jesus’ name because we believe that “there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5). Thus, we have no access to God apart from our being hidden in Christ.
When you pray publicly, you are not there to proselytize or to do apologetic battle against other religions. But that’s not what praying in Jesus’ name is. If you are asked to pray, you can only pray as a Christian. In so doing, you are actually, ironically enough, protecting the rights of other religions and their chaplains. I frankly don’t want a Muslim chaplain forced by the government to pray like a Episcopalian.
As for the old “in Your name” wink and nod, I would counsel you against that. Our ancient Christian forebears, under persecution in Rome, could have pinched the incense and proclaimed “Caesar is lord” while assuring themselves privately that they meant the “eternal Caesar” of Jesus of Nazareth. After all, wouldn’t they be of more service to Jesus alive and preaching than thrown to the lions? And what is a momentary acknowledgement of a civic faith, especially when one can be as specific as one wants in private?
Well, behind all those rationalizations hung a warning: “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 10:32-33).
Christian chaplains have been ordained by their churches, and offered to the military, to be Christian chaplains. For them to pray as a civil-religion cleric is for them to enlist their services in another faith. You wear the Cross, and must speak it and not put it under the bushel of a more inclusive language of civil faith.
Chaplains don’t serve chiefly a civic function. They are there, first of all, to guarantee the First Amendment liberties of military and other personnel to the free exercise of religion. If the government decides that the only chaplains who can serve are those willing to pray like Unitarians in public, one wonders what would remain of the purpose of chaplaincy at all.
From the government’s point of view, it might not be that much to ask a chaplain to pray a sensitive prayer to a generic God. Perhaps it wouldn’t seem too much to ask a Catholic soldier to serve himself and his Protestant friends Mass since “bread is bread,” and a Muslim chaplain to lead people in the Rosary because “it’s just a prayer.”
But it is too much to ask. A Muslim who would speak of Mary as the Mother of God rejects the Koran, and he’s just not a Muslim anymore. A Catholic Mass without a priest is just not a Catholic Mass. And a prayer to a “God” who is not clearly the Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ is not a Christian prayer.
When Caesar asks for service and for taxes and for honor, we should render such things gladly. Prayers don’t belong to Caesar, though, and they shouldn’t be brought before him for editorial submission. We owe Caesar submission and loyalty in almost everything (Rom. 13), almost.
But when Caesar objects to the mention of Jesus in a Christian’s prayers, we must have the conviction to say, “Sir, I wasn’t talking to you, sir.”
Great article. As a Chaplain, I completely agree.
I have been fortunate in that I have not experienced any direct pressure, however, during public prayer in which soldiers are required to be in attendance, I always preface my prayers with “As I pray in my tradition, I encourage you to prayer in yours.” This is a fairly common statement among chaplains.
Generally speaking, it is not soldiers of other faith traditions that are offended by prayers in Jesus’ name, it is usually soldiers of no faith tradition whatsoever. Furthermore, although there are stories of religious persecution on both sides of the issue (Religious soldiers and Atheist soldiers), these issue have a tendency to be very localized and reflect the particular command environment that the Chaplain is serving.
This is a nuanced issue and the best approach is the creation of a healthy relationship between the Chaplain and the Command in which the chaplain has the opportunity to advise the commander on these complex issues. In reality, this can be difficult and some commanders have strong views on this topic (on both sides of the argument). Is it worth derailing many years of representing Christ to soldiers over the particular views of one commander? I would suggest that sometimes it is prudent to just get in the basket and go over the wall.
Finally, I also understand that Chaplains, like myself, that pray Christian prayers should be prepared to hear and support the right of Jewish and Muslim Chaplain to pray in their particular tradition as well. As Dr. Moore stated, it would be ridiculous to expect a Muslim to speak of Mary as the Mother of God in a prayer. Everyone is best served when we all lay our cards on the table concerning our belief AND then manage to still live peaceably with one another, this is what religious pluralism is about, not a widespread conformation to a civic religion.
Fantastic answer and article. Applies well not only to chaplains, but to all pastors, who are occasionally called on to pray at community and civic events.
Excellent article. I am a Chaplain today. When I was on active duty in the US Navy, I would be called on occasionally for a prayer at a ceremony. Once I was told I shoul not have prayed in Jesus name. I said Ok. The next time I did it again. I was once again spoken to. I said Ok. The next time I was spoken to before I prayed. It must have slipped my mind. I was spoken to again. This time I explained that they knew I was a Christian and that is why they asked me to pray. This is how I pray. I was not asked again. But, 3 times was better than none! This experience was possible because I was not a Chaplain at that time.
Good article, but I don’t have to say that I’m praying in Jesus’ name to be doing so. I don’t believe that I’m denying Christ by not adding the tag line “in Jesus name,” I’m still praying in His name as a Christian living for Him. Hopefully my life will be a better testimony to whose name I pray in than the words that I use in my prayer.
@Daryl Densford, As a member of the Army Chaplain Corp I didn’t see why every prayer must end with “in Jesus name” and how this could be an issue for so many. So, I understand what you are saying but I believe we are required to do more than “act” like Christians, the words we speak and the actions we do go hand-in-hand. The words spoken are not just a “tag line” for the believer but rather a verbal recognition that by asking in his name “the father may be glorified in the Son” John 14:13. I don’t know if I could say that Christ is giving a command here but I do know the passage states, if we do he will for the glory of the Father.
AMEN to all you said here!!!
I don’t see John 14:13 as being a command to pray in his name, can you amplify this passage a bit more so I understand where you are coming from?
Thanks!
Mike
Very good and informed post. Like some other readers, I’ve been blessed to have had very supportive Commanders who understand the law and Army Doctrine. Becoming well informed with AR 165-1 and FM 1-05 becomes a powerful tool for not only the issues with prayer, but also the present debates on marriage.
Dr. John Laing has written a book on this exact issue. Dr. Laing serves as a chaplain in the U.S. Armed Forces and is also a professor of theology and philosophy at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
His could book can be found here on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/In-Jesus-Name-Evangelicals-Chaplaincy/dp/1606087983
It seems to me the point of the Greek preposition “in” as used “in Jesus name” is one of position. Isn’t it more like believing “in” Jesus and believing “in” the gospel? I don’t recall any prayers in Acts ending “in Jesus name” the way we tend to think of praying in Jesus’ name today. So again it seems to me the answer is in the Greek prepositon and thus positional.
Excellent!!!
While serving as a chaplain I was once chastised for praying in Jesus’ name, by some of the “Christian” chaplains. It was instructive that the one Jewish chaplain in attendance quickly came to my defense by stating that it was his expectation that a Christian would pray like a Christian.
As another Army chaplain, whenever called upon for a public prayer (invocation, benediction, etc.), I add a caveat: as a Christian chaplain, I pray in Jesus’ name. For those from other traditions, I invite you to pray as your tradition and conscience lead you. Let us pray…
This way, I pray according to my faith traditions (exclusivity), while welcoming those from other groups (inclusivity). I have never had anyone criticize me for praying in Christ’s name, since I welcome others. If anything, I’ve had pagans thank me for remembering them with my prayers. This is my approach, which has been effective. Hope it helps!
In more ways than one, military Chaplains are on the front lines, standing against a hostile enemy. Sadly, the forces of our enemy can sometimes wear the same uniform as the Chaplain, making his job even harder.
I respect greatly those who serve our nation while not compromising the truth. Armies and nations will pass away, but the Truth of the Cross endures forever.
As Christians we are continually bombarded with efforts to “water down” the message. Dr. Moore’s article was well thought out and to the point. I too feel that if a Christain is asked to pray, the prayer should be in the Bible-based manner. John 14:13 shows us the formula and was spoken by Jesus Himself.
I have not served in the armed forces nor been a chaplain. What I have been is a frequent guest of the local hospital which has chaplains. I believe that I have met them all. Their’s is not the problem to pray in Jesus’ name but to have received him at all!
Some are incredible men, who I do enjoy having come and pray with me. And they do pray in Jesus’ just as I do and most anyone I know does. Because God said that there is power in that name
Why would you pray and not invoke the power of Jesus’ name that when you pray, your prayer has power?
So perhaps you should consider the source of who is asking you or telling you not to pray in Jesus’ name and realize that in most cases that person doesn’t know Him and doesn’t understand the importance of the name in the prayer. I agree with all of those who said if they did not speak proudly of Jesus here, then he was not going to speak of us in heaven and why should he? After all he has done for you and me, that his name is not important enough to pray and invoke his power?
Perhaps if you who don’t or won’t or just don’t see the need to-should go back and read again the gospels and then the Acts of the Apostles and then Romans. You might catch a glimmer of the GOD who loved us so much that He got off of His Throne, took on the form of man and stepped into our time, coming as a baby. Innocent, dependant on another, growing up and assimilating into our world to eventually die on a cross for us. He who knew no sin, became that sin, and was separated from the Father for the first time in forever as He died and the Father turned away from him because He couldn’t look upon that sin.
Nice Info. Do you mind if I talk about this post in my blog.
This was very helpful to me. I was recently told that we didn’t have to pray in Jesus Name and found it very disturbing. I’m grateful when being questioned because it helps to sink it in eveen deeper, because I start digging deeper into God’s Word for His Truth. Was even more blessed to hear views from Chaplains and Pastors and especially when scripture is added to speak in truth. In Christ, Alicia Thompson