ORTHODOX CHURCH BACKS PROPOSAL TO REINSTATE MILITARY CHAPLAINS

RIA Novosti, Russia
April 11 2006

MOSCOW, April 11 (RIA Novosti) – The Russian Orthodox Church passed
a resolution Tuesday in support of a move to re-introduce chaplains
into Russia’s armed forces in a bid to curb hazing and other crimes
in military ranks, and to improve morale.

“The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church is calling on the state,
society, and all traditional religions in Russia to join efforts to
revive the institution of military chaplains,” the supreme canonical
authority said following its first session this year.

The military chaplains bill was drafted by the Chief Military
Prosecutor’s Office and reportedly sent to the Defense Ministry for
approval. Prosecutors hope chaplains will help improve morale in the
army, recently plagued by corruption and hazing reports that have
provoked public criticism in Russia and abroad. The Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Europe’s largest security
body, has said it would raise the issue at one of its sessions.

Advocates of the bill say the 2,000 priests who now preach at military
units have reduced violence in barracks, although critics question
the claim.

The bill, which proposes that chaplains serve on the same terms as
professional servicemen, earlier stirred up debate among religious
leaders.

Shafig Pshikhachev, spokesman for the North Caucasus Muslim
Coordination Center, said at a recent roundtable on cooperation between
the military and religious organizations that the armed forces could
use priests, but that priests should not be part of the chain of
command. He said their proposed inclusion in the official ranks would
be a violation of the Constitution, which stipulates the separation
of church and state.

Orthodox Church leader Alexy II said that priests focus on spiritual
matters rather than discipline, and warned against expecting chaplains
to do what in other armies is done by military police.

Today, however, Orthodox hierarchs pointed out that chaplains had
been part of Russia’s pre-Bolshevik military tradition. They also
said chaplains or their equivalents worked in the armies of many
countries, including the U.S., Britain, Germany, France, Israel, India,
and Pakistan. The Baltic States and Armenia were the first among the
post-Soviet states to bring chaplains back into their armies. Ukraine
and Georgia plan to follow suit.

“Positive domestic and world experience shows that the revived
institution of military clergy can be useful for the state and
society,” they said, adding that members of all traditional religions
should contribute to spiritual, moral, and patriotic education of
servicemen.

At the same time, the Orthodox Church, which is wary of other churches’
attempts to convert its members, said that religious organizations
whose members served in the armed forces should only be allowed to
work in military units.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress