HOLIDAY SPECIAL
University Daily Kansan/Friday. December 9, 1988
5B
Uniformed ministers Military chaplains face preaching in dichotomous lifestyles
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — The military chaplain walks a fine line, upholding religious principles of trust, peace and kindness in organizations geared for the rigors of war.
But leaders of these ministers in uniform say their work is neither inconsistent nor compromised and religious ideals are all the more important on a front of danger to them.
"Cooperation without compromise," reads the Army chalklains' motto.
"We do ministry without compromise and without apology," says Gen. Stuart A. Barastad, retiring this month after three years as Air Force Chief of Chaplains.
"Peace movements should not think they have a cover on the market," he adds. "They are not the enemy."
Barstad and three other top U.S. military chaplains commented on their roles in recent interviews with The Lutheran, monthly magazine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Remarkably, all of them are clergyman of that denomination, as is the nation's fifth top military chaplain. Army Col. Herbert B. Cleveland, direct chaplain for the Veterans Administration.
Atotherg, they oversee work of about 13,000 military chaplains and assistants of various faiths serving families of nearly 3 million members of the armed forces in Air Force and National Guard, besides veterans.
"The military has never asked me to hold back my munition while patrolling," says Barstad, originally from Colony Law.
Maj. Gen. Norris Eisenstor, Army Chief of Chaplains, calls it a "ministry of presence."
d,
Peace movements should not think they have a corner on the market. They are not the only ones interested in peace.'
- Gen. Stuart A. Barstad Air Force Chief of Chaplains
"My parishioners (Army personnel) are contributing to peace in a troubled world," he says. "The military's first function is to keep the peace, not make war."
He says U.S. churches are not teaching Christians to think critically about war and peace, resulting in their either approving armed conflict indiscriminately or refecting it as always wrong.
Einertson, originally of Westbrook, Minn., adds, "We are always faced with alternatives. We are not being Christian if we allow the rights of any to be trampled on by oppressors of the left or right."
Rear Adm. Alvin B. Koeneman, Navy Chief of Chaplains, concedes the work involves some tensions, but these must be seen in light of what is already a saintly nature of societies as well as about peace.
"It's tough to talk about the peace of Jesus while working on an ammunition ship," he says. "But sailors live in that situation. Someone needs to be there, and there's contradiction with them and wrestle with it."
Koeneman, originally from Omro, Wis. points out that unlike hospital or prison chaplains who go home at night, in the military, "you eat the same food" as the personnel and live with them.
"If they're stuck in the mud, you're in the mud," he says. "If they're getting shot at, you're getting shot at. It's one thing to talk with a sailor about being lonely, but another when you're both a long
Col. Walter Hiskett, Marine Chief of Chaplains, was a wounded combattant veteran of the Korean war before entering the ministry and then volunteering for his first tour of duty as a chaplain in Vietnam.
way from home."
For that, he calls himself "dumb-dumb," but adds, "These people deserve ministry. The thought of no chaplaincy, no ministry to these people was unconscionable."
The chiefs point out that they advise command staffs on matters of morale as well as religion and culture.
They "make an impact on the institution," says Barstad. "The military is part of our national structure. We must ask, 'Do we want to be as insiders or outsiders?' Best can we minister as insiders or outsiders?"
Says Koeneman: "You can make a far more profound witness for peace working within the system than you can carrying a placard or throwing goats blood on some naval installation."
The chaplaincy chiefs say they often have passion for the battle against peace and war to military leaders in the Pentagon.
"They want to know what the churches are saving." Einertson said.
Adds Barstad: "The military is a very religious community. The institution recognizes that the faith dimension is a crucial part of life. There are people here who are concerned about their faith."
Einertson, referring to the chaplaincy's eculuminal setting among those of various faiths or none, says the "military stretched a pastor more than any other environment."
Koeneman observes, "It's not all brass bands and flags. There have been times when I was depressed and wondered, 'What's a nice guy like you?' When it was there to bring them a word from the Lord.'"
Tree lighting holds thrill to thousands
The Associated Press
"We came up just to see Christmas in New York — and this IS Christmas in New York," said Ruth Gross, 32, of Fort Lauderdale. Fla.
NEW YORK — They've been putting a Christmas tree in the heart of Rockefeller Center for 56 years now, but the thrill remains for tens of thousands who gather for the annual lighting ceremony.
The 75-foot Norwalk spruce from Raritan Township, N.J., came back to life, in a way, when the power was turned on Monday for its 20,000 colored lights and crowning star.
The "ooohs and aaahs" were quickly drowned out by a piped-in Halleujah chorus from Handel's "Messiah."
It was, officially, Christmastime in the city. And the city sidewalks were indeed busy sidewalks — an estimated 70,000 people watched the spectacle from surrounding streets greenery scrapers in midtown Manhattan.
"Once in a lifetime you've got come down here and see it live," said Thela Calabrese of Huntington, N.Y., who admitted she also attended thennett. she hosted the prelight show with Maureen McGovern.
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