Male Chaplains and Female Soldiers: Are There Gender and Denominational Differences in Military Pastoral Care?
Format Type
Plenary
Format Type
Paper
Start Date
14-1-2021 11:45 AM
End Date
14-1-2021 12:05 PM
Abstract
The purpose of this presentation is to describe a research study that examined male military chaplains’ support to servicewomen. This study was conducted by the president and CEO of Moral Injury Support Network for Servicewomen, Inc. and a University of Phoenix faculty associate and was published in the Journal of Pastoral Care and Counseling.
The purpose of this study was to compare the ways in which male chaplains of various religions provide emotional and spiritual support to female soldiers. Using a descriptive case study design, this study focused on one research question: how do male military chaplains of different religions provide emotional and spiritual support to female soldiers? Fifteen U.S. Army chaplains, representing Christian, Catholic, Buddhist, and Jewish denominations, participated in the study.
Triangulation was achieved through semi-structured interviews and public sources, including instructional books from the United States Army Chaplain Center and School, US Army regulations, ethics guides from chaplaincy professional organizations, and denominational literature pertaining to cross-gender counseling. Investigators developed seven themes from the data: ministry philosophy, sensitivity to accusations, creating safe spaces, transference, counseling, confidentiality, and referrals.
Keywords
military chaplain, servicewomen, counseling, chaplain support, gender, case study
ORCID ID
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6376-4188
Male Chaplains and Female Soldiers: Are There Gender and Denominational Differences in Military Pastoral Care?
The purpose of this presentation is to describe a research study that examined male military chaplains’ support to servicewomen. This study was conducted by the president and CEO of Moral Injury Support Network for Servicewomen, Inc. and a University of Phoenix faculty associate and was published in the Journal of Pastoral Care and Counseling.
The purpose of this study was to compare the ways in which male chaplains of various religions provide emotional and spiritual support to female soldiers. Using a descriptive case study design, this study focused on one research question: how do male military chaplains of different religions provide emotional and spiritual support to female soldiers? Fifteen U.S. Army chaplains, representing Christian, Catholic, Buddhist, and Jewish denominations, participated in the study.
Triangulation was achieved through semi-structured interviews and public sources, including instructional books from the United States Army Chaplain Center and School, US Army regulations, ethics guides from chaplaincy professional organizations, and denominational literature pertaining to cross-gender counseling. Investigators developed seven themes from the data: ministry philosophy, sensitivity to accusations, creating safe spaces, transference, counseling, confidentiality, and referrals.