no reformed military Chaplains (in Canada)?

[xirtam]

Soon, I will be heading back home after about 8 years out of country and only about 5 years of being saved. We will be finishing my final year of the MDiv program. We have a good prospect on a reformed home church, but in the meantime I wonder about future employment.

Would it be difficult for a Christian to be a chaplain in the military? In particular, the Canadian military. Above that, what if your seminary and denomination was liberal (ie. ordained women)? Would you enter the ministry (chaplaincy) under those circumstances?

I ask this in light of the evidence that there is little to no reformed representation in the Canadian military.

In Christ,

 

[Edward]

If you can serve in a liberal denomination alongside ordained women, I don't see why you'd have issues with the chaplaincy. Do you have the two year civilian experience requirement met?

I don't know how reformed they are, but if you contact one of the CRC pastors serving with the Canadian Forces, they might be willing to share the realities of the situation.

Stieva, Leonard K. (CPT), Richelain, QC
Van Smeerdyk, Gerald P. (CPT), Edmonton, AB

 

[xirtam]

If you can serve in a liberal denomination alongside ordained women, I don't see why you'd have issues with the chaplaincy. Do you have the two year civilian experience requirement met?

I don't know how reformed they are, but if you contact one of the CRC pastors serving with the Canadian Forces, they might be willing to share the realities of the situation.

Stieva, Leonard K. (CPT), Richelain, QC
Van Smeerdyk, Gerald P. (CPT), Edmonton, AB

I don't serve in a liberal denomination alongside ordained women. I started the seminary before I was saved while living in Korea and I still live in Korea. So, no, I do not have the two year practical experience fulfilled either.

As for the CRC, I read on here (PB) that they are rather liberal as well. Wouldn't that be like asking a fish how wet is the water?

My military application was accepted for processing, but I am wondering if I should just throw in the towel and forget ministry all together and just find a job to support my family. This is not what I would like to do, but in my situation, my options are limited.

 

[whirlingmerc]

I think you should ask the CRC people anyway.. there is a range of views.... I think the CRC has many grassroots members who are not liberal even if some the leadership are liberal and some of the colleges are somewhat on the fence. The local CRC in my city in New York never seemed liberal to me

 

[Edward]

As for the CRC, I read on here (PB) that they are rather liberal as well. Wouldn't that be like asking a fish how wet is the water?

The lurch to the left by the CRC has been fairly recent, (but quite abrupt) and like most mainline denominations, appears to be driven from the top. So while I consider the denomination as a whole to be apostate, I will not make presumptions about individuals within it without additional evidence, which I do not have as to these two men. Thus the qualification. But even if liberal, they may be willing to honestly report to you as to the circumstances, if only to discourage. So I would consider the effort to be worthwhile.

I don't serve in a liberal denomination alongside ordained women.

what if your seminary and denomination was liberal (ie. ordained women)?

Having a bit of trouble reconciling these two statements, unless the first stated (second quoted) was just an abstract academic question that has nothing to do with the discussion at hand.

 

[xirtam]

I think you should ask the CRC people anyway.. there is a range of views.... I think the CRC has many grassroots members who are not liberal even if some the leadership are liberal and some of the colleges are somewhat on the fence. The local CRC in my city in New York never seemed liberal to me

I'll do that, Michael.

In Christ,

 

[xirtam]

I don't serve in a liberal denomination alongside ordained women.

what if your seminary and denomination was liberal (ie. ordained women)?

Having a bit of trouble reconciling these two statements, unless the first stated (second quoted) was just an abstract academic question that has nothing to do with the discussion at hand.

My school is under a local baptist convention in Canada. I attended the school and various churches before coming to Christ. After coming to Christ in Korea, I have never been back to Canada, but I continued my school online. I attended various churches/chapels in Korea, but have been attending a Presbyterian one for the past two years. This fall we will be returning to Canada for my final year, where I am to pick a placement church. A local ARP will not recognize my school, but we are more than welcome to join their services. That is fine and well, but I still need a church for my field education. That led me to think that the university chapel would be good, so that I would not have to deal with the liberal denomination. In reality, the chapel is probably worse, but regardless, they may already have all the help that they need. Then I thought that I could "tolerate" a liberal baptist church for nine months in order to finish my program. That led me to think that if I finished my program, even though I did not want to be a pastor within the denomination, that I could join the military with their sponsorship. The Canadian military, from what I have gathered, has no reformed representation, except for CRC and Reformed Church in America, which I have heard and read that both are going off of the wayside, too.

So, to help clarify, I have never served in the denomination, but the school that I attend requires that I serve in some denomination in the Fall. I am wondering if it would be horribly wrong to serve in that denomination and then get their sponsorship to enter chaplaincy.

Thanks for your help.

In Christ,