By Tech. Sgt. Raymond Hoy
U.S. Southern Command Public Affairs
MIAMI -- Religious leaders from 10 countries came to U.S. Southern Command Sept. 8-10 to discuss faith and its importance in ongoing operations around the world.
The "Religion Matters" symposium included more than 40 attendees, including partner-nation military chaplains and non-government organizations representing myriad religious backgrounds.
Being a chaplain these days can be a complex duty. They don't just provide religious services and counseling, they can also take a more operational role: Engagement.
"Chaplains provide religious support, and support, most people get," said Chris Seiple, the president of the Institute for Global Engagement, and the keynote speaker at the symposium. "Religious engagement is something new, and people are gun-shy over the issues from religious support and who's proselytizing whom. But we can't shy away from the conversation because then we begin to deny who we are and the opportunity for frank, candid discussions that enable the mission and not impede it."
Seiple is a former Marine infantry officer who has a unique view into the world of faith and how it impacts different communities. He has traveled the world meeting with religious leaders and discussing the hard topics people don't like talking about.
Religion has been a driving force behind wars throughout history; modern times are no different. Yesterday was the 13th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, when jihadists killed nearly 3,000 Americans. Meanwhile, religious tensions continue to build in the Middle East.
However, it's not all just about Islam, as Seiple reminded the group. He brought up examples of Buddhist extremism in Myanmar and elsewhere in Southeast Asia.
According to Seiple, it's not just about understanding the differences between faiths, it's about talking about those differences and creating a running dialogue and relationship.
"We need to know what the religious impacts are in your countries," said U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Mark Nowland, SOUTHCOM chief of staff, as he addressed the symposium attendees. "We need to understand how what we do has an effect on faith in your communities. We realize this conference is just a first step."
Seiple has high hopes that events like this will help change the culture and attitude to religious engagement.
"I would really like to see a mainstreaming of this possibility, that religion is an analytic factor," he said. "It should be included in the theater engagement plan. The Chaplain should be equipped to be prepared to do engagement before he comes to the command. Religion needs to be a function of the five-paragraph order, not as an add-on."
For others at the symposium, it isn't about operational plans and logistics. To them, it's truly about understanding each other's faith and building the foundation of a trust that can continue to be built upon.
"If you don't expand on it, you don't follow through, this isn't productive," said Shaya Gheblikian, a Jewish attendee from the Chabad Lubavitch. "You have to continue to follow through and build on what was taught here and engage with the other religious communities around the globe so we maintain that understanding."
By facilitating continued understanding, military chaplains hope to change the mindset regarding faith among mission planners and bring important factors, such as religious freedom and religious engagement, to the forefront of their thinking when laying the groundwork for future operations.
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