INVOLVEMENT OF MILITARY CHAPLAINS IN THE PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT OF BORDER GUARDS

The article deals with the views of psychologists on the relevance of use of the religious faith potential in the context of the individual mental health maintaining. The state and problematic issues that arise during the introduction of the institute of military chaplaincy in the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine are considered. The need for involvement of Border Guard military chaplains and military psychologists in the psychological support of professional activity of the border guards of joint actions during psychoprophylactic, psychohygienic, psychotherapeutic, psychocorrectional measures is defined.Key words: mental health, religion, military chaplain, border guard, psychological support.

Legal Regulation of the Military Chaplaincy in Modern Ukraine

Regulacje prawne duszpasterstwa wojskowego we współczesnej Ukrainie Niniejsze opracowanie dotyczy tworzenia regulacji prawnej duszpasterstwa wojskowego na Ukrainie. Zawiera analizę etapów jego rozwoju w ostatnich trzydziestu latach. W artykule przeanalizowano szereg aktualnych zagadnień m.in. konieczność zapewnienia prawa do wolności sumienia i wyznania każdemu obywatelowi w zróżnicowanym środowisku religijnym. Istnieje potrzeba wsparcia finansowego ze strony państwa kapelanów w Siłach Zbrojnych. Należy podnieść obowiązek zapewnienia równego zaspokojenia potrzeb religijnych wyznawców wszystkich wyznań bez dyskryminacji w warunkach wojny ukraińsko-rosyjskiej i wpływów Federacji Rosyjskiej.

The Lutheran Military Chaplaincy in the Finnish Defence Forces’ Organisation Today. A Multi-Method Approach

The Finnish military chaplains’ work focuses on supporting the conscripts’ ethical functioning ability as well as overall wellbeing of the people in the Finnish Defence Forces. This article gives the military chaplains an opportunity to tell in their own words what kind of issues relate to their perceptions working as a successful religious professional in this unique context. The research was carried out with a multi-method data, that includes an electronic questionnaire and an interview data. The results show that as the military chaplains commit and integrate well to their operational environment, they are also a heterogenous occupational group and manage their work very self-directedly. They appear to be more chaplains than soldiers or special officers, but it does not cause significant professional conflicts. The military chaplains’ profession should be described more as contrasting than conflicting overall. The intensity of their personal vocation and religiosity varies, but it affects considerably to their work motivation. It can be interpreted that military chaplains hold, in a sense, a double vocation towards their work where there is a clerical calling and a mission to work in a military environment.

How is Military Chaplaincy in Europe Portrayed in European Scientific Journal Articles between 2000 and 2019? A Multidisciplinary Review

This article focuses on the portrayal of the military chaplaincy in Europe in European scientific journal articles during the past two decades. The military chaplaincy represents an interesting case as it is a member of two strong professions: a soldier and the clergy. Furthermore, the profession is facing many challenges connected to diversification and pluralisation, networking, technology, and extraprofessional collaboration. The data of the review study included scientific journal articles that are published electronically in major scientific databases. When portraying military chaplaincy, the articles emphasised five themes: Basic functions, the history of the profession, the changing nature of the military chaplaincy, organisational change, and professional ethics.

Institution of Military Chaplaincy in Ukraine: Emphasis on Catholic Church Activities

The article deals with the problem of military chaplaincy service formation in the period of independence of Ukraine as one of the priority directions of relations between the state and religious organizations in Ukraine. The current state of military pastoral care is analyzed directly in the context of Catholic churches activities in Ukraine in this aspect. In particular, the institutional component of the Catholic churches is clarified, statistics demonstrating the quantitative and percentage composition of the Catholic churches in the religious network of Ukraine are provided. The results of sociological surveys of the religious situation in Ukraine and the identification of religiosity of the population in the context of Catholic churches are analyzed. The opinion of the population of Ukraine regarding the trust in religious organizations, religious leaders (including the leadership of the Catholic churches) and the military formations of Ukraine is examined. The opinion of the population on the expediency of establishing a military chaplaincy institute in Ukraine is also clarified (through the results of sociological surveys). The organizational division of the internal structure of the Catholic churches in Ukraine is presented, and it is also clarified which structural units are responsible for coordination with the Ukrainian power structures and organization of pastoral work. Attention is drawn to the review of the cooperation of the Catholic churches in Ukraine with the military formations of Ukraine in the aspect of pastoral activity. Special attention is paid to the coverage of the various areas of pastoral work directly by the military chaplains of the Catholic churches and the coordination of this work by the relevant structural units of the Catholic churches. In particular, conferences, meetings, trainings, pilgrimages on the organization and implementation of pastoral work in the field of military chaplaincy. Also, consideration is given to the activities of the advisory body on military chaplaincy at the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine (which includes, in particular, the Catholic churches in Ukraine) and its contribution to the establishment of the Institute of Military Chaplaincy in Ukraine. The inter-denominational cooperation of the churches in Ukraine, including the Catholic ones, was considered in establishing a military chaplaincy institution in independent Ukraine through the activities of interfaith associations. It has been found that the issue of legislative securing of the Institute of Military Chaplaincy in the Armed Forces of Ukraine remains urgent. In this regard, the legislative work in this area and the involvement of Catholic churches in Ukraine are highlighted.

A relevant ministry for the armed forces: An agenda for the South African National Defence Force chaplains praxis

Chaplaincy in South Africa (SA) recently became an attractive ministry and research fields for both ministers and theologians, respectively, more especially since the dawn of democracy in 1994. The military chaplaincy has been flooded with applications and enquiries from ministers and leaders from religions other than Christianity who want to secure their space in the ministry to the SA armed forces. Individual churches are also joining the queue for enquiries. As SA is a multireligious nation, religions other than Christianity are also knocking at the door of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), claiming their right to be accommodated. For this reason, it is important for churches, other religious organisations, leaders, ministers and theological institutions or faculties to have knowledge of this unique world and its context, as well as the ministry dynamics and challenges involved. This will assist them in order to prepare appropriately in terms of shaping the curricula and qualifications of their ministers for effective ministry to the armed forces with special reference to the SANDF. This article investigates the dynamics of the military chaplaincy in relation to historical developments along similar chaplaincies globally, the nature of its ministry to the SA armed forces and the challenges posed by the ministry context (SANDF environment), and finally, it crafts and proposes a suitable curriculum for a relevant and effective ministry in the SANDF and the world.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This article is located in the field of Missiology. However, it has interdisciplinary implications that affect disciplines such as Military Science, Sociology, Practical Theology and Church History, which all assist as building blocks towards a relevant ministry for the armed forces.