{"id":2645392,"date":"2026-08-15T10:07:01","date_gmt":"2026-08-15T14:07:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/lankford-fights-back-for-military-chaplains-relieved-for-their-religious-convictions\/"},"modified":"2026-08-15T10:13:47","modified_gmt":"2026-08-15T14:13:47","slug":"lankford-fights-back-for-military-chaplains-relieved-for-their-religious-convictions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/lankford-fights-back-for-military-chaplains-relieved-for-their-religious-convictions\/","title":{"rendered":"Lankford Fights Back for Military Chaplains Relieved for Their Religious Convictions"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Flankford-fights-back-for-military-chaplains-relieved-for-their-religious-convictions%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2645392&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A bill called the Military Chaplains Modernization Act of 2026 was introduced by Senator James Lankford to safeguard the religious rights and duties of military chaplains. The legislation aims to solidify the role, responsibilities, and qualifications of chaplains across all branches, allowing them to conduct religious services, counsel, and pray according to their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/vaccine-inquisitions-as-covid-vaccination-mandates-increase-religious-exemptions-come-under-fire\/\" title=\"Vaccine Inquisitions? As COVID Vaccination Mandates Increase, Religious Exemptions Come Under Fire\">sincerely held beliefs<\/a> without fear of censorship or retaliation. It also prohibits requiring chaplains to perform actions against their faith and protects them from workplace punishment for refusing to violate their beliefs. Several past cases where chaplains faced disciplinary actions or removal for expressing biblical views highlighted the need for such protections. Supporters,including many Republican senators,emphasize the importance of preserving religious freedom for service members who serve in challenging environments. The bill has broad backing, including endorsement from the Armed Forces Chaplains Board and inclusion in the upcoming defense authorization act.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><br \/>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>In the wake of a series of cases of military chaplains being relieved of their duties simply for expressing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/house-republicans-push-bill-aimed-at-balancing-lgbt-rights-and-religious-freedom\/\" title=\"House Republicans Push Bill Aimed at Balancing LGBT Rights and ...\">sincerely held religious beliefs<\/a>, Senator James Lankford (R-Okla.) introduced legislation Aug. 5 that would codify the purpose and duties of chaplains and protect their First Amendment rights to religious freedom.<\/p>\n<p>The bill, dubbed the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lankford.senate.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Military-Chaplains-Modernization-Act-of-2026-.pdf\">Military Chaplains Modernization Act of 2026<\/a>, would put in place a series of reforms to federal law surrounding the duties and religious freedom rights of chaplains. As Lankford\u2019s office summarized, the measure would make permanent \u201cthe purpose, role, duties, and professional qualifications of chaplains\u201d across all military branches. In addition, it would guarantee \u201cthat chaplains may conduct worship, provide counseling, teach, deliver sermons, minister, and offer prayer in accordance with their sincerely held religious beliefs and the tenets of their religious-endorsing organization, free from censorship, undue restriction, or fear of retribution.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The legislation would further prohibit \u201cany member of the Armed Forces from requiring or assigning a chaplain to perform any rite, ritual, ceremony, sermon, speech, task, or action contrary to the chaplain\u2019s sincerely held religious beliefs\u201d and would protect chaplains \u201cfrom retaliation or adverse personnel actions, including denial of promotion, letters of reprimand, and negative entries in the chaplain\u2019s record, for refusing to violate their beliefs.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The bill follows several incidents over the last decade of chaplains being forced out of their duties and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hud-takes-action-against-department-lawyers-claiming-to-be-whistleblowers\/\" title=\"HUD takes action against department lawyers claiming to be whistleblowers\">facing disciplinary measures<\/a> for expressing biblical beliefs. In 2015, Navy Chaplain Wes Modder was <a href=\"https:\/\/firstliberty.org\/cases\/chaplainmodder\/\">relieved of his duties<\/a> after a handful of sailors complained about how he answered their questions regarding marriage and sexuality according to the biblical tenets of his faith during private counseling sessions. Modder was subsequently removed from his unit and isolated at the base chapel as the Navy threatened to terminate him for cause and force him out, which would have resulted in the loss of his military pension and benefits. The Navy eventually dropped the charges against Modder after a successful challenge from First Liberty.<\/p>\n<p>Three years later in 2018, Army Chaplain Scott Squires <a href=\"https:\/\/firstliberty.org\/cases\/squires\/\">faced a military investigation<\/a> after he informed a soldier that he could not conduct a marriage retreat that included same-sex couples because of his biblical beliefs on sexuality. An Army investigator eventually determined that Squires had engaged in discriminatory conduct and recommended a reprimand, but the Army exonerated the chaplain after the charges were challenged by First Liberty.<\/p>\n<p>Another case occurred in 2021 when Army Chaplain Andrew Calvert was <a href=\"https:\/\/firstliberty.org\/cases\/chaplain-calvert\/\">accused of committing unlawful discrimination<\/a> over views that he posted to his personal page, which expressed opposition to individuals who identify as transgender being allowed to serve in the military due to his sincerely held religious beliefs. The Army investigator recommended that Calvert receive a formal reprimand, which could have resulted in promotion restriction, the lowering of retirement benefits, and other consequences. The Army eventually agreed not to issue the reprimand after the charges were challenged by First Liberty.<\/p>\n<p>A number of Republican senators expressed support for the measure, citing the need to protect the First Amendment freedoms of military chaplains.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMilitary chaplains shouldn\u2019t have to check their faith at the door when they put on the uniform,\u201d Senator Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), a cosponsor of the legislation, remarked. \u201cThey play a vital role in supporting the moral and spiritual well-being of our servicemembers, and their ministry and the men and women they serve are strengthened because of their faith. This legislation protects their ability to minister according to their beliefs and ensures those freedoms are always preserved.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMilitary chaplains provide a vital service to the patriots who sacrifice for our country every day,\u201d Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), another cosponsor, added. \u201cBy standardizing a chaplain\u2019s role, this commonsense legislation clarifies their duties and protects chaplains from unfair censorship. Like all Americans, our men and women in uniform have the God-given right to observe their religious beliefs, especially as they put their own lives on the line to defend our nation. Our legislation reinforces those rights.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Other cosponsors of the legislation include Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Katie Britt (R-Ala.). The bill, which received the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lankford.senate.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Document_260602_132841.pdf\">endorsement<\/a> of the Armed Forces Chaplains Board, was included in the House-passed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2027.<\/p>\n<p>Senator Lankford told The Washington Stand that the central importance of military chaplains is rooted in their centuries-long record of service, underscoring the need for strong federal protections.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor our country\u2019s 250-year history, military chaplains have walked alongside our service members through the hardest moments of their lives, offering prayer, counsel, and hope in isolated posts and combat zones alike,\u201d he emphasized. \u201cChaplains serve because they are called to it. Congress has a responsibility to make sure they can carry out that calling faithfully, without being forced to violate the tenets of their faith and without fear of retaliation for holding to what they believe. This bill honors the men and women who minister to our heroes who defend our nation.\u201d<\/p>\n<div><em>Dan Hart is senior editor at The Washington Stand.<\/em><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #171717; display: flex;font-size: 16px;font-weight: 600;line-height: 1.5;margin: 24px 0;padding: 18px 20px 18px 30px;text-align: left;\">\n<div style=\"align-self: stretch;border-left: 3px solid #171717;flex-shrink: 0;padding-left: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<p><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/\">Choose The Western Journal as your preferred source on Google and never miss reporting that defends truth, protects freedom, and advances Western civilization<\/a><\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey == typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts = { \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs = [ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i = 0; i < inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! ( opts[inputs[i]] = document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"' + inputs[i] + '\"]' ).value ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .required-message' ).style.display = 'block'; \t\t\t\t\t\treturn; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction input[type=\"submit\"]' ).style.display = 'none'; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).src = firefly_loading_gif_url; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display = 'inline-block';  \t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( 'ma subbing' );  \t\t\t\t\tif( firefly_post_id ) opts['post_id'] = firefly_post_id;  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Send the data using post with element id name and name2*\/ \t\t\t\t\tvar posting = jQuery.post( firefly_ajax_url, opts );  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Alerts the results *\/ \t\t\t\t\tposting.done( function( response ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif( response.success ) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( response.data ); \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display = 'none'; \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-confirm' ).style.display = 'block';  \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdataLayer.push( { 'event': 'submit-correction' } ); \t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> \t     \t\t\t\t\t\t     \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (BA1)\")<\/script> \t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/body><\/html><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Following recent incidents where military chaplains were dismissed for expressing their genuine religious beliefs, Senator James Lankford (R-Okla.) introduced legislation on August 5 to define their roles and safeguard their First Amendment rights<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2645393,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/IMG_1275.jpeg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[7582,4505,32274],"class_list":["post-2645392","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-chaplains","tag-military","tag-religious-freedom"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/IMG_1275.jpeg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2645392","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2645392"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2645392\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2645396,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2645392\/revisions\/2645396"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2645393"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2645392"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2645392"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2645392"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}