I’ve been looking for some information to help out our new Chaplain. This ended in me having a read of ACP 23 to see if it is any good to her.
I’ve never seen a more outdated and outmoded document published by the ATC. Am I missing something? Is this really the latest information we have for new members of the chaplaincy?
Interested to hear peoples’ thoughts on this one… perhaps I should don my helmet
I though ACP 9 was the Chaplains book.
Either way, neither seems to make much accomodation to those of other faiths or indeed no faith at all.
I suppose my point is that given that the current buzzwords are “inclusivity” and “tolerance”, shouldn’t we be either providing the same religious facility to all faiths, or removing it all together?
Speaking on a purely design stance: ACP23 is an odd little document that needs a lot of revision to be brought in line with the other ACPs with regards to formatting, plus updating the various anachronisms and inaccuracies in the text. It does seem to be in need of an update. I suppose it will do though as there are more important things to focus on.
When they do get round to updating it it would be an opportunity to take a more modern, secular and inclusive approach. I know how far I would like that to stretch…
ACP9 should be an annexe to 23 and also probably needs revision. The numbering seems to give it undue precedence.
I would say that anyone in ministry would be fully up to speed on those matters. We have had a plethora of faiths over the years and the padres have accommodated them. For one Muslim lad, he described Ramadan and Eid, as he had left early for a month, to eat after sunset.
It amuses me when those who profess no faith seek baptism for small children and one funeral I attended where they were quite militant in their no faith, had the Lord’s Prayer, not uncommon apparently.
There is nothing to say you can’t have, if the mix of faiths demands, have more than one padre.
To me it would be logical for an array of various persons of niche value to be available at wing or regional level and who would visit units if/when required. I don’t see any logical justification in having one chaplain per squadron (it seems like an unachievable goal anyway) and cannot imagine that would be easily expanded to multiple chaplains if the faith balance at a particular unit seemed to justify it.
If the faith mix was a permanent fixture on a squadron, then you could look into it, but for the average squadron it would be waste of time.
The realistic angle comes down to having people wanting to do it, which is the biggest hurdle for all staff.
I have been to one humanist funeral. Our AWO (as I think it was at the time), and it was one of the best (if you know what I mean) funerals that I have attended.