As Veterans Day approaches, B. H. Carroll Theological Seminary honors all who have served in the military, as well as the families who lovingly supported their service. Veterans Day, with its rich history, is celebrated every November 11 and should not be confused with Memorial Day. Veterans Day honors all American veterans who served their country honorably during war or peacetime. Memorial Day, by contrast, pays tribute to those service members who have died in service to their country.
In the US, veterans and chaplains have a long history of serving together. In fact, military chaplains actually predate the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. As documented in The Heart of a Chaplain: Exploring Essentials for Ministry, modern military chaplains can trace their roots to colonial American militias (1637). The Second Continental Congress established the Army Chaplaincy on July 29, 1775, and became the second oldest branch after the infantry. Chaplains have served with distinction in the military ever since.
B. H. Carroll Theological Seminary’s mission of “equipping men and women called to serve Christ in the diverse and global ministries of His church” includes preparing those who will provide ministry in specialized settings. Chaplains fulfill a sacred calling to accompany and provide professional support and spiritual nurture for everyone in their distinctive secular communities, which authorize and hold them accountable. B. H. Carroll demonstrated its commitment to chaplaincy by establishing in 2019 The Marsh Center for Chaplain Studies, an organization dedicated to “equipping, supporting, and advocating for chaplains in all settings.” Named after Dr. Gerald E. Marsh, a lifelong seminary professor and a military chaplain, The Marsh Center collaborates with seminaries, organizations, and institutions to enhance the educational and training resources for effective chaplain ministry.
For those interested in preparing to serve as chaplains, B. H. Carroll offers a Master of Divinity in Chaplain Ministry (MDivCh). If God has called you to reach people beyond the church, in places most ministers are not prepared to go, then the MDiv in Chaplain Ministry at B. H. Carroll may be for you.