Military Distribution of Bibles

[Ed Darrell]

Here's part of the FAQ from the Gideon Society:
 
"Question:  I understand that The Gideons International provides Bibles and New Testaments to military chaplains for placement and distribution to military personnel. What are the guidelines and how do I obtain them? 
 
"Answer:  Requests for military Scriptures must be received from the military chaplain.

"The Gideons will supply, free of charge, a small Testament to every member of the U.S. Armed Forces and to patients at U.S. Veterans Administration hospitals. The Testaments are to be presented by Gideons or by the Military Chaplain assigned to such units. Chaplains may order these Testaments either through the local Gideons or the Headquarters Office. No provision is made for presenting Testaments to families or dependents of service personnel or to Nationals in other countries.

"Bibles are available to Chaplains for placement in day rooms, libraries, and guardhouses on military bases and military chapels. The Gideons do not have a program to supply Bibles for quarters, barracks, Bachelor Officer's quarters (BOQ's) or military guesthouses.

"Hospital Testaments with Psalms are available for the bedside in base hospitals or in U.S. Veterans Administration hospitals. Testaments may also be distributed to medical personnel working at such hospitals. Whenever possible, these Testaments should be presented to the medical personnel by members of the Auxiliary of The Gideons International, although the presentation may be made by the Chaplain in charge, if necessary."
 
Here's their website:  http://www.gideons.org/faq.html
 
Ed Darrell
Dallas

Gordon James Klingenschmitt <chaplaingate at yahoo.com> wrote:
The mass distribution of Bibles to new recruits is generally done by Chaplains, in the chapel, which is optional attendance, and the funding comes from private sources like the Gideons.  Campus Crusade for Christ raises alot of money to purchase and distribute New Testaments and gospel tracts to soldiers and sailors, but they do it through the Chaplains.  And it's not forced upon them, it's only offered.
 
As a chaplain, I'd love to get government funding for the printing of God's word, like they authorized vastly in the 1800's, but alas, today it isn't so.  If your student can show otherwise, let me know.  I'd like to tap that government funding source, and get many more Bibles (smile)...
 
Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt


Michael Besso <besso at eden.rutgers.edu> wrote:
In a political science course on constitutional rights and liberties that
I teach, a student asked about the Army’s practice of distributing the
Bible (perhaps the New Testament only) to new recruits during basic
training. She recalls this from her own relatively recent experience. (I
went through the Army’s basic training some years ago -- let’s just say
that, at the time, it was “Reagan’s America” -- and I also received a
Bible, which I believe was the New Testament only, from the basic training
command. To be clear: it was distributed to each soldier, and not merely
something that I sought out and retained.)

The news of developments regarding practices in the Air Force is
interesting, to say the least, but does any list member have insight into
this related issue, of the distribution of Bibles in the military? Does
the practice conti! nue? Has there been any policy or legal dispute about
the issue?

Thank you,
Michael Besso


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