Bringing God to Men - by Jacqueline E Whitt (Paperback)

About the Book

Bringing God to Men: American Military Chaplains and the Vietnam War

Book Synopsis

During the second half of the twentieth century, the American military chaplaincy underwent a profound transformation. Broad-based and ecumenical in the World War II era, the chaplaincy emerged from the Vietnam War as generally conservative and evangelical. Before and after the Vietnam War, the chaplaincy tended to mirror broader social, political, military, and religious trends. During the Vietnam War, however, chaplains' experiences and interpretations of war placed them on the margins of both military and religious cultures. Because chaplains lived and worked amid many communities -- religious and secular, military and civilian, denominational and ecumenical -- they often found themselves mediating heated struggles over the conflict, on the home front as well as on the front lines.

In this benchmark study, Jacqueline Whitt foregrounds the voices of chaplains themselves to explore how those serving in Vietnam acted as vital links between diverse communities, working personally and publicly to reconcile apparent tensions between their various constituencies. Whitt also offers a unique perspective on the realities of religious practice in the war's foxholes and firebases, as chaplains ministered with a focus on soldiers' shared experiences rather than traditional theologies.

Review Quotes

"A detailed account of chaplains during the Vietnam War. . . . [A]n interesting review of an often overlooked aspect of the conflict." -- On Point: The Journal of Army History

"A major achievement. . . . Whitt has provided an excellent resource for understanding the impact of Vietnam on the modern chaplaincy, and an excellent defense of chaplaincy against its critics. All military chaplains, especially those in supervisory roles, should read this work." -- Cercles

"Engaging and fascinating." -- American Historical Review

"For those seeking to write more personal and less institutional, cultural, or political studies--and for anyone interested in the Vietnam War -- Bringing God to Men offers a foundational investigation of the subject." -- Journal of American History

"Fresh and illuminating . . . persuasively refutes the long-established and prevailing narrative that chaplains sold out their religious role and obligations for promotion and professional approval." -- Journal of Church and State

"Highly recommended. All levels/libraries." -- CHOICE