Memorandum for Record: DOMA Ruling – InFaith’s Endorsed Chaplains' and Endorsed Chaplain Candidates' Guidance in Response to the Supreme Court Ruling on the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) on 26, June 2013.
Dear InFaith Endorsed Chaplains and Endorsed Chaplain Candidates:
In reference to the June 26, 2013 Supreme Court ruling [United States v. Windsor, 570 U.S. 744 (2013)] on Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which states “the word ‘marriage’ means only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife, and the word ‘spouse’ refers only to a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife” is unconstitutional, and the resultant Department of Defense policy changes to extend benefits to same-sex domestic partners as spouses, the following policy guidance for conducting ministry for all Military and Hospital Chaplains who are endorsed by InFaith is as follows:
As the InFaith family, we uphold Scripture higher than human reasoning or courts. In light of this, we will welcome the love of Jesus to flow through our hearts to those who may disagree with us. There have been many events in church history, which seem to have hindered God’s redemptive message. One such event took place on June 26, 2015 [Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 644 (2015)] when the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) required every state to recognize marriage between two people of the same sex. Still, we will strive to bring the unity of Jesus Christ to the places where we serve. We are reminded in Romans 5:2-5 and Hebrews 6:17-20 that we rejoice in the Hope of the glory of God.
Romans 5:2-5 (ESV)
Through him, we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Hebrews 6:17-20 (ESV)
So, when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
Nothing in the Supreme Court’s Obergefell v. Hodges opinion changes the truth about marriage. Only the legal definition of marriage has changed, which is now inconsistent with orthodox Biblical faith. We will continue to define marriage as determined by our Creator as stated in Matthew 19:4-6.
Matthew 19:4-6 (ESV)
He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So, they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”
God designed marriage for humanity. As first described in Genesis and later affirmed by Jesus, marriage is a God-ordained, covenant relationship between a man and a woman. Meanwhile, we will take every opportunity with everyone we encounter to extend the life-giving Gospel of Jesus in a loving manner. As Christ followers, we will be gracious and compassionate to those who do not share our views on marriage. We will continue to embrace biblical teaching on marriage and will appeal to the First Amendment protection to the United States Constitution, not just for abstract belief, but for the practice of our faith.
Pluralism
All military chaplains are endorsed to ensure the free exercise of religion for all service members according to DOD 1304.28, par. 6.1.2 while serving in the pluralistic environment of the military. Every chaplain remains protected under DOD policy and applicable federal law to preach, teach, and counsel in accordance with the tenets of their denominational faith group and their own religious conscience.
Pastoral Care
The clear understanding of the leadership of InFaith is that the practice of homosexuality and extramarital sex, the use of pornography, demeaning language, sexual fantasies, lust, mental dehumanization of others and other moral ills is inconsistent with God's Word and is harmful to healthy marital relations and Christian social order. If any person has stumbled, let us seek healing and restoration in our Redeemer as we set out again on the path to purity.
Sexual purity is something that all of us are to pursue. It is in humility, not moral superiority that we speak clearly to the issue of homosexuality as well as any other impure and harmful behavior. We base our convictions on Scripture. Specifically, Romans 1, 1 Corinthians 6, and other passages throughout the Bible.