Toronto Star
· collected 2026-10-02 · by Tiffany Stanley The Associated Press
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has established an Office of Religious Affairs at the Pentagon, which will advocate for military chaplains and religious support directly under his leadership. In a speech on Wednesday, Hegseth highlighted the office’s role in providing “first-class religious support” without compelling participation or favoring one faith over another. Critics like Rachel Laser from Americans United for Separation of Church argue that this initiative violates religious freedom by elevating Christianity within military policy. Previous administrations have had similar offices focused more on understanding political implications of religion globally rather than promoting it internally.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-02,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is launching an office of religious affairs, the latest of his faith-related reforms at the Pentagon.
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Hegseth → launch → Pentagon
He announced in a speech Wednesday that the office will help offer “first-class religious support” and will report directly to him.
“Our department is, you might say, putting on the full armor of God, because while we wage physical war, we all know the real battle is spiritual,” he said.
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he → announce → war
Hegseth has infused his evangelical Christianity into his leadership of the Pentagon, hosting Christian worship services for employees and often speaking of the United States as a Christian nation.
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Hegseth → infuse → nation
The Office of Religious Affairs, or ORA, will advocate for military chaplains and religious support “at the highest level of the Department,” according to a Pentagon statement.
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Office → advocate → statement
It will not “compel religious participation, favor one faith, or diminish the rights of personnel of any faith or lack thereof.”
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It → compel → faith
Some criticism of the initiative surfaced quickly.
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criticism → surface → initiative
The Pentagon “owes it to the nation’s service members to defend religious freedom,” said Rachel Laser, head of Americans United for Separation of Church, which has sued the Pentagon over its worship services.
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which → owe → services
“Hegseth’s latest announcement violates that promise by elevating Christianity to an even higher role in shaping U.S. military policy.”
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announcement → violate → policy
Other federal agencies have had religious or faith-based offices, which were established under President George W. Bush and were continued in different forms under the Obama and Biden administrations.
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which → have → administrations
President Donald Trump established a White House Faith Office and had a similar effort during his first term.
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Trump → establish → term
Shaun Casey, a religion scholar, led the State Department’s Office of Religion and Global Affairs during the Obama administration.
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Casey → lead → administration
The office did not promote religion or spiritual well-being, he said.
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he → promote → religion
“It was there to understand what were the political implications of lived religion in the various hot spots around the world.”
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implications → understand → world
The leader of the new office has not been named.
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leader → name → office
A Pentagon memo said the religious affairs director will coordinate spiritual resources, including “faith-based homeschool support for military families.”
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director → say → families
Hegseth has also pushed the military school system to introduce more coursework that draws from conservative and Christian influences.
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that → push → influences
The memo mentions “faith-based initiatives supporting Department-wide suicide reduction.”
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memo → mention → reduction
In recent years, the military has become increasingly dependent on chaplains to help address the growing numbers of troops in mental health distress.
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military → become → distress
Hegseth has said he wants chaplains to focus more on God and less on therapeutic “self-help and self-care.”
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chaplains → say → help
The secretary has pushed other changes within the military’s chaplain corps, which provides spiritual care to troops.
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which → push → troops
He ordered chaplains, who are commissioned officers, to no longer wear their rank on their uniform but instead be identified by religious insignia.
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who → order → insignia
The Defense Department also slashed the number of religious affiliations it officially recognizes, down to 31 from more than 200 previously recognized traditions.
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it → slash → traditions
The list no longer includes atheists, Unitarian Universalists, pagans and Wiccans.
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list → include → atheists
Hegseth spoke directly to chaplains in his address Wednesday at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia.
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Hegseth → speak → Virginia
Using Christian-inflected language, he said: “Live your calling.
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he → use → calling
He then quoted from the Bible: “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.
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I → quote → side
What can man do unto me?”
___
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man → do → me
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