We have been asked if it is right for a Christian to swear an oath on the Bible when joining the Australian Defence Force. Our answer is ‘Yes’. A Christian can swear an oath on the Bible – but we need to say why we think that this action is an appropriate thing for a Christian to do. Circumstance There are two possible types of occasions that a Christian may be asked to swear an oath on the Bible in the Australian Defence Force. The first occasion is when joining the Australian Defence Force. The other possible occasion is when [...]

Is it right for a Christian to serve in the military? Not surprisingly, I do not hear this question very often. The reason is obvious; I am a serving member of the Australian Defence Force, serving as a Chaplain. People expect me to say yes, it is right for a Christian to serve in the military! I am perhaps seen as being biased. Many of us, who are Christians, have long ago come to a thoughtful conclusion that Christians do indeed have a place within ‘the profession of arms’. However, for Christians who do not serve within the military, or [...]

The following books and artilces are available from the Australian Institue of Family Studies. They are available through inter-libary loan. You can request them through the Defence Libary system or your local libary in Australia. The link will take you to a short description of each work. Some of the articles can be directly downloaded from the hyperlink. Ambiguous absence, ambiguous presence: A qualitative study of military reserve families in wartime. Faber, Anthony J.; Willerton, Elaine; Clymer, Shelley R.; MacDermid, Shelley M.; Weiss, Howard M.; Journal of Family Psychology, Vol 22(2), Apr, 2008. pp. 222-230. The challenges and benefits of dual-military marriages.  [...]

My brother and sister have both passed away 2 years apart from one another at the ages of 23. I have grieved for a very long time for them. What does God say about grief? As a Christain should I be grieving? Joanna Dear Joanna What a terrible trial you have been through.  It is a tragedy to lose one sibling at such a young age but two is just horrible beyond description.  I am encouraged to hear that you are continuing in your faith in Christ, when many have given up on God in the face of lesser trial [...]

My friends family has been told he has 2 weeks to live… what can u say or even pray at a time like this? As a Christian i can pray that there hearts dont go hard but for my friends as non practicing catholics what words is there to say… i am just praying he has met with Our Lord, thanks Seena Seena Hi Seena, Let me start by saying how sorry I am to hear about your friend. Death, any death, is a travesty and makes a mockery out of the life God has given us. I will pray [...]

How does faith guide you? How influential is faith in your life? In the military there are many examples of exercising faith – faith in the system, faith in the government of the day, and faith in command and control. All of these examples are innate, not at the forefront of everybody’s mind, but held thoughtfully nevertheless. (We can all think of examples where we have all been let down, but as a general rule, the example holds.) Christians understand Faith as ‘the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen’ (Hebrews 11:1). So you would think [...]

      If you think you have Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), it’s important to get treatment. Treatment can work, and early treatment may help reduce long-term symptoms.  If you think you have PTSD: Talk to your doctor. Talk to a mental health professional, such as a therapist. If you’re a veteran, contact your local VVCS – Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service – 1800 011 046 Talk to a close friend or family member. He or she may be able to support you and find you help. Talk to your chaplain or local minister/priest/pastor.. Fill out a PTSD screen [...]

We have been asked ‘What are the prayers for the Navy, Army and Air Force?’ There is no actual ‘Official Prayer’ for each service, rather certain prayers around a ‘theme’ have become accepted as ‘the prayer’ for each service over time. Therefore there are often a couple of versions of the prayer. We offer two versions here of the prayer for each service. The Naval Prayer Eternal God, creator of the heavens and ruler of the raging seas, take under your powerful protection and bless all members of the Royal Australian Navy. Preserve them from the dangers of the sea [...]