Some Ordained Ministers Cut From Prison Chaplain Program

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Some Ordained Ministers Cut From Prison Chaplain Program

ordained ministers, prison, inmate

Inmates will have to choose between the services of a Christian minister, regardless of their faith, or no spiritual counseling at all

The recent decision by Canadian authorities to terminate the contracts of non-Christian prison chaplains may have negative repercussions for ordained ministers of the Universal Life Church. Vic Toews, Public Safety Minister, suggested paying non-Christian ministers for national prison services was an inappropriate use of public funds.

Although 57 percent of Canadian inmates identify as Christian, at least 10 percent claim membership in other faiths. By firing spiritual teachers of these other faiths, the government is sending a clear message that Christianity is the official religion of Canada.

Toews has suggested that Christian ordained ministers can adequately counsel these prisoners of other faiths. Muslim, Jewish and other faith leaders have expressed doubts about how pastors unfamiliar with their beliefs can address the spiritual needs of non-Christians.

The decision to exclude non-Christian clergy follows the September revocation by Toews of permission for a Wiccan priest to minister in the penitentiary system. By subsequently firing all non-Christians, it seems clear that Toews is engaging in damage control. His assertion that Christian ministers can adequately assist inmates of other faiths seems far-fetched. While Christian pastors may be experts in their own sects, expertise in every other religion is unlikely.

Since persons who get ordained in the Universal Life Church hold diverse spiritual views, it is likely that Church clergy will be excluded under the scheme. Many Universal Life Church ministers incorporate the spiritual views and practices of numerous religions into their ministry. If the Canadian government intends to enforce traditional Christianity as the de facto state religion, ministers in nontraditional Christian denominations may be prevented from prison work. Since Universal Life has no required, exclusively Christian dogma, their ordained ministers will probably be barred.

Despite protestations by Toews that the Canadian government doesn’t discriminate on the basis of religion, people who get ordained in religions other than Christianity will clearly not have the same opportunity to minister to prisoners. Toews maintains that the Canadian government isn’t in the business of promoting a specific religion while simultaneously intentionally funding only Christian chaplains for this important work.

Even though Christians make up the bulk of the prison population, inmates of other faiths will be denied access to chaplains who understand their respective faiths. About 4.5 percent of the prison population is Muslim while 4 percent follow First Nations religious traditions. Buddhism is the chosen faith of 2 percent of inmates. Small numbers of Jewish and Sikh inmates are also among the 23,000 people in Canadian Federal prisons. It is doubtful that Christian ministers will have the knowledge to adequately address the faith needs of these diverse religions.

At present, the prison system employs 71 full-time Christian pastors and two religious leaders of other faiths. The prisons also employ around 100 part-time chaplains, 20 of whom are non-Christian. The contract cancellations will not be effective until March 2013. Although the program has a budget of $6.4 million annually, no figures have been released showing how much the staffing changes will save.

Some Ordained Ministers Cut From Prison Chaplain Program
ordained ministers, prison, inmate

Inmates will have to choose between the services of a Christian minister, regardless of their faith, or no spiritual counseling at all

The recent decision by Canadian authorities to terminate the contracts of non-Christian prison chaplains may have negative repercussions for ordained ministers of the Universal Life Church. Vic Toews, Public Safety Minister, suggested paying non-Christian ministers for national prison services was an inappropriate use of public funds.

Although 57 percent of Canadian inmates identify as Christian, at least 10 percent claim membership in other faiths. By firing spiritual teachers of these other faiths, the government is sending a clear message that Christianity is the official religion of Canada.

Toews has suggested that Christian ordained ministers can adequately counsel these prisoners of other faiths. Muslim, Jewish and other faith leaders have expressed doubts about how pastors unfamiliar with their beliefs can address the spiritual needs of non-Christians.

The decision to exclude non-Christian clergy follows the September revocation by Toews of permission for a Wiccan priest to minister in the penitentiary system. By subsequently firing all non-Christians, it seems clear that Toews is engaging in damage control. His assertion that Christian ministers can adequately assist inmates of other faiths seems far-fetched. While Christian pastors may be experts in their own sects, expertise in every other religion is unlikely.

Since persons who get ordained in the Universal Life Church hold diverse spiritual views, it is likely that Church clergy will be excluded under the scheme. Many Universal Life Church ministers incorporate the spiritual views and practices of numerous religions into their ministry. If the Canadian government intends to enforce traditional Christianity as the de facto state religion, ministers in nontraditional Christian denominations may be prevented from prison work. Since Universal Life has no required, exclusively Christian dogma, their ordained ministers will probably be barred.

Despite protestations by Toews that the Canadian government doesn’t discriminate on the basis of religion, people who get ordained in religions other than Christianity will clearly not have the same opportunity to minister to prisoners. Toews maintains that the Canadian government isn’t in the business of promoting a specific religion while simultaneously intentionally funding only Christian chaplains for this important work.

Even though Christians make up the bulk of the prison population, inmates of other faiths will be denied access to chaplains who understand their respective faiths. About 4.5 percent of the prison population is Muslim while 4 percent follow First Nations religious traditions. Buddhism is the chosen faith of 2 percent of inmates. Small numbers of Jewish and Sikh inmates are also among the 23,000 people in Canadian Federal prisons. It is doubtful that Christian ministers will have the knowledge to adequately address the faith needs of these diverse religions.

At present, the prison system employs 71 full-time Christian pastors and two religious leaders of other faiths. The prisons also employ around 100 part-time chaplains, 20 of whom are non-Christian. The contract cancellations will not be effective until March 2013. Although the program has a budget of $6.4 million annually, no figures have been released showing how much the staffing changes will save.

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