For the first time in its history, the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence is permitting members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to be endorsed as chaplains of the British Armed Forces.
For more than 200 years, military chaplains have provided spiritual support for His Majesty’s Armed Forces in the United Kingdom, offering solace, guidance and care to service personnel and their families.
In early years, the chaplain role was primarily filled by Anglican clergy, but over time the United Kingdom has authorized more faiths to serve in this capacity.
In December 2024, the Ministry of Defence approved the Church’s application to become an endorsing authority, granting Latter-day Saints the opportunity to now apply to become chaplains of the British Army, the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force, on a full-time or reserve basis, according to a news release from the Church’s U.K. Newsroom.
Elder Robert F. Schwartz, an Area Seventy in the Europe North Area, said the Church was “deeply grateful” to the Ministry of Defence for welcoming it as an endorsing authority.
“If we think of this in the context of our Heavenly Father’s work of salvation and exaltation, a chaplain is a minister, someone who works hard to care for the needs of others,” he said in the news release. “We are confident that His Majesty’s Armed Forces will find wonderful ministers in the members of our Church who successfully apply to become chaplains.”
Todd Linton, director of the Church’s Military Relations, Chaplain Services and Prison Ministries Division of the Priesthood and Family Department, expressed gratitude for the new development.
“We are heartened by this development and grateful for the opportunity it affords members of our faith to take part in the vital work of chaplaincy,” he said. “In an era of declining religiosity and increasing social isolation, chaplaincy plays a crucial role in fostering meaningful connections, personal peace and uplifting inspiration. Our chaplains minister to individuals of all faiths — or none at all — helping them connect with the spiritual."
Linton continued: “The work of chaplaincy is uniquely positioned within secular institutions to provide the divine perspective that trials, tribulations and tragedies — when approached with the right spirit — can bring us closer to God and each other. Our chaplains look forward to serving alongside all in the Ministry of Defence as dedicated partners in this noble endeavor.”
Learn more about the service of Church-endorsed chaplains at https://www.ChurchofJesusChrist.org/callings/military-and-chaplain
