Change in the Importance of Ethnicity and Religiosity in the British Armed Forces from the Perspective of the Military Chaplaincy

Abstract

Like the armed forces of every country, the British Army is undergoing constant structural change and is doing so to  respond to the latest challenges of its time. As part of this  process, a clear trend in the personnel composition is  becoming apparent, playing a catalyst for change. My  working hypothesis is that ethnic and religious change should be the primary focus, precisely because these two  factors, and changes in the proportion of these factors, are  currently seen as having the most significant impact on  military chaplaincy. Furthermore, by looking at these  transformations, the growing number of theoretical  challenges to the organisation of chaplaincy and the  increasing number of practical obstacles to chaplains  themselves can be best understood. I will use qualitative  method to prove my hypothesis, utilising statistical data  and personal narratives. Methods and rules to address the  problems that arise without any criteria are not currently in  place in the British Army, as it seems that at the moment,  even amid change, only flexible responses to these  challenges can be given, as the situation demands. I will  focus on these at the end of the thesis alongside forecasting the upcoming resolutions.