Navy’s debate over use of Jesus’ name places spotlight on priest
By DAVID YONKE BLADE
RELIGION EDITOR

Lt. Gordon James Klingenschmitt, a Navy chaplain, has become the focal point of the debate over a chaplain’s right to pray in the name of Jesus.

Lieutenant Klingenschmitt, 37, an Evangelical Episcopal priest from Buffalo, staged an 18-day hunger strike in front of the White House in December as the deadline approached for his Navy contract to be extended.

He said his superiors had punished him and called for his contract not to be renewed after 14 years in the service, largely because the chaplain had used Jesus’ name and quoted the Bible in public ceremonies. Navy chaplaincy guidelines call for generic references to God when leading prayers for a diverse group of sailors, especially when attendance is mandatory. Story