Pentagon establishes Office of Religious Affairs reporting to Defense Secretary
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a new Office of Religious Affairs to coordinate chaplaincy and faith-based support, sparking criticism that it could elevate Christianity within military policy.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday the creation of an Office of Religious Affairs (ORA) that will report directly to him and oversee chaplaincy and faith-based programs across the Department of Defense. The office is intended to provide "first-class religious support" and to coordinate resources such as "faith-based homeschool support for military families" and initiatives aimed at suicide reduction, according to a Pentagon memo.
The ORA will advocate for military chaplains at the highest departmental level, but officials said it will not compel participation, favor any particular faith, or diminish the rights of personnel of any belief or non-belief. The director of the new office has not yet been named.
Critics quickly voiced concerns. Rachel Laser, head of Americans United for Separation of Church, said the move "violates" the Pentagon's obligation to defend religious freedom by giving Christianity a heightened role in shaping military policy. The department also reduced the number of officially recognized religious affiliations from more than 200 to 31, removing categories such as atheists, Unitarian Universalists, pagans and Wiccans.
Hegseth has previously incorporated evangelical Christian practices into Pentagon life, including hosting worship services for employees and using biblical language in speeches. In a recent address to chaplains at Marine Corps Base Quantico, he urged them to "live your calling" and quoted scripture, saying, "The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do unto me?"
The establishment of the ORA follows similar faith-based offices in other federal agencies that were created under previous administrations. Scholars note that earlier offices, such as the State Department’s Office of Religion and Global Affairs, focused on analyzing the political impact of religion rather than promoting it.