CEREMOMAL GUARD

The Navy has specially trained ceremonial personnel or voluntary funeral honors personnel to perform at most national cemeteries. Naval activities make every effort to grant funeral honors.

GUIDELINES

Navy Military Funerals, NAVPERS 15555B, will provide you with detailed guidance on military funerals. This publication contains guidelines on areas with which you will be concerned, such as planning, memorial services, pallbearers, and burial at sea of casketed or cremated remains. NAVPERS 15555B will also give you specific guidelines on the services for burial of persons of Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, and Orthodox faiths. The section on Navy Military Funerals will provide you with details on the Casualty Assistance Calls Program and the Funeral Honors Support program.

Now that you have read about weddings and funerals, let talk about the subject with which you will be routinely involvedorship.

WORSHIP

Because worship is an important activity of the church and the Chaplain Corps, it is vitally important to youhe RP. Worship is the way of expressing one faith. The rites of worship are the acts of a faith group personal and total devotion. Worship can be defined as a faithful human response to the revelation of God being, character, beneficence, and will. In worship, God is adored simply as God. God character is praised, thanks are given for God acts, and conformity to God will is sought.

For most humans, ritual is natural. It is therefore the act of worship that has always been considered to be the heart of any religion. A knowledge of worship is basic for a supportive respect of all religious movements. For you, the RP, a knowledge of worship is imperative.

RELIGIOUS MINISTRY

You will routinely assist chaplains in providing religious ministry to sea service personnel, their families, and other entitled members of the Department of the Navy. According to Religious Ministries in the Navy, OPNAVINST 1703. 1B, the first major CRP responsibility is to provide or facilitate worship opportunities and participation.

RELIGIOUS PLURALISM

Although chaplains will conduct worship according to their distinct faith groups, all religious support personnel must remain sensitive to religious pluralism in the Navy and Marine Corps. As an RP, you must be prepared to support a multiplicity of rites of liturgical worship and special and holy day events. As well as your chaplain faith group practices, you must be aware of the chapel decor, liturgical seasons, and special worship considerations of other faith groups. In short, your role as an RP is important and will require a special knowledge of the leading religions and an awareness of other belief systems.

Major Religions

The major religions of today include Buddhism,

Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. Christianity is the prevailing religion of all Europe, the Americas, southern and western Africa, and Australia. Buddhism, Islam, and Judaism are the principal religions of the other parts of the world. You will see a great deal of global religious

variety in America and in the United States Navy. Remember, Navy chaplains and RPs exist in an environment of religious pluralism.

Other Faith Groups

As well as the leading religions, you will come into contact with smaller groups consisting of several different belief systems. As part of the recent spiritual and new age social movement, for example, many Americans are expressing a variety of different religious concepts. New age movements may include religions of the eastern tradition, holistic healing, channeling, and vegetarianism. You will encounter these beliefs among our Navy personnel.

Missionary Work

Missionary work is an important activity of many different churches. Missionary work involves preaching, teaching, and performing works of charity. Through missionary work, many faith groups will devote some means to the continuance and growth of faith.

In the following sections, we will tell you about the acts of worship of the major faith groups: Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. These four faith groups currently comprise the major faiths represented in North America and in the Navy. In the following sections, we will take a comprehensive look at each of these major religious groups. We will start, in alphabetical order, with Buddhism.