Army chaplain under fire for sharing faith – we have his attorney next on FOT

Captain Joe Lawhorn is a U.S. Army chaplain and recently took part in a suicide prevention training session where he shared his own personal struggles with depression and explained how he got through tough times. That included his use of verses from scripture.  That didn’t sit well with one participant reported the incident to the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers, who promptly filed a complaint against Captain Lawhorn.

The result was a Letter of Concern from his commanding officer which is essentially an accusation of proselytizing.  A former captain and atheist posted the complaint online which accused Captain Lawhorn of using “his official position to force his personal religious beliefs on a captive military audience.”

Michael Berry

Tuesday, Captian Lawhorn’s attorney, Michael Berry of Liberty Institute, will join Deacon Mike Manno and Gina Noll to discuss this case. 

Mr. Berry is Senior Counsel and Director of Military Affairs for Liberty Institute. He joined Liberty Institute in 2013 after serving for seven years as an attorney with the U.S. Marine Corps.

As Director of Military Affairs for Liberty Institute, Mr. Berry’s practice focuses on religious liberty within the armed forces. A recognized subject-matter expert, Mr. Berry has testified before Congress on matters affecting religious liberty in the armed forces and is routinely invited to speak before audiences across the nation about matters affecting religious freedom within the military. 

Tune in to Faith On Trial Tuesday at 9 a.m. and rebroadcast at 9 p.m. (CST) on Iowa Catholic Radio, 1150 AM; 88.5 & 94.5 FM and streaming on IowaCatholicRadio.com.

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