Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives
Encyclopedia
The election of William Linn
as Chaplain of the House
on May 1, 1789, continued the tradition established by the Continental Congress
es of each day's proceedings opening with a prayer by a chaplain. The early Chaplains alternated duties with their Senate counterparts on a weekly basis, covering the House one week and the Senate the next. The two Chaplains also conducted Sunday services for the Washington community in the House chamber every other week.
In addition to opening proceedings with prayer, the Chaplain provides pastoral counseling to the House community, coordinates the scheduling of guest chaplains, and arranges memorial services for the House and its staff. In the past, Chaplains have performed marriage and funeral ceremonies for House members.
Chaplains are elected as individuals and not as representatives of any religious community, body, or organization. As of 2011, all House Chaplains have been Christian but can be members of any religion or faith group. Guest Chaplains, recommended by congressional members to deliver the session's opening prayer in place of the House Chaplain, have represented many different religious groups, including Judaism and Islam.
The current House Chaplain is Fr. Patrick J. Conroy
, S.J., the first Jesuit priest to hold the position. Conroy was sworn in May 25, 2011.
The House Chaplain is also responsible for "hosting" Guest Chaplains on the day they deliver prayers.
The Chaplain also provides pastoral care for members of Congress, their staffs, and their families, and provides or oversees religious programs such as Bible study, reflection groups, and the weekly Senate Prayer Breakfast. The Chaplain also often presides over religious ceremonies such as funerals and memorial services for current or past members and participates, offering delivering the invocation or benediction, at many official U.S. ceremonies, including White House
events. In a January 2011 post on "On Watch in Washington," the Chaplain of the Senate as well as the Chaplain of the House of were included as part of "Obama's Spiritual Cabinet."
Along with the Senate Chaplain, the Senate Chaplain is responsible for overseeing the Capitol Prayer Room, located near the Capitol Rotunda.
Dedicated in 1955, there are no worship services held in the room, nor is it normally open to the public. Instead, as described by Sam Rayburn
during the room's dedication, it is a place for members "who want to be alone with their God."
While all House Chaplains (as of 2011) have been Christian, Guest Chaplains have been selected to deliver occasional prayers to open House sessions "for many decades," and have represented both Christian and non-Christian faith groups, including Judaism
and Islam
. Congressional members are limited to one Guest Chaplain recommendation per Congress,
, June 28, 1787:
as the first Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives. When the body moved to Philadelphia the next year, and then to Washington, D.C., clergy from various Christian denominations ("mainline Protestant denominations--usually Episcopalians or Presbyterians") continued to be selected, delivering prayers and presiding at funerals and memorial services.
During this early period, Chaplains "typically served" for less than a year while concurrently serving in non-congressional positions. Also, early Senate and House Chaplains, although elected separately by their respected chambers, shared Congressional responsibilities by alternating service in the House and Senate on a weekly basis, also conducting Sunday worship for the Washington, D.C.
community in the House Chamber on an alternating basis. Clergy have served in the official position of Senate Chaplain for all years since the office was created except for the brief period of
1855-1861 (and the Senate has had chaplains for every year except 1857-1859). Since 1914, the Chaplain's Prayer has been included in the Congressional Record.
Congressional chaplains—the Chaplain of the House of Representatives and the Chaplain of the Senate—became full time positions in the middle of the 20th century.
Selection of House Chaplains has "generally not been subject to party considerations."
and its Bill of Rights
, from which the position of "non-establishment" and church and state separation is derived, were the same ones who approved and appointed the chaplains.
President James Madison
was an example of a leader who ultimately came to think that the positions of Senate and House Chaplains could not be constitutionally supported, although whether he always held this view (and to what extent he believed it at various times during his life) is a subject of debate. However it is clear from his "Detached Memoranda" writings during his retirement that he had come to believe the positions could not be justified:
The constitutionality question has been examined in a number of court cases. According to "House and Senate Chaplains: An Overview," an official 2011 Crs report created by the Congressional Research Service
for "Members and Committees of Congress":
In 2000, a C-span
"public affairs on the web" response to the question of constitutional challenges noted that:
and that the choice of chaplains had become too politicized. From 1855-1861, the election of Chaplains for the House and from 1857-1859, the election of Chaplains for the Senate were suspended, with local clergy invited to serve on a voluntary basis, instead. However, as a result of "the difficulty in obtaining volunteer chaplains" and the opportunity for volunteer chaplains to get to know "their flock," Congress returned to the practice of selecting official Chaplains for both the House and the Senate.
, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
, on May 6, 2011, and he was sworn in as the new House Chaplain May 25, 2011, following a unanimous confirmation of his nomination by the House.
Conroy delivered his first prayer as House Chaplain on May 26, 2011.
William Linn
The Reverend William Linn was the second President of Queen's College , serving in a pro tempore capacity from 1791 to 1795...
as Chaplain of the House
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
on May 1, 1789, continued the tradition established by the Continental Congress
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
es of each day's proceedings opening with a prayer by a chaplain. The early Chaplains alternated duties with their Senate counterparts on a weekly basis, covering the House one week and the Senate the next. The two Chaplains also conducted Sunday services for the Washington community in the House chamber every other week.
In addition to opening proceedings with prayer, the Chaplain provides pastoral counseling to the House community, coordinates the scheduling of guest chaplains, and arranges memorial services for the House and its staff. In the past, Chaplains have performed marriage and funeral ceremonies for House members.
Chaplains are elected as individuals and not as representatives of any religious community, body, or organization. As of 2011, all House Chaplains have been Christian but can be members of any religion or faith group. Guest Chaplains, recommended by congressional members to deliver the session's opening prayer in place of the House Chaplain, have represented many different religious groups, including Judaism and Islam.
The current House Chaplain is Fr. Patrick J. Conroy
Patrick J. Conroy
Fr. Patrick J. Conroy, S.J., is a Jesuit Priest who is serving as the 60th Chaplain of the House of Representatives. His selection was announced by the office of John Boehner, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, on May 6, 2011, and he was sworn in as the new House Chaplain May...
, S.J., the first Jesuit priest to hold the position. Conroy was sworn in May 25, 2011.
Duties
The Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives is chosen to "perform ceremonial, symbolic, and pastoral duties." These responsibilities include opening House sessions with a prayer or coordinating the delivery of the prayer by guest chaplains recommended by members of the House.The House Chaplain is also responsible for "hosting" Guest Chaplains on the day they deliver prayers.
The Chaplain also provides pastoral care for members of Congress, their staffs, and their families, and provides or oversees religious programs such as Bible study, reflection groups, and the weekly Senate Prayer Breakfast. The Chaplain also often presides over religious ceremonies such as funerals and memorial services for current or past members and participates, offering delivering the invocation or benediction, at many official U.S. ceremonies, including White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
events. In a January 2011 post on "On Watch in Washington," the Chaplain of the Senate as well as the Chaplain of the House of were included as part of "Obama's Spiritual Cabinet."
Along with the Senate Chaplain, the Senate Chaplain is responsible for overseeing the Capitol Prayer Room, located near the Capitol Rotunda.
Dedicated in 1955, there are no worship services held in the room, nor is it normally open to the public. Instead, as described by Sam Rayburn
Sam Rayburn
Samuel Taliaferro Rayburn , often called "Mr. Sam," or "Mr. Democrat," was a Democratic lawmaker from Bonham, Texas, who served as the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives for seventeen years, the longest tenure in U.S. history.- Background :Rayburn was born in Roane County, Tennessee, and...
during the room's dedication, it is a place for members "who want to be alone with their God."
While all House Chaplains (as of 2011) have been Christian, Guest Chaplains have been selected to deliver occasional prayers to open House sessions "for many decades," and have represented both Christian and non-Christian faith groups, including Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
and Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. Congressional members are limited to one Guest Chaplain recommendation per Congress,
Opening prayer
The inclusion of a prayer before the opening of each session of both the House and the Senate, traces its origins back to the days of the Continental Congress, and the official recommendation of Benjamin FranklinBenjamin Franklin
Dr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...
, June 28, 1787:
“I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live,
the more convincing proofs I see of this truth:
that God Governs in the affairs of men. And if a
sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice,
is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid?
We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings,
that ‘except the Lord build the House they labour
in vain that build it.’ I firmly believe this; and I also
believe that without his concurring aid we shall
succeed in this political building no better, than the
Builders of Babel . . . I therefore beg leave to move—
that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance
of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations,
be held in this Assembly every morning before
we proceed to business, and that one or more
of the Clergy of this City be requested to officiate
in that Service.”
Ministry of Outreach
The official brochure of the Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives lists the following elements of the "ministry of outreach" provided by the chaplain:- To bring a dimension of faith to human events, giving praise and thanks to God for what God is doing in the world, in the nation, and in and through leaders and ordinary citizens
- To offer counsel for Members of Congress, families, and staff
- To welcome and assist guest chaplains on their day of service to the House
- To receive religious leaders from across the nation and around the world
- To develop interfaith dialogue for better understanding and relationships
- To meet representatives of other nations to discuss how religion and politics interface on Capitol Hill
- To provide answers to religious questions and research information about religious organizations and services in the area of Capitol Hill
- To sponsor occasional activities of a religious nature for Members of Congress and staff
- To offer a Web site with pertinent information about the Chaplain’s Office
History
Shortly after Congress first convened in April 1789 in New York City, one of its "first orders of business" was to convene a committee to recommend a Chaplain, eventually selecting the Reverend William LinnWilliam Linn
The Reverend William Linn was the second President of Queen's College , serving in a pro tempore capacity from 1791 to 1795...
as the first Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives. When the body moved to Philadelphia the next year, and then to Washington, D.C., clergy from various Christian denominations ("mainline Protestant denominations--usually Episcopalians or Presbyterians") continued to be selected, delivering prayers and presiding at funerals and memorial services.
During this early period, Chaplains "typically served" for less than a year while concurrently serving in non-congressional positions. Also, early Senate and House Chaplains, although elected separately by their respected chambers, shared Congressional responsibilities by alternating service in the House and Senate on a weekly basis, also conducting Sunday worship for the Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
community in the House Chamber on an alternating basis. Clergy have served in the official position of Senate Chaplain for all years since the office was created except for the brief period of
1855-1861 (and the Senate has had chaplains for every year except 1857-1859). Since 1914, the Chaplain's Prayer has been included in the Congressional Record.
Congressional chaplains—the Chaplain of the House of Representatives and the Chaplain of the Senate—became full time positions in the middle of the 20th century.
Selection
The Chaplain must be elected to a two-year term at "the beginning of each Congress. Both the House and Senate Chaplains are elected as individuals, "not as representatives of any religious body or denominational entity."Selection of House Chaplains has "generally not been subject to party considerations."
Constitutionality
The question of the constitutionality of the position of the House Chaplain (as well as that of the Senate Chaplain, and at times, that of military chaplains as well), has been a subject of study and debate over the centuries. Opponents have argued that it violates the separation of church-and-state and proponents have argued, among other factors, that the fact that the same early legislators who wrote the United States ConstitutionUnited States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
and its Bill of Rights
Bill of rights
A bill of rights is a list of the most important rights of the citizens of a country. The purpose of these bills is to protect those rights against infringement. The term "bill of rights" originates from England, where it referred to the Bill of Rights 1689. Bills of rights may be entrenched or...
, from which the position of "non-establishment" and church and state separation is derived, were the same ones who approved and appointed the chaplains.
President James Madison
James Madison
James Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United...
was an example of a leader who ultimately came to think that the positions of Senate and House Chaplains could not be constitutionally supported, although whether he always held this view (and to what extent he believed it at various times during his life) is a subject of debate. However it is clear from his "Detached Memoranda" writings during his retirement that he had come to believe the positions could not be justified:
Is the appointment of Chaplains to the two Houses of Congress
consistent with the Constitution, and with the pure principle of
religious freedom?
In strictness the answer on both points must be in the negative.
The Constitution of the U. S. forbids everything like an establishment
of a national religion. The law appointing Chaplains estabfishes
a religious worship for the national representatives, to be
performed by Ministers of religion, elected by a majority of them;
and these are to be paid out of the national taxes. Does not this
involve the principle of a national establishment, applicable to a
provision for a religious worship for the Constituent as well as of
the representative Body, approved by the majority, and conducted
by Ministers of religion paid by the entire nation.
The establishment of the chaplainship to Congress is a palpable
violation of equal rights, as well as of Constitutional principles:
The tenets of the chaplains elected [by the majority] shut the door
of worship agst the members whose creeds & consciences forbid
a participation in that of the majority. To say nothing of other
sects, this is the case with that of Roman Catholics & Quakers who
have always had members in one or both of the Legislative
branches. Could a Catholic clergyman ever hope to be appointed
a Chaplain? To say that his religious principles are obnoxious or
that his sect is small, is to lift the evil at once and exhibit in its
naked deformity the doctrine that religious truth is to be tested
by numbers, or that the major sects have a right to govern the
minor.
The constitutionality question has been examined in a number of court cases. According to "House and Senate Chaplains: An Overview," an official 2011 Crs report created by the Congressional Research Service
Congressional Research Service
The Congressional Research Service , known as "Congress's think tank", is the public policy research arm of the United States Congress. As a legislative branch agency within the Library of Congress, CRS works exclusively and directly for Members of Congress, their Committees and staff on a...
for "Members and Committees of Congress":
The constitutionality of legislative chaplains was upheld in 1983 by the Supreme Court (Marsh v.
Chambers, 463 U.S. 783, related to chaplains in the Nebraska Legislature) on the grounds of
precedent and tradition. The Court cited the practice going back to the Continental Congress in
1774 and noted that the custom “is deeply embedded in the history and tradition of this country”
from colonial times and the founding of the republic. Further, the Court held that the use of prayer
“has become part of the fabric of our society,” coexisting with “the principles of disestablishment
and religious freedom.” This decision was cited in Murray v. Buchanan, which challenged the
House chaplaincy, the next year. On appeal, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of
Columbia dismissed the complaint “for want of a substantial constitutional question.”
Subsequently, on March 25, 2004, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, citing
Marsh v. Chambers, dismissed a suit that challenged the congressional practice of paid chaplains
as well as the practice of opening legislative sessions with prayer.
In 2000, a C-span
C-SPAN
C-SPAN , an acronym for Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network, is an American cable television network that offers coverage of federal government proceedings and other public affairs programming via its three television channels , one radio station and a group of websites that provide streaming...
"public affairs on the web" response to the question of constitutional challenges noted that:
"In 1983, the Supreme Court upheld the practice of having an official chaplain as deeply ingrained in the history and tradition of this country. They stated the ultimate authority for the position lies in the Constitution which states that the House and Senate may each choose their officers, with no restrictions on what kind of officers may be chosen. Using that authority, both chambers have chosen to continue to elect an officer to act as Chaplain."
Controversies
In addition to court cases, controversy regarding the Chaplain's position included a number of petitions to abolish both the Senate and House Chaplains that were submitted as early as the 1850s, for reasons including claims that the positions represented a violation of the separation of church and stateSeparation of church and state
The concept of the separation of church and state refers to the distance in the relationship between organized religion and the nation state....
and that the choice of chaplains had become too politicized. From 1855-1861, the election of Chaplains for the House and from 1857-1859, the election of Chaplains for the Senate were suspended, with local clergy invited to serve on a voluntary basis, instead. However, as a result of "the difficulty in obtaining volunteer chaplains" and the opportunity for volunteer chaplains to get to know "their flock," Congress returned to the practice of selecting official Chaplains for both the House and the Senate.
Current Chaplain
Fr. Patrick J. Conroy S.J. (born October 31, 1950), a Jesuit Priest, currently serves as the 60th Chaplain of the House of Representatives. His selection was announced by the office of John BoehnerJohn Boehner
John Andrew Boehner is the 61st and current Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. A member of the Republican Party, he is the U.S. Representative from , serving since 1991...
, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, or Speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives...
, on May 6, 2011, and he was sworn in as the new House Chaplain May 25, 2011, following a unanimous confirmation of his nomination by the House.
Conroy delivered his first prayer as House Chaplain on May 26, 2011.
List of House Chaplains
Information regarding past and current House Chaplains, taken from the official House of Representatives website, includes the following:| Number | Date of Appointment | Chaplain | Photo | Denomination |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | May 1, 1789 | William Linn William Linn The Reverend William Linn was the second President of Queen's College , serving in a pro tempore capacity from 1791 to 1795... |
Presbyterian | |
| 2. | December 10, 1790 | Samuel Blair | Presbyterian | |
| 3. | November 5, 1792 | Ashbel Green Ashbel Green Ashbel Green, D.D. was an American Presbyterian minister and academic.Born in Hanover Township, New Jersey, Green served as a sergeant of the New Jersey militia during the American Revolutionary War, and went on to study with Dr. John Witherspoon and graduate as valedictorian from Princeton... |
 |
Presbyterian |
| 4. | November 27, 1800 | Thomas Lyell | Methodist | |
| 5. | December 10, 1801 | William Parkinson | Baptist Baptist Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion... |
|
| 6. | November 30, 1804 | James Laurie | Presbyterian | |
| 7. | December 4, 1806 | Robert Elliott Robert Elliott (chaplain) Robert Elliott was a Scots-Irish Presbyterian clergyman who served as the chaplain of the United States House of Representatives and Chaplain of the Senate of the United States .... |
Presbyterian | |
| 8. | October 30, 1807 | Obadiah Bruen Brown Obadiah Bruen Brown Obadiah Bruen Brown was a Baptist clergyman who served as Chaplain of the House and as Chaplain of the Senate .- Early life :... |
Baptist Baptist Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion... |
|
| 9. | May 27, 1809 | Jesse Lee | Methodist | |
| 10. | November 13, 1811 | Nicholas Sneathen | Methodist | |
| 11. | November 6, 1812 | Jesse Lee | Methodist | |
| 12. | September 23, 1814 | Obadiah Bruen Brown Obadiah Bruen Brown Obadiah Bruen Brown was a Baptist clergyman who served as Chaplain of the House and as Chaplain of the Senate .- Early life :... |
Baptist Baptist Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion... |
|
| 13. | December 7, 1815 | Spencer Houghton Cone Spencer Houghton Cone Spencer Houghton Cone was born in Princeton, New Jersey, April 13, 1785. He entered Princeton University at the age of twelve, but two years later, because of his father’s illness, left his studies. At sixteen he was master in a school at Burlington. He then moved to Philadelphia... |
Baptist Baptist Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion... |
|
| 14. | December 5, 1816 | Burgiss Allison | Baptist Baptist Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion... |
|
| 15. | November 16, 1820 | John Nicholson Campbell John Nicholson Campbell John Nicholson Campbell was a Presbyterian clergyman who served as Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives.- Early life :... |
Presbyterian | |
| 16. | December 10, 1821 | Jared Sparks Jared Sparks Jared Sparks was an American historian, educator, and Unitarian minister. He served as President of Harvard University from 1849 to 1853.-Biography:... |
Unitarian Unitarianism Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being.... |
|
| 17. | December 5, 1822 | John Brackenridge, D.D. | Presbyterian | |
| 18. | December 8, 1823 | Henry Bidleman Bascom Henry Bidleman Bascom Henry Bidleman Bascom was an American Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, elected in 1850. He also distinguished himself as a Circuit rider, pastor and Christian preacher; as chaplain to the U.S... |
Methodist | |
| 19. | December 9, 1824 | Reuben Post Reuben Post Reuben Post was a Presbyterian clergyman who served two separate terms as Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives and also served as Chaplain of the Senate of the United States .... |
Presbyterian | |
| 20. | December 13, 1830 | Ralph Randolph Gurley Ralph Randolph Gurley Ralph Randolph Gurley was a clergyman, an advocate of the separation of the races and a major force in the American Colonization Society, which offered passage to their colony in west Africa , to free black Americans.... |
Presbyterian | |
| 21. | December 13, 1831 | Reuben Post Reuben Post Reuben Post was a Presbyterian clergyman who served two separate terms as Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives and also served as Chaplain of the Senate of the United States .... |
Presbyterian | |
| 22. | December 12, 1832 | William Hammett | Methodist | |
| 23. | December 9, 1833 | Thomas H. Stockton | Methodist | |
| 24. | December 10, 1834 | Edward Dunlap Smith Edward Dunlap Smith Edward Dunlap Smith was a Presbyterian clergyman and served as Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives .- Early life :... |
Presbyterian | |
| 25. | December 24, 1835 | Thomas H. Stockton | Methodist | |
| 26. | December 20, 1836 | Oliver C. Comstock | Baptist Baptist Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion... |
|
| 27. | September 12, 1837 | Septimus Tustin Septimus Tustin Septimus Tustin was a Presbyterian clergyman who served as Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives in 1837 and as Chaplain of the United States Senate 1841-1846.- Early life :... |
Presbyterian | |
| 28. | December 11, 1837 | Levi R. Reese | Methodist | |
| 29. | February 4, 1840 | Joshua Bates Joshua Bates Joshua Bates was an American educator and clergyman. He was the third president of Middlebury College.Born in Cohasset, Massachusetts, he was the son of Zealous and Abigail Bates. Bates graduated from Harvard College in 1800. He became a special student in divinity at Phillips Academy, serving as... |
Congregationalist Congregational church Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs.... |
|
| 30. | December 15, 1840 | Thomas W. Braxton | Baptist Baptist Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion... |
|
| 31. | June 9, 1841 | John W. French John W. French John W. French was an American Episcopal clergyman and educator. His daughter was Mary French, who later married American Painter, Sculptor and Professor John Ferguson Weir. He was appointed chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives on May 31, 1841, and was the first Episcopalian to hold... |
Episcopalian | |
| 32. | December 13, 1841 | John Newland Maffitt John Newland Maffitt (preacher) John Newland Maffitt Sr. , was an Irish-born American Methodist clergyman and itinerant preacher.... |
Methodist | |
| 33. | December 14, 1842 | Frederick T. Tiffany | Episcopalian | |
| 34. | December 16, 1843 | Isaac S. Tinsley | Baptist Baptist Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion... |
|
| 35. | December 4, 1844 | William Mitchel Daily William Mitchel Daily William Mitchel Daily served as the third president of Indiana University.- Professional Background :Professor at St. Charles College, Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives , trustee of Indiana University... |
Methodist | |
| 36. | December 1, 1845 | William Henry Milburn William Henry Milburn William Henry Milburn was a blind Methodist clergyman who, like Fanny Crosby and Helen Keller, did not permit adversity keeping him from a life of meaning and purpose... |
Methodist | |
| 37. | December 7, 1846 | William T.S. Sprole | Presbyterian | |
| 38. | December 6, 1847 | Ralph Gurley | Presbyterian | |
| 39. | December 1, 1851 | Littleton F. Morgan | Methodist | |
| 40. | December 6, 1852 | James Gallagher James Gallagher (US House Chaplain) James Gallagher, a Presbyterian, was the Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives in 1852.... |
Presbyterian | |
| 41. | December 5, 1853 | William Henry Milburn William Henry Milburn William Henry Milburn was a blind Methodist clergyman who, like Fanny Crosby and Helen Keller, did not permit adversity keeping him from a life of meaning and purpose... |
Methodist | |
| N/A | March 4, 1855 | None | N/A | |
| 42. | July 4, 1861 | Thomas H. Stockton | Methodist | |
| 43. | December 7, 1863 | William Henry Channing William Henry Channing William Henry Channing was an American Unitarian clergyman, writer and philosopher.-Biography:William Henry Channing was born in Boston, Massachusetts... |
Unitarian Unitarianism Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being.... |
|
| 44. | December 4, 1865 | Charles B. Boynton | Congregationalist Congregational church Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs.... |
|
| 45. | March 4, 1869 | John George Butler John George Butler John George Butler was a prominent Lutheran clergyman who served as Chaplain of the Senate and as Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives.-Early years:... |
Presbyterian | |
| 46. | December 6, 1875 | S.L. Townsend | Episcopalian | |
| 47. | October 15, 1877 | John Poise | Methodist | |
| 48. | December 3, 1877 | W.P. Harrison |  |
Methodist |
| 49. | December 5, 1881 | Frederick Dunglison Power | Disciples of Christ | |
| 50. | December 3, 1883 | John Summerfield Lindsay | Episcopalian | |
| 51. | December 7, 1885 | William Henry Milburn William Henry Milburn William Henry Milburn was a blind Methodist clergyman who, like Fanny Crosby and Helen Keller, did not permit adversity keeping him from a life of meaning and purpose... |
Methodist | |
| 52. | August 7, 1893 | Samuel W. Haddaway | Methodist | |
| 53. | December 4, 1893 | Edward B. Bagby | Christian Christian A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament... |
|
| 54. | December 2, 1895 | Henry N. Couden Henry N. Couden Henry N. Couden is a Universalist minister who was the 54th Chaplain of the United States Senate from December 2, 1895 to April 11, 1921. He was the only blind religious leader to serve in this position.... |
Universalist | |
| 55. | April 11, 1921 | James Shera Montgomery James Shera Montgomery James Shera Montgomery was an American Methodist minister who served as the 55th Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives, April 11, 1921 - January 3, 1950.-Life and works:Montgomery served as House Chaplain for 19 years... |
Methodist | |
| 56. | January 3, 1950 | Bernard Braskamp Bernard Braskamp Bernard Braskamp was a Presbyterian minister who served as the 56th Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives, from 1950-1967.-Life and works:... |
Presbyterian | |
| 57. | January 10, 1967 | Edward G. Latch | Methodist | |
| 58. | January 15, 1979 | James D. Ford | Lutheran | |
| 59. | March 23, 2000 | Daniel P. Coughlin | Roman Catholic | |
| 60. | May 25, 2011 | Patrick J. Conroy Patrick J. Conroy Fr. Patrick J. Conroy, S.J., is a Jesuit Priest who is serving as the 60th Chaplain of the House of Representatives. His selection was announced by the office of John Boehner, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, on May 6, 2011, and he was sworn in as the new House Chaplain May... |
Roman Catholic (Jesuit) Society of Jesus The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a... |
Demographics
The following table represents a break-down by religion of past and current House Chaplains. The total number (52) does not match the official number of House Chaplains, which as of 2011 is 60, because the numbers in this table represent individuals and some individuals served in the position more than once.| Methodist | 16 |
| Presbyterian | 15 |
| Baptist | 7 |
| Episcopal | 4 |
| Unitarian | 2 |
| Congregationalist | 2 |
| Christian | 1 |
| Disciples of Christ | 1 |
| Lutheran | 1 |
| Roman Catholic | 2 |
| Universalist | 1 |
| Total | | 52 |
|---|
External links
- Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives - Official site.