Chaplain of the United States Senate
Encyclopedia
The Chaplain of the United States Senate opens each session of the United States Senate
with a prayer, and provides and coordinates religious programs and pastoral care support for Senators, their staffs, and their families. The Chaplain is appointed by a majority vote of the members of the Senate on a resolution nominating an individual for the position. The three most recent nominations have been submitted based on a bipartisan search committee although that procedure is not required.
Chaplains are elected as individuals and not as representatives of any religious community, body, or organization. As of 2011, all Senate Chaplains have been Christian
but can be members of any religion or faith group. Guest Chaplains, recommended by Senators to deliver the session's opening prayer in place of the Senate Chaplain, have represented "all the world's major religious faiths."
The current Chaplain, Barry C. Black
, a retired Navy Rear Admiral and former Chief of Navy Chaplains, is the first African-American and the first Seventh Day Adventist to hold the position.
The Senate Chaplain is also responsible for "hosting" Guest Chaplains on the day they deliver prayers. According to the U.S. Senate website, these guest chaplains have represented "all the world's major religious faiths," and their participation is a sign that the Senate is sensitive to the "increasing religious diversity of the nation."
According to Robert C. Byrd in his book "The Senate:1789-1989", has written that "The Duties that chaplains perform...are not all written down, but they are numerous and have evolved over the centuries." His description continues:
The Chaplain also provides pastoral care for the Senators, 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. For example, Chaplain Barry Black delivered the keynote address at an "inaugural prayer breakfast" and the benediction at an "inaugural luncheon" for President Barack Obama
. In a January 2011 post on "On Watch in Washington," the Chaplain of the Senate as well as the Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives
were included as part of "Obama's Spiritual Cabinet."
Along with the House 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."
The Senate Chaplain has a staff that includes a Chief-of-Staff, Director of Communications, and Executive Assistant, and works with a volunteer liaison in each Senate office. While the annual salary for the first Senate Chaplains was $500, the salary is now set as a Level IV position in the Executive Schedule, which is $155,500.00 in 2011. The total annual budget for the office, including salaries and expenses, is $415,000 as of 2011.
Guest Chaplains have been selected to deliver occasional prayers to open Senate sessions "for many decades." In 1948 Wilmina Rowland Smith became the first female Guest Chaplain to deliver the opening prayer, in 1992 Warith Deen Mohammed was the first Muslim, and in 2007 Rajan Zed was the first Hindu
. Senators are limited regarding the number of recommendations they can make regarding Guest Chaplains (in the House of Representatives, members are limited to one recommendation per Congress), and although there was originally no limit to the number of times per month a Guest Chaplain could deliver the prayer in the place of the Senate Chaplain, that number is now limited to two.
, June 28, 1787:
Shortly after the Senate 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, selecting the Right Reverend Samuel Provoost
, Episcopal Bishop of New York. When the Senate moved to Philadelphia the next year, the Right Reverend William White
, that city's Episcopal bishop was selected. In 1800, when the Senate relocated to Washington, D.C., clergymen 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. Clergymen have served in the official position of Senate Chaplain for all years since the office was created except for the brief period of 1857-1859. In 1914, the Senate began adding the Chaplain's prayer to the Congressional Record.
The Chaplain of the United States Senate became a full time position in the middle of the 20th century.
, who must be elected to a two-year term at "the beginning of each Congress," the Senate Chaplain (like other Senate officers) does not have to be reelected. Both the House and Senate Chaplains are elected as individuals, "not as representatives of any religious body or denominational entity."
When a vacancy occurs, the Senate chooses a new Chaplain through a vote on the adoption of a resolution. According to a 2011 Congressional Research Service congressional report, "The three most recent Senate candidates for chaplain have been nominated by a bipartisan search committee that examined possible applicants. This method has not always been Senate practice and may differ from any future nomination." Ultimately, it is the "leadership" of the Senate that can decide on what names can be put forth as nominations.
The report also notes that "The post of chaplain to the Senate 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.
There have also been occasions when actions or decisions of individuals serving in the position have created controversy. For example, in 2007 Senate Chaplain Barry C. Black canceled his scheduled appearance at the "Evangelical conference" "Reclaiming America for Christ." According to news reports, "Black reconsidered his appearance after "Americans United for Separation of Church and State
" objected. Black announced he had reconsidered his participation because it would not be appropriate considering the Senate Chaplain's "historic tradition of being nonpolitical, nonpartisan, nonsectarian." Black said that he had received a "very generic invitation" to speak, and felt that the information about the event had been "incomplete."
In 1984, Dr. Paul Kurtz
, "a professor of philosophy and advocate of secular humanism," sued the government in a case that reached the United States Supreme Court for the right to offer comments in place of the prayer that would normally be delivered by the Senate Chaplain or Guest Chaplain. The Court denied his suit on the grounds that no individual has the "right" to address Congress, and that the delivery of the prayer, coordinated by the Senate Chaplain, was governed by policies that dealt with "prayers" (not "remarks") which Kurtz did not seem prepared to offer.
In 2007, the prayer delivered by Rajan Zed, the first Hindu Guest Chaplain was briefly interrupted by protestors described by news reports as members of the Christian Right
. Activists had organized supporters to lobby Congress to stop the delivery of the prayer and failing that action to interrupt the prayer itself. The protestors were removed by the Capitol Police
, charged with disrupting Congress, and barred from the Capitol and its grounds for twelve months.
, holding the rank of Rear Admiral
. Although some news reports note that Black is the "first military chaplain" to serve as Senate Chaplain, the Rev. Edward L. R. Elson, the 59th Chaplain of the United States Senate, served as an Army chaplain during World War II.
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
with a prayer, and provides and coordinates religious programs and pastoral care support for Senators, their staffs, and their families. The Chaplain is appointed by a majority vote of the members of the Senate on a resolution nominating an individual for the position. The three most recent nominations have been submitted based on a bipartisan search committee although that procedure is not required.
Chaplains are elected as individuals and not as representatives of any religious community, body, or organization. As of 2011, all Senate Chaplains have been Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
but can be members of any religion or faith group. Guest Chaplains, recommended by Senators to deliver the session's opening prayer in place of the Senate Chaplain, have represented "all the world's major religious faiths."
The current Chaplain, Barry C. Black
Barry Black
Barry C. Black is the 62nd Chaplain of the United States Senate. He was elected to this position on June 27, 2003, becoming the first African-American, the first Seventh-day Adventist, and the first military chaplain to hold the office of chaplain to the United States Senate...
, a retired Navy Rear Admiral and former Chief of Navy Chaplains, is the first African-American and the first Seventh Day Adventist to hold the position.
Duties
The Chaplain of the United States Senate is chosen to "perform ceremonial, symbolic, and pastoral duties." These responsibilities include opening Senate sessions with a prayer or coordinating the delivery of the prayer by guest chaplains recommended by members of the Senate. The Chaplain's prayer is referred to as "one of the Senate's most enduring traditions" in the official Senate pamphlet "Traditions of the U.S. Senate."The Senate Chaplain is also responsible for "hosting" Guest Chaplains on the day they deliver prayers. According to the U.S. Senate website, these guest chaplains have represented "all the world's major religious faiths," and their participation is a sign that the Senate is sensitive to the "increasing religious diversity of the nation."
According to Robert C. Byrd in his book "The Senate:1789-1989", has written that "The Duties that chaplains perform...are not all written down, but they are numerous and have evolved over the centuries." His description continues:
"The Chaplain visits senators when they go to the hospital, represents the Senate in appearances before church groups across the nation, and is host to visiting religious figures who come to the Capitol. On occasion, chaplains of the Senate have led groups of saffron-robed TibetTibetTibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
an monks on tours of the building."
The Chaplain also provides pastoral care for the Senators, 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. For example, Chaplain Barry Black delivered the keynote address at an "inaugural prayer breakfast" and the benediction at an "inaugural luncheon" for President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
. In a January 2011 post on "On Watch in Washington," the Chaplain of the Senate as well as the Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives
Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives
The election of William Linn as Chaplain of the House on May 1, 1789, continued the tradition established by the Continental Congresses 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...
were included as part of "Obama's Spiritual Cabinet."
Along with the House 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."
The Senate Chaplain has a staff that includes a Chief-of-Staff, Director of Communications, and Executive Assistant, and works with a volunteer liaison in each Senate office. While the annual salary for the first Senate Chaplains was $500, the salary is now set as a Level IV position in the Executive Schedule, which is $155,500.00 in 2011. The total annual budget for the office, including salaries and expenses, is $415,000 as of 2011.
Guest Chaplains have been selected to deliver occasional prayers to open Senate sessions "for many decades." In 1948 Wilmina Rowland Smith became the first female Guest Chaplain to deliver the opening prayer, in 1992 Warith Deen Mohammed was the first Muslim, and in 2007 Rajan Zed was the first Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
. Senators are limited regarding the number of recommendations they can make regarding Guest Chaplains (in the House of Representatives, members are limited to one recommendation per Congress), and although there was originally no limit to the number of times per month a Guest Chaplain could deliver the prayer in the place of the Senate Chaplain, that number is now limited to two.
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.”
History
Samuel Provoost
Samuel Provoost was the third Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, USA, as well as the first Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York. He was consecrated as bishop of New York in 1787 with Bishop William White. He was born in New York City, of Huguenot descent, in 1742, and educated at...
, Episcopal Bishop of New York. When the Senate moved to Philadelphia the next year, the Right Reverend William White
William White (Bishop of Pennsylvania)
The Most Reverend William White was the first and fourth Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, USA , the first Bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania , and the second United States Senate Chaplain...
, that city's Episcopal bishop was selected. In 1800, when the Senate relocated to Washington, D.C., clergymen 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. Clergymen have served in the official position of Senate Chaplain for all years since the office was created except for the brief period of 1857-1859. In 1914, the Senate began adding the Chaplain's prayer to the Congressional Record.
The Chaplain of the United States Senate became a full time position in the middle of the 20th century.
Selection
Unlike the Chaplain of the United States House of RepresentativesChaplain of the United States House of Representatives
The election of William Linn as Chaplain of the House on May 1, 1789, continued the tradition established by the Continental Congresses 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...
, who must be elected to a two-year term at "the beginning of each Congress," the Senate Chaplain (like other Senate officers) does not have to be reelected. Both the House and Senate Chaplains are elected as individuals, "not as representatives of any religious body or denominational entity."
When a vacancy occurs, the Senate chooses a new Chaplain through a vote on the adoption of a resolution. According to a 2011 Congressional Research Service congressional report, "The three most recent Senate candidates for chaplain have been nominated by a bipartisan search committee that examined possible applicants. This method has not always been Senate practice and may differ from any future nomination." Ultimately, it is the "leadership" of the Senate that can decide on what names can be put forth as nominations.
The report also notes that "The post of chaplain to the Senate has generally not been subject to party considerations."
Constitutionality
The question of the constitutionality of the position of the Senate Chaplain (as well as that of the House 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 Congs 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.
There have also been occasions when actions or decisions of individuals serving in the position have created controversy. For example, in 2007 Senate Chaplain Barry C. Black canceled his scheduled appearance at the "Evangelical conference" "Reclaiming America for Christ." According to news reports, "Black reconsidered his appearance after "Americans United for Separation of Church and State
Americans United for Separation of Church and State
Americans United for Separation of Church and State is a group that advocates separation of church and state, a legal doctrine interpreted by AU as being enshrined in the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.-Mission:The guiding principle of Americans...
" objected. Black announced he had reconsidered his participation because it would not be appropriate considering the Senate Chaplain's "historic tradition of being nonpolitical, nonpartisan, nonsectarian." Black said that he had received a "very generic invitation" to speak, and felt that the information about the event had been "incomplete."
In 1984, Dr. Paul Kurtz
Paul Kurtz
Paul Kurtz is a prominent American skeptic and secular humanist. He has been called "the father of secular humanism." He is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at the State University of New York at Buffalo, having previously also taught at Vassar, Trinity, and Union colleges, and the New School for...
, "a professor of philosophy and advocate of secular humanism," sued the government in a case that reached the United States Supreme Court for the right to offer comments in place of the prayer that would normally be delivered by the Senate Chaplain or Guest Chaplain. The Court denied his suit on the grounds that no individual has the "right" to address Congress, and that the delivery of the prayer, coordinated by the Senate Chaplain, was governed by policies that dealt with "prayers" (not "remarks") which Kurtz did not seem prepared to offer.
In 2007, the prayer delivered by Rajan Zed, the first Hindu Guest Chaplain was briefly interrupted by protestors described by news reports as members of the Christian Right
Christian right
Christian right is a term used predominantly in the United States to describe "right-wing" Christian political groups that are characterized by their strong support of socially conservative policies...
. Activists had organized supporters to lobby Congress to stop the delivery of the prayer and failing that action to interrupt the prayer itself. The protestors were removed by the Capitol Police
Capitol police
Capitol police in the United States are agencies charged with the provision of security police services for various state agencies, but especially State Legislatures. Capitol police may function as part of the state police or may be an independent agency...
, charged with disrupting Congress, and barred from the Capitol and its grounds for twelve months.
Current Chaplain
The current Chaplain, the 62nd Chaplain of the United States Senate, Barry C. Black, is the first African-American and the first Seventh Day Adventist to serve in the position. He previously served as Chief of Chaplains of the United States NavyChief of Chaplains of the United States Navy
The Chief of Chaplains of the United States Navy is the Senior Chaplain in the Navy, the Head of the U.S. Navy Chaplain Corps, and the Director of Religious Ministry Support for the Department of the Navy...
, holding the rank of Rear Admiral
Rear admiral (United States)
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. The uniformed services of the United States are unique in having two grades of rear admirals.- Rear admiral :...
. Although some news reports note that Black is the "first military chaplain" to serve as Senate Chaplain, the Rev. Edward L. R. Elson, the 59th Chaplain of the United States Senate, served as an Army chaplain during World War II.
List of Senate chaplains
The website for the U.S. Senate includes the following list of past and present Senate Chaplains:| Chaplain | Photo | Denomination | Appointed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Samuel Provoost Samuel Provoost Samuel Provoost was the third Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, USA, as well as the first Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York. He was consecrated as bishop of New York in 1787 with Bishop William White. He was born in New York City, of Huguenot descent, in 1742, and educated at... |
|
Episcopal | April 25, 1789 |
| 2. | William White William White (Bishop of Pennsylvania) The Most Reverend William White was the first and fourth Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, USA , the first Bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania , and the second United States Senate Chaplain... |
 |
Episcopal | December 9, 1790 |
| 3. | Thomas John Claggett Thomas John Claggett Thomas John Claggett was the first bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America to be consecrated on American soil and the first bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland.-Early family life:... |
Episcopal | November 27, 1800 | |
| 4. | Edward Gantt Edward Gantt Edward Gantt was an Episcopal clergyman who served as Chaplain of the Senate of the United States .-Early life:Edward Gantt was born in Prince George's County, Maryland in 1746, the son of Mary and Thomas Gantt IV... |
Episcopal | December 9, 1801 | |
| 5. | A. T. McCormick A. T. McCormick A. Thomas McCormick was an Episcopal clergyman and Chaplain of the United States Senate. Historians often render his name as Andrew Thomas McCormick or as Alexander Thomas McCormick, which makes researching his life and ministry a bit challenging. The references upon which this biographical... |
Episcopal | November 7, 1804 | |
| 6. | Edward Gantt Edward Gantt Edward Gantt was an Episcopal clergyman who served as Chaplain of the Senate of the United States .-Early life:Edward Gantt was born in Prince George's County, Maryland in 1746, the son of Mary and Thomas Gantt IV... |
Episcopal | December 4, 1805 | |
| 7. | John Johnson Sayrs John Johnson Sayrs John Johnson Sayrs was an American Episcopal clergyman who served as Chaplain of the Senate.-Early years:John Johnson Sayrs was born in 1774 in Newark, New Jersey, the son of Caleb Sayrs and his wife Sarah Johnson... |
Episcopal | December 3, 1806 | |
| 8. | A. T. McCormick A. T. McCormick A. Thomas McCormick was an Episcopal clergyman and Chaplain of the United States Senate. Historians often render his name as Andrew Thomas McCormick or as Alexander Thomas McCormick, which makes researching his life and ministry a bit challenging. The references upon which this biographical... |
Episcopal | November 10, 1807 | |
| 9. | Robert Elliott | Presbyterian | November 10, 1808 | |
| 10. | James Jones Wilmer James Jones Wilmer James Jones Wilmer was an Episcopal clergyman who served as Chaplain of the Senate of the United States.- Early life :... |
Episcopal | May 24, 1809 | |
| 11. | 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... |
December 5, 1809 | |
| 12. | Walter Dulaney Addison Walter Dulaney Addison Walter Dulaney Addison was an Episcopal clergyman who served as Chaplain of the United States Senate .-Early years:... |
Episcopal | December 12, 1810 | |
| 13. | John Brackenridge, D.D. | Presbyterian | November 13, 1811 | |
| 14. | Jesse Lee | Methodist | September 27, 1814 | |
| 15. | John Glendy John Glendy John Glendy was a Scots-Irish Presbyterian clergyman who served as Chaplain of the Senate of the United States.-Early life:John Glendy was born near the city of Derry in Ulster province to Samuel and Mary Glendy, on 24 June 24 1755... |
Presbyterian | December 8, 1815 | |
| 16. | Sereno Edwards Dwight Sereno Edwards Dwight Sereno Edwards Dwight was an American author, educator, and Congregationalist minister, who served as Chaplain of the Senate.- Early years:... |
Congregationalist Congregational church Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs.... |
December 16, 1816 | |
| 17. | William Dickinson Hawley William Dickinson Hawley William Dickinson Hawley was an Episcopal clergyman who served as Chaplain of the Senate.- Early years :William Dickinson Hawley was born in 1784 in Manchester, Vermont, the fifth child of Jabez Hawley and Phoebe Peet. He first studied for the law under Judge Peter Radcliffe in New York City... |
Episcopal | December 9, 1817 | |
| 18. | John Clark John Clark (chaplain) John Flavel Clark was a Presbyterian clergyman who served as Chaplain of the Senate.-Early years:John Flavel Clark was born on December 10, 1784, in Allentown, New Jersey, the oldest of three sons of Margaret Imlay Clark and Dr. Joseph Clark who was pastor of First Presbyterian Church of New... |
Presbyterian | November 19, 1818 | |
| 19. | 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 | December 9, 1819 | |
| 20. | William Ryland William Ryland William Ryland was a Methodist clergyman who served several terms as Chaplain of the Senate.- Early years :William Ryland was born in Ireland in 1770. He came to the United States at the age of 18 and settled in Harford County, Maryland. For a time, he engaged in business in Baltimore; on May... |
Methodist | November 17, 1820 | |
| 21. | Charles Pettit McIlvaine Charles Pettit McIlvaine Charles Pettit McIlvaine was an Episcopalian bishop, author, educator and twice Chaplain of the United States Senate.-Early life and family:... |
 |
Episcopal | December 9, 1822 |
| 22. | William Staughton William Staughton William Staughton was a Baptist clergyman, educator, and music composer. He was also a Chaplain of the United States Senate and the first President of Columbian College from 1821-1827, which is the original name and oldest division of The George Washington University.Staughton was born on... |
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... |
December 10, 1823 | |
| 23. | Charles Pettit McIlvaine Charles Pettit McIlvaine Charles Pettit McIlvaine was an Episcopalian bishop, author, educator and twice Chaplain of the United States Senate.-Early life and family:... |
|
Episcopal | December 14, 1824 |
| 24. | William Staughton William Staughton William Staughton was a Baptist clergyman, educator, and music composer. He was also a Chaplain of the United States Senate and the first President of Columbian College from 1821-1827, which is the original name and oldest division of The George Washington University.Staughton was born on... |
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... |
December 12, 1825 | |
| 25. | William Ryland William Ryland William Ryland was a Methodist clergyman who served several terms as Chaplain of the Senate.- Early years :William Ryland was born in Ireland in 1770. He came to the United States at the age of 18 and settled in Harford County, Maryland. For a time, he engaged in business in Baltimore; on May... |
Methodist | December 8, 1826 | |
| 26. | Henry Van Dyke Johns Henry Van Dyke Johns Henry Van Dyke Johns was an Episcopal clergyman who served as Chaplain of the Senate.- Early years :Johns was born October 23 , 1803 in New Castle County, Delaware, the son of the son of Kensey and Anne Johns. His was a prominent political family in New Castle, Delaware... |
Episcopal | December 14, 1829 | |
| 27. | John Price Durbin John Price Durbin John Price Durbin was a Methodist clergyman who served as Chaplain of the Senate and president of Dickinson College.- Early years :... |
Methodist | December 19, 1831 | |
| 28. | Charles Constantine Pise Charles Constantine Pise Charles Constantine Pise was a Roman Catholic priest and writer.Born in Annapolis, Maryland, "the son of an Italian father and a mother who came from an old Philadelphia family," he was educated at Georgetown College in Washington, D.C., entered the Society of Jesus, and was ordained in 1825.He... |
Roman Catholic | December 11, 1832 | |
| 29. | Frederick Winslow Hatch Frederick Winslow Hatch Frederick Winslow Hatch was an Episcopal clergyman who served as Chaplain of the Senate of the United States.- Early years :... |
Episcopal | December 10, 1833 | |
| 30. | Edward Young Higbee Edward Young Higbee Edward Young Higbee was an Episcopal clergyman who served as Chaplain of the United States Senate .- Early years :... |
Episcopal | December 23, 1835 | |
| 31. | John Reinhard Goodman John Reinhard Goodman John Reinhard Goodman was an Episcopal clergyman who served as Chaplain of the Senate .- Early life :Goodman was born in Philadelphia. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania . - Ministry :John R... |
Episcopal | December 28, 1836 | |
| 32. | Henry Slicer Henry Slicer Henry Slicer was a Methodist minister who served as Chaplain of the Senate for three separate terms.-Early years:... |
Methodist | September 11, 1837 | |
| 33. | George Grimston Cookman George Grimston Cookman George Grimston Cookman was a Methodist clergyman who served as Chaplain of the Senate.George Grimston Cookman was born in Kingston-on-Hull, Yorkshire, England, on October 21, 1801, to George and Mary Cookman. He joined a Methodist society in 1820 and in 1821 he visited the United States for the... |
Methodist | December 31, 1839 | |
| 34. | 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 | June 12, 1841 | |
| 35. | Henry Slicer Henry Slicer Henry Slicer was a Methodist minister who served as Chaplain of the Senate for three separate terms.-Early years:... |
Methodist | December 16, 1846 | |
| 36. | Clement Moore Butler Clement Moore Butler Clement Moore Butler was an Episcopal clergyman who served as Chaplain of the Senate .- Early years :Clement Moore Butler was born on October, 16, 1810, in Troy, New York, the son of David Butler and Chloe Jones Butler. He graduated from Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut, in 1833, and the... |
Episcopal | January 9, 1850 | |
| 37. | Henry Slicer Henry Slicer Henry Slicer was a Methodist minister who served as Chaplain of the Senate for three separate terms.-Early years:... |
Methodist | December 7, 1853 | |
| 38. | Henry Clay Dean Henry Clay Dean Henry Clay Dean was a Methodist Episcopal preacher, lawyer, orator and author who was a critic of the American Civil War and the Lincoln Administration.-Early life and education:... |
Methodist | December 4, 1855 | |
| 39. | Stephen P. Hill Stephen P. Hill Stephen P. Hill was a Baptist clergyman who served as Chaplain of the Senate- Early life :Stephen Prescott Hill was born in Salem, Massachusetts, on April 17, 1806. He was educated at Waterville College, Brown University and Newton Theological Seminary . He was ordained on April 2, 1832... |
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... |
December 8, 1856 | |
| 40. | Phineas Densmore Gurley Phineas Densmore Gurley Phineas Densmore Gurley was Chaplain of the United States Senate and pastor of New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC.-Early life:... |
 |
Presbyterian | December 15, 1859 |
| 41. | Byron Sunderland Byron Sunderland Byron Sunderland was an American Presbyterian minister and served as a Chaplain of the United States Senate during the American Civil War.-Biography:... |
Presbyterian | July 10, 1861 | |
| 42. | Thomas Bowman Thomas Bowman (Methodist Episcopal Bishop) Thomas Bowman was an American Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, elected in 1872. He was born 15 July 1817 at Berwick, Pennsylvania.... |
Methodist | May 11, 1864 | |
| 43. | Edgar Harkness Gray Edgar Harkness Gray Edgar Harkness Gray was a Baptist clergyman who served as Chaplain of the Senate.-Early years:Edgar Harkness Gray was born on November 28, 1813, in Bridport, Vermont, the son of Daniel Gray and his second wife, Mary “Amy” Bosworth. Gray graduated from Colby College in 1838... |
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... |
March 9, 1865 | |
| 44. | John Philip Newman John Philip Newman John Philip Newman was an American Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, elected in 1888.-Birth and family:... |
Methodist | March 8, 1869 | |
| 45. | Byron Sunderland Byron Sunderland Byron Sunderland was an American Presbyterian minister and served as a Chaplain of the United States Senate during the American Civil War.-Biography:... |
Presbyterian | December 8, 1873 | |
| 46. | Joseph J. Bullock Joseph J. Bullock Joseph J. Bullock was a Presbyterian clergyman who served as Chaplain of the Senate of the United States from 1879 until 1883.-Early years:... |
Presbyterian | March 24, 1879 | |
| 47. | Elias DeWitt Huntley Elias DeWitt Huntley Elias Dewitt Huntley was a Methodist clergyman who served as Chaplain of the Senate.- Early life :Elias Dewitt Huntley, was born April 19, 1840, in Elmira, New York, the son of Frances Tooker and Elias Sanford Huntley... |
Methodist | December 18, 1883 | |
| 48. | 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:... |
Lutheran | March 15, 1886 | |
| 49. | 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 | April 6, 1893 | |
| 50. | F.J. Prettyman F.J. Prettyman Forrest Johnston Prettyman was a Methodist clergyman who served as Chaplain of the Senate from 1903 to 1904 and 1913 to 1921.- Early years :... |
Methodist | November 23, 1903 | |
| 51. | Edward Everett Hale Edward Everett Hale Edward Everett Hale was an American author, historian and Unitarian clergyman. He was a child prodigy who exhibited extraordinary literary skills and at age thirteen was enrolled at Harvard University where he graduated second in his class... |
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.... |
December 14, 1903 | |
| 52. | Ulysses Grant Baker Pierce Ulysses Grant Baker Pierce Ulysses Grant Baker Pierce was a Unitarian minister who served as Chaplain of the Senate .-Early years:Ulysses Grant Baker Pierce was born in Providence, Rhode Island on July 17, 1865. He received degrees from Hillsdale College and Harvard Divinity School... |
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.... |
June 18, 1909 | |
| 53. | F.J. Prettyman F.J. Prettyman Forrest Johnston Prettyman was a Methodist clergyman who served as Chaplain of the Senate from 1903 to 1904 and 1913 to 1921.- Early years :... |
Methodist | March 13, 1913 | |
| 54. | Joseph Johnston Muir Joseph Johnston Muir Joseph Johnston Muir was a Baptist clergyman who served as Chaplain of the Senate.-Early years:Joseph Johnstone Muir was born on July 30, 1847, in Ireland to Scots-Irish parents, Alexander Johnston and Mary Faith Stothard Muir. He worked for a time in business in Dublin before moving to the... |
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... |
January 21, 1921 | |
| 55. | ZeBarney Thorne Phillips ZeBarney Thorne Phillips ZeBarney Thorne Phillips was an Episcopal clergyman who served as Chaplain of the Senate .- Early years :ZeBarney Thorne Phillips was born in Springfield, Ohio, May 1, 1875, the son of ZeBarney and Sallie Essex Sharp Phillips. The elder Phillips died when his son was four years old. He was... |
Episcopal | December 5, 1927 | |
| 56. | Frederick Brown Harris Frederick Brown Harris Frederick Brown Harris , a Methodist clergyman has the distinction of the longest service record as Chaplain of the Senate , in a term of service interrupted by the chaplaincy of Peter Marshall.- Early life :... |
Methodist | October 10, 1942 | |
| 57. | Peter Marshall Peter Marshall (preacher) Dr. Peter Marshall was a Scottish-American preacher, former pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, and twice served as Chaplain of the United States Senate... |
 |
Presbyterian | January 4, 1947 |
| 58. | Frederick Brown Harris Frederick Brown Harris Frederick Brown Harris , a Methodist clergyman has the distinction of the longest service record as Chaplain of the Senate , in a term of service interrupted by the chaplaincy of Peter Marshall.- Early life :... |
Methodist | February 3, 1949 | |
| 59. | Edward L.R. Elson Edward L.R. Elson The Reverend Edward Lee Roy Elson was a Presbyterian minister andChaplain of the United States Senate.-Life:Edward Lee Roy Elson, the oldest of nine children, was born in... |
Presbyterian | January 9, 1969 | |
| 60. | Richard C. Halverson Richard C. Halverson The Reverend Richard Christian Halverson, D.D., , was born in Pingree, North Dakota. He attended Valley City State Teacher College in Valley City, North Dakota, before earning a Bachelor of Science degree from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, in 1939, participating in the Wheaton College Men's... |
Presbyterian | February 2, 1981 | |
| 61. | Lloyd John Ogilvie Lloyd John Ogilvie Dr. Lloyd John Ogilvie is a Presbyterian minister who served as Chaplain of the United States Senate from 104th through 107th Congresses .-Early years:Lloyd John Oglivie, was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin, September 2, 1930... |
 |
Presbyterian | March 11, 1995 |
| 62. | Barry C. Black Barry Black Barry C. Black is the 62nd Chaplain of the United States Senate. He was elected to this position on June 27, 2003, becoming the first African-American, the first Seventh-day Adventist, and the first military chaplain to hold the office of chaplain to the United States Senate... |
Seventh-day Adventist Seventh-day Adventist Church The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath, and by its emphasis on the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ... |
July 7, 2003 |
Demographics
The U.S. Senate website focusing on the history of Senate Chaplains includes the following information on the religious backgrounds of past and current Senate Chaplains:| Episcopalian | 19 |
| Methodist | 17 |
| Presbyterian | 14 |
| Baptist | 6 |
| Unitarian | 2 |
| Congregationalist | 1 |
| Lutheran | 1 |
| Roman Catholic | 1 |
| Seventh-day Adventist | 1 |
| Total | | 62 |
|---|