Humanist sues Navy over denial of his chaplain application
A former Baptist minister who is now a humanist celebrant has sued the U.S. Navy for refusing his application to be a chaplain.
Jason Daniel Heap claims the Navy’s refusal to recognize the Humanist Society as a religious group that can provide chaplains violates the U.S. Constitution and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, the National Law Journal (sub. req.) reports.
Constitutional claims include alleged violations of the establishment, free-exercise, free-speech and religious-test clauses; as well as equal-protection and due-process protections. The federal suit was filed on Nov. 5 in the Eastern District of Virginia.
The U.S. Army allows humanist chaplains under a change made this year. Humanists follow ethical principles but don’t believe in God.
