veterans need an interfaith coming home ritual

[TC Davis]

When IVW formed in 2015 members decided to emphasize the importance of faith resources for the prevention of veteran suicide.  That's why we decided to call ourselves the Interfaith Veterans' Workgroup.  Other veteran groups are also recognizing the importance of faith communities for veterans' psychological and spiritual resilience.  The VA is taking notice.  See this recent video from West Virginia:  https://www.wowktv.com/news/special-reports/veteran-ptsd-the-faith-option/2001653284.  In the video a veteran says he doesn't know why the importance of faith for veterans' healing hasn't been better recognized.  Maybe the secular drift of our society is a factor.  Maybe in a society that stives to keep the state out of religion it is difficult to promote the usefulness of religious resources without seeming to favor a particular tradition. That's why I believe that IVW should develop an interfaith coming home ritual which will address the spiritual needs of adherents from diverse traditions, and even none.  Could this be accomplished?  I think we ought to try. In the past we used a modified Lakota Sioux sweat lodge ceremony for this purpose.  It served well.  However, for health reasons not all veterans can safely undergo that ritual.  We need another. If you would like to join in creating such a resource please reply to this email.

Thanks,

Tom

TCDavis

President, Interfaith Veterans Workgroup

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