Perspectief 2015-30

2015-30 Reluctant Prophets - The Prophetic Task of Military Chaplains 41 Reageer appointed for, go back to your spiritual welfare work, motivate my troops, and go provide church services for them? It’s a question we must ask ourselves. And it is not a merely hypothetical one: what happens for example when a high ranking, esteemed general violates his country’s integrity codes, for instance by having a secret love affair while he is working for an intelligence service? And what about soldiers who have several marriages on different continents, or soldiers who make themselves guilty of harassment of female subordinates? Does the chaplain dare to confront? Like Nathan, the military chaplain in these cases needs courage, and of course he needs prudence in his choice of instruments, as in Nathan’s case: his metaphorical narrative. But are these virtues part of the basic pastoral attitude? Or is this basic orientation solely about providing comfort? And do you as chiefs of military chaplains esteem this type of courage, or do you rather consider it a risk for the continuity of your pastoral service? Of course it is not my intention here to discuss this as a legal issue, I am talking about the theological and philosophical concept of pastoral care, or, as the Catholic tradition has it, as ‘care of souls’. Can, it, does it, should it, include prophetic self-clarification through confrontation? 2.2. Socrates confronting Alcibiades Let us turn to the next example: Socrates (470-399 BC) confronting Alcibiades (450-404 BC) regarding his ignorance about justice in two early writings of Plato (427-347 BC). Alcibiades’ abilities as a leader, a soldier and a strategist apparently are not sufficient for wisdom, especially with regard to justice. His changes of loyalties from ancient Athens to Sparta and back to Athens raise questions, too. Is Alcibiades merely an ambitious soldier striving for acknowledgment of his physical skills, his technical virtues with weapons, or his strategic insights - or does he strive for justice, and if so, what would that mean to him? The educational role of Socrates, who confronts one of the most powerful generals of his time, is a type of prophetism. Remarkably, the form it takes is not proclaiming truth but posing questions. Don’t be mistaken though: it was not always pleasant to be a partner in Socrates’ dialogues. Why not? First of all, he deprives his partners from their moral certai nties. And then, secondly, there is this irritating Socratic irony: one can never be sure whether