Pentagon Classification of LDS Church Draws Challenge From Utah Republicans
The Pentagon is facing pushback from Utah Republicans and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after a revised military religion list categorized the faith separately from Christian denominations.
The controversy began after the Department of Defense reduced the number of religious-affiliation codes available to service members from more than 200 to 31. While the LDS Church remained recognized, it was not included under the military’s Christian classifications.
Utah Sen. Mike Lee sharply criticized the move, arguing that government agencies should not be deciding theological questions. Sen. John Curtis also condemned the classification and urged the Pentagon to correct it.
Defense Department spokesman Sean Parnell said the changes were intended to help military chaplains quickly understand the religious makeup of their units and allocate support resources. He said the revised list was not designed to determine the legitimacy of any faith tradition.
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The dispute rapidly gained attention beyond Utah because it touches on a longstanding debate over whether the LDS Church should be considered part of Christianity. The church itself describes its members as followers of Jesus Christ and identifies as a Christian faith.
The episode also exposed tensions inside the broader conservative religious coalition. While LDS voters and evangelical Christians have often aligned politically on social and cultural issues, disagreements over theology have periodically resurfaced. Several reports noted that criticism of the Pentagon’s classification reignited those divisions.
After the backlash intensified, the Pentagon revised aspects of the labeling system, though questions remain about how religious affiliations will be categorized moving forward.
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