Courtroom interior_newWritten by Don Byrd

Former Navy Chaplain Gordon Klingenschmitt has waged a legal and PR campaign against certain chaplain regulations for several years. Specifically, he questions requirements that chaplains should refrain from sectarian prayer in their official capacity at military events.

Via Religion Clause, a federal claims court ruling Monday rejected his First Amendment claim and effort at reinstatement. Importantly, the court ruled his religious freedom rights were not infringed by an order that he refrain from participating in uniform in an event he described as a religious service, but officials concluded was a political event.

From the opinion:

[T]he Court finds unpersuasive Dr. Klingenschmitt’s argument that his First Amendment right to practice his religious beliefs was infringed by Captain Pyle’s Order that he not wear his uniform to the media event held in Lafayette Park in March 2006. Captain Pyle’s Order was based on Navy regulations that prohibit the wearing of a uniform in connection with political activities. The Order did not limit Dr. Klingenschmitt’s right to engage in any religious practices (including presenting an opening prayer at the event or invoking the name of Jesus in his prayer). It simply prohibited Dr. Klingenschmitt from engaging in this activity while wearing his uniform at what was clearly a political event and not, as Dr. Klingenschmitt seems to suggest, a bona fide religious service. Therefore, taking this infraction into consideration in deciding whether to recertify Dr. Klingenschmitt as a chaplain did not violate either his First Amendment rights or RFRA.