The Fighting Faithful

The Reverend John Foote is one of the most inspiring figures in Canadian military history. A chaplain with the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry, Foote was part of the disastrous 1942 Dieppe raid and spent that terrible day carrying the wounded back under fire and ministering to the dead and dying. Several times Foote refused evacuation back to the safety of the ships. Given a final offer when he knew the alternative was captivity or death, Foote said he would be needed in the prisoner-of-war camps, and he walked back up the beach and into captivity. For his heroism, he was awarded the ultimate distinction for valour, the Victoria Cross.

Chaplains are a familiar aspect of military culture and history, especially the great battles of the Second World War. But what is their role in the modern world of improvised explosive devices and suicide bombers, where there are no fixed battle lines or even clear friends and foes? And in an increasingly secular and diverse society...