WASHINGTON — After a weekend in which numerous Utah political and religious leaders expressed outrage over a Department of Defense decision to exclude the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as being "Christian," the Pentagon has revised its classifications.
On Monday, the department reorganized its religions by denomination and removed the "Christian" category.
"Thank you to the [Defense Department] for listening to our concerns, engaging thoughtfully and respectfully with my office on this issue, and for delivering a swift correction," wrote Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah) on social media.
Curtis was one of the first Utah leaders to question the Pentagon's original decision, which pared the department's religious designations list to just 31 and excluded the LDS Church as being described as "Christian."
In a statement, the department appeared to admit its error.
"The goal of this effort is to simplify a previously out-of-control 'belief' coding system that had ballooned to over 200 codes," the statement read. "In order to clarify the work of chaplains, and simplify the work of commanders, the Pentagon has consolidated and simplified the list to roughly thirty codes — using the previously used labels for faiths.
"The Pentagon’s job is not to adjudicate theological debates, but instead to ensure sincerely-held faith is respected and encouraged in our ranks."
