WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� The Department of Defense announced on Friday a significant reduction in the number of religious affiliations it officially recognizes.
The new list of 31 is down from more than 200 previously recognized traditions that troops could choose from. The list no longer includes atheists, Unitarian Universalists, pagans and Wiccans.
鈥淭his decrease in religious affiliation codes is not designed to make any claims on the legitimacy of any faith or religious belief, nor is it intended to provide a list of 鈥榦fficially approved鈥� religions,鈥� Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement. 鈥淩ather, it is designed to allow chaplains to quickly look at the religious composition of their units and determine how they structure resources to best provide for warfighters of all faith groups.鈥�
Parnell added the department values the free exercise of religion and chaplains facilitate service members’ 鈥渁bility to freely exercise their religion of choice, or no religion at all.鈥�
The list creates broad categories of some Christian traditions 鈥� Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist 鈥� without specifying denominations within those traditions, which can span the theological and ideological spectrum.
Service members can choose to identify as 鈥渘o religion,鈥� 鈥渙ther religions鈥� or agnostic. Also included are Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Sikhism, the Baha鈥檌 faith and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Unitarian Universalist Association, which was cut from the list, said in a statement, “This may make it more difficult for our uniformed UUs to access the spiritual care that they need.鈥� The denomination said it is working on a strategic response to support UU service members.
has with his leadership of the Pentagon, hosting worship services for employees and often speaking of the United States as a Christian nation.
He first announced the impending changes to the faith categories in December, saying the large number of faith codes had become unmanageable.
鈥淪ecretary Hegseth is not 鈥榮treamlining鈥� anything. He is elevating one narrow religious worldview from the top of the chain of command,鈥� said the Rev. Paul Raushenbush, a Baptist minister and head of the progressive Interfaith Alliance. 鈥淭he First Amendment does not allow the government to create a hierarchy of faiths, and it certainly does not allow the Pentagon to decide which beliefs are worthy of recognition.鈥�
The military is , and nearly 70% of troops identify as Christian, according to a 2019 congressional report. Almost a quarter of troops were listed as other, unclassified or unknown.
鈥淎s a member of a minority religion, I think it鈥檚 really important that we be counted,鈥� said Irene Glasse, a pagan religious professional and Marine Corp veteran. 鈥淚t erases us, and so many of us have served so proudly, so well, and so honorably.鈥�
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AP reporter Konstantin Toropin contributed to this report.
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