An Army Reserve chaplain was removed from duty at the VA medical center in Coatesville, Pennsylvania after someone was offended by a sermon he delivered from the New Testament book of Romans. The pastor’s message was inspired by Chapter 1.
Chaplain Rusty Trubey was later reinstated but he was told that future sermons would need to be submitted in advance and would be subjected to censorship.
First Liberty Institute, one of the nation’s top religious liberty law firms, is representing Chaplain Trubey and they contend that the VA medical center broke federal law. The Independence Law Center is also a part of the chaplain’s legal team.
“The government has no business censoring anyone’s sermon, including military chaplains,” said First Liberty attorney Erin Smith. “This is just the kind of woke policy that we anticipate Secretary Collins wants to purge from the VA.”
First Liberty sent a letter asking Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins urging him to take immediate action and eliminate what they called a speech code imposed by the VA.
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Chaplain Trubey is a current Army Reserve chaplain, veteran and former missionary who has served the veterans of the Coatesville VA for the last 10 years.
Last June the chaplain conducted a worship service in the chapel and preached a sermon from the first chapter of Romans.
“After the service ended, an onsite VA police officer approached him, alleging complaints made about his sermon. Chaplain Trubey informed his supervisor that the police had been called after his sermon,” First Liberty alleged.
After that, Chaplain Trubey was removed from his duties as chaplain and reassigned to logistics in the hospital stocking shelves. When he asked for an explanation, his supervisor said it was due to “inappropriate conduct” and because the message was based on a “very charged and divisive text.”
First Liberty said Chaplain Trubey was investigated for several months and threatened with a reprimand on his permanent record.
He was later reinstated after the VA received a letter from First Liberty. But now all his sermons must be pre-approved. His supervisor has the power to decide what content in a sermon is “objectionable.”
“Chaplains’ sermons hold a special place in the context of the First Amendment’s Free Speech protections, and chaplains do not forfeit those rights by virtue of their employment by the federal government,” read First Liberty’s letter to Secretary. Collins. “The VA punished Chaplain Trubey for exercising his rights and now proposes changes to the SOP that would allow the Coatesville Facility to continue violating his free speech rights and the rights of all chaplains.”
Chaplains shouldn’t be punished for carrying out their religious mission and duties. If someone takes offense perhaps they should search their own heart for the reason why. Perhaps the “offense” is nothing more than a sinner under conviction.
I have no doubt that Sec. Collins will take immediate action and restore the chaplain’s rights. This is yet another example of the widespread attacks on religious liberty that so many of our veterans have had to endure.
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