meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
Homebrewed Christianity

Josh Morris: Moral Injury & the War of Terror

Homebrewed Christianity

Dr. Tripp Fuller | Theologian, Philosopher, Minister

Religion & Spirituality, Christianity

4.6612 Ratings

🗓️ 9 September 2021

⏱️ 84 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Excited to have one of my heroes, practical theologian, army chaplain - Joshua Morris, joining me on the podcast to explore the legacy of 9/11 and the moral injury among returning veterans. About the book... Joshua Morris privileges the voices of veterans to argue that returning soldiers need families, friends, and religious communities to listen to their stories with compassion to avoid amplifying the effects of moral injury. When society greets returning soldiers in ways that reinforce cultural norms that frame military service as heroic, rather than acknowledging its ambiguities and harmful effects, it exacerbates moral injury and keeps veterans from resolving inner conflicts and coping effectively with civilian life. Morris, a military chaplain and veteran who served in Afghanistan, knows these difficulties first hand. Using stories from other veterans, Morris helps us see how cultural assumptions about military service can complicate moral injury and a veteran's return home. Drawing from liberation theologies, ideology critique, and Antonio Gramsci's advocacy for the working class, the book suggests useful perspectives and spiritual care resources for military chaplains, religious leaders, caregivers, and concerned civilians. Morris argues that military chaplains are uniquely positioned to help returning soldiers resist the amplification of existing moral injury. Moving from "thank you for your service" to liberative solidarity can galvanize resistance and make change possible. Here's my endorsement for the book: The church has long debated war in general and the terms for a 'just' war. Recently there has been a growing interest in the moral injury of soldiers and the responsibility of both the Church and the State for them. In Moral Injury Among Returning Veterans, Morris advances the conversation by harnessing the ambiguity of military Chaplaincy for theological profundity and ecclesiological clarity. Weaving together his own experience and the testimonies of those he served in Afghanistan with a liberationist reading of Bonhoeffer, Morris invites and challenges the reader with a vision of a counter-hegemonic community. In this text, Morris reveals himself as a trusted guide to process our own failures as a church, a nation, and an academy. I am deeply grateful for this powerful text.   Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Oh, what is up theology nerds?

0:09.4

This is Tripp, and you're listening to Homebrewed Christianity.

0:14.0

Since the year of 2008, we've been bringing you audiological goodness, you know, interviews with some of the best scholars

0:21.7

across disciplines from the academy, bringing that ivory tower brilliance.

0:28.7

Right into your earbuds.

0:30.2

And today on the podcast, you get to hear from my friend Josh Morris, practical theologian, Army chaplain, and a hospital chaplain.

0:44.5

And we're talking about his own personal theological reflections on the moral injury among returning veterans in the war on terror and how we move beyond,

0:58.5

uh, saying just thank you for your service and begin to wrestle with a,

1:02.8

a liberative solidarity.

1:05.3

This conversation is timely in that we've just ended the war in Afghanistan.

1:14.7

It's a 20th anniversary of 9-11.

1:18.8

And Josh tells his own personal experience from, you know, being a college student during 9-11,

1:26.1

to being a minister, to active duty service members, to

1:30.0

choosing to go into the army as a chaplain and then coming out of active duty, going into

1:38.5

reserves, doing a PhD in theology wrestling with trauma for those returning.

1:46.1

This is a powerful conversation.

1:48.7

I just really hope you enjoy it.

1:54.2

And definitely, definitely, if you do, go check out moral injury among returning veterans.

1:56.6

His new book, it comes out in just a week or two.

1:58.3

You can pre-order it.

2:05.1

Now, this episode is part of our current online learning group. Oh, God,

2:11.0

what now, Christianity 20 years after 9-11. If this conversation is something that intrigues you,

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Dr. Tripp Fuller | Theologian, Philosopher, Minister, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Dr. Tripp Fuller | Theologian, Philosopher, Minister and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.