Famous Hollywood actor and outspoken Christian Chris Pratt recently served as an executive producer on a faith-based film that sheds light on the realities of being a military chaplain. The movie “Fighting Spirit: A Combat Chaplain’s Journey” educates audiences on what life is like for these courageous military leaders. Pratt has always been vocal about his Christian faith, having been raised Lutheran and now non-denominational.
Producer and director Richard Hull said, “I knew nothing about military chaplains. I didn’t even know that that existed as a profession.” He added, “The more I got to know the subject matter, the more I fell in love with it, and I thought, ‘This is a movie that, not only do I want to produce, but I also want to direct and be the storyteller behind it.’”
Fighting Spirit’s website explained the role of Chaplains, stating, “Combat chaplains wear uniforms, but carry no weapons. And their service can involve the ultimate sacrifice. For nearly 250 years, in every battle throughout our nation’s history, they’ve been there…quietly supporting soldiers while bullets flew by.”
Furthermore, Pratt is a known supporter of veterans and helped the team uncover the stories of chaplains and their experiences in live combat. “He’s a big military supporter,” Hull said, describing Pratt’s dedication to those who have served the United States. “He’s a very faith-forward guy. He really has a true heartfelt interest in telling these stories, most of which have never been told.”
“On the one hand, chaplains go into combat wearing a uniform, but not carrying a weapon,” said Hull. “It’s a profession that … you do it for some higher calling,” Hull continued. “They’re just present and they’re dealing with these moments of life and death with soldiers, young and old — and families and it’s really intense, and it’s really powerful, and it’s very existential and a chaplain may come from a particular faith, and all faiths are represented in the chaplain cores of all the different military branches.”
According to a synopsis of the film, “When the remains of prisoner of war and Army combat chaplain Emil Kapaun (perhaps the Vatican’s next saint) are identified after 70 years, much of our nation is captivated by their journey home. As a younger former chaplain unexpectedly embarks on his own journey to greet them, he becomes inspired by the untold stories of the 419 U.S. military chaplain heroes who’ve given their lives for this unique calling. As the paths of these combat chaplains from different eras finally collide, we’re reminded how the profound weight of history and the immense power of love can converge to produce a life-changing healing.”
Explaining the importance of producing such a film in the current moment, the website continued, “The most common cause of death among U.S. military personnel isn’t getting shot in combat…it’s suicide. And combat chaplains are on the frontlines of that battle. The critical work of chaplains (which exist in virtually every military in the world) is even playing itself out before our eyes in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, as emphasized recently by a chaplain serving in the Ukrainian military: In the fog of war, a person sometimes loses his bearings. Therefore, the most difficult thing for a soldier in these conditions is to remain human. Chaplains do everything possible to treat a soldier’s soul after their combat duties, and it means helping them to remain human.”
Featured image credit: By Dick Thomas Johnson from Tokyo, Japan – Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom Japan Premiere Red Carpet: Chris Pratt, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=70484703