•
Portland, Maine

91ֱƵCenter for Global Humanities screens 'Three Chaplains' on Oct. 20

A man prays while wearing a U.S. military uniform
The film examines faith and service to the nation through the eyes of three Muslim chaplains of the U.S. military.
Event Information and Livestream

As Muslim chaplains in the U.S. military, Rafael Lantigua, Khallid Shabazz, and Saleha Jabeen swear an oath to the Constitution, vowing to protect the right of every service member to practice their faith freely.  Despite their decades of military service, however, some still view them as the enemy and unfit to serve because of their religious beliefs. Rather than blend in, they accept the challenges and dangers of being the public face of Islam for the U.S. military.

This is the topic we will explore when the Center for Global Humanities screens the documentary film “Three Chaplains” on Monday, Oct. 20, at 6 p.m. at WCHP Lecture Hall in Parker Pavilion on the 91ֱƵPortland Campus for the Health Sciences.

“Three Chaplains” brings viewers inside the armed forces to reveal how these chaplains practice, teach, and share their faith with troops around the world. Rafael, Khallid, and Saleha each face resistance — from accusations of being terrorists to disapproval from their own family members — while ascending to the highest ranks of the military. Like generations of minority service members before them, they fight for equality for all.

Following the one-hour film, “Three Chaplains” director David Washburn will join attendees for a conversation. The Maine filmmaker specializes in independent documentaries that bridge religious and cultural divides in the post-9/11 era. He has collaborated with American Muslim storytellers on three film projects, starting with “An American Mosque,” which tells the story of the first mosque in the United States to be destroyed by a hate-crime. The film won multiple awards from Muslim advocacy groups and was broadcast on public television nationwide. 

“Three Chaplains” aired on PBS nationwide earlier this year. Since its release, it has garnered awards from the Religion News Association, American Academy of Religion, and Religion Communicators Council.

“Secretary of War Pete Hegseth recently vowed to end all efforts to promote diversity in the U.S. military,” said CGH Director Josh Pahigian, M.F.A . “This film sheds light on what that will mean in human terms.” 

This will be the second of five events this fall at the Center for Global Humanities, where lectures are always free and open to the public. View all upcoming CGH events

 

Save the Date: “Three Chaplains” Film Screening

Media Contact

Josh Pahigian
Office of Communications
jpahigian@une.edu

About the 91ֱƵ

The 91ֱƵ is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of . In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.