The "Prayer of a Midshipman" was written by

William Nathaniel Thomas William Nathaniel Thomas (March 21, 1892 – April 26, 1971) was a US Navy chief of chaplains, described by one historian as "one of the most distinguished Chaplains ever to serve in the US Navy."Martin, Lawrence H. CHC, Head, Chaplain's Corps ...

in 1938. Thomas (1892-1979) was the Chief of Chaplains of the United States Navy. He wrote the "Prayer of a Midshipman" at the request of the

midshipmen A midshipman is an officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Canada (Naval Cadet), Australia, Bangladesh, Namibia, New Zealand, South Afr ...

while Command Chaplain at the

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy ...

Annapolis Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east o ...

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

. It is said to encompass much of his theology and his ideal of a

Naval Officer An officer is a person who holds a position of authority as a member of an armed force or uniformed service. Broadly speaking, "officer" means a commissioned officer, a non-commissioned officer, or a warrant officer. However, absent context ...

." He never sought credit for the prayer. There is an original version and an ungendered interfaith version. The prayer has been used at Divine Services at the US Naval Academy Chapel ever since 1938. A bronze plaque of the prayer resides in the chapel. During Plebe summer 2013 the US Naval Academy Chaplain Center conducted a Midshipman Prayer Sermon Series. “Each Sunday during the Plebe Summer of 2013, the preacher for that week addressed one of the petitions of the Midshipman Prayer. The scripture readings were specially selected to complement and expand on the petition rather than follow the traditional Revised Common Lectionary.”US Naval Academy chaplains center, Protestant Community, Chaplains 2013

Midshipman Prayer 1938

Midshipman Prayer Interfaith Version

File:Midshipman Prayer Plaque, Dedication USNA Chapel 2018.jpg, Midshipman Prayer plaque in USNA Chapel File:USNA Chapel.jpg, USNA chapel

Criticism

The Constitution establishes that there are no religious tests for office, and that the government may not make an establishment of religion. While mandatory chapel attendance at the Naval Academy ended in the 1970s, mandatory, 100% Christian noon meal prayer continues every day, and religious tracts with the Midshipman Prayer on them are passed out by uniformed Naval officers at secular USNA events. Noon meal prayer has been discontinued at USMA and USAFA. The oath of office taken by midshipmen and officers may be affirmed and is to "support and defend the Constitution," not to serve the "almighty god / thee" specified in the prayer. While USNA claims the Midshipman Prayer is "interfaith," the text is specific to a monotheistic abrahamic religion. Members of other traditions at USNA, such as polytheists, members of dharmic religions, atheists, freethinkers, secularists, humanists, and a small group of satanist midshipmen, are excluded. USNA so far has declined to adopt more inclusive prayers and has had exclusively Christian noon meal prayer for several years. A proposed inclusive midshipman prayer is

References

{{Reflist Christian prayer