The United States Department of Defence has revised its religious affiliation policy following backlash from lawmakers and faith leaders, issuing an updated framework that removes a broad “Christian” umbrella label and instead lists individual denominations — including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — as distinct categories.
The update, released Monday, follows days of criticism after the Pentagon initially unveiled a streamlined list of religious affiliation codes that reduced more than 200 recognised faith categories to just 31.
The changes stem from a broader administrative overhaul aimed at simplifying how the military tracks the religious identities of service members. Defence officials said the previous system — which included more than 200 categories — had become “unmanageable” and inefficient for chaplain services.
Under the new framework, the number of classifications was dramatically reduced, with many smaller or less commonly used belief systems consolidated into broader categories such as “Other Religions” or “No Religion.”
Pentagon officials emphasised that the revision is intended to improve how chaplains anticipate and meet service members’ spiritual needs rather than determine the legitimacy of any faith.
Initial classification sparks controversy
In its initial announcement, the Pentagon grouped 21 denominations under a single “Christian” umbrella category. However, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) — despite being included in the overall list — was not placed within that Christian grouping.
The omission drew immediate criticism, particularly from members of the Utah congressional delegation and other Latter-day Saint leaders, who argued the designation misrepresented the faith’s identity.
Utah lawmakers, including Sens. Mike Lee and John Curtis, publicly challenged the classification, calling it “unacceptable” and urging the Pentagon to correct what they described as a mischaracterisation of a Christian faith tradition.
In public statements, lawmakers emphasised that Latter-day Saints identify as Christians and objected to what they viewed as government involvement in defining religious doctrine.
Following the backlash, members of the Utah delegation engaged directly with Pentagon officials and raised concerns at the highest levels, including conversations involving the president, according to reports surrounding the policy dispute.
The pressure led to a rapid reassessment within the Defence Department, culminating in a revised list of religious affiliation codes.
In its updated version, the Pentagon eliminated the overarching “Christian” category altogether and instead organised all faiths — including previously grouped denominations — as standalone entries.
The change effectively resolves the immediate dispute over classification by treating each denomination equally without assigning them to umbrella religious labels.
Under the revised structure, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints remains one of the officially recognised categories, alongside other Christian denominations such as Baptist, Catholic, and Methodist, as well as non-Christian faiths including Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism.
The controversy highlights broader tensions surrounding religious representation within the U.S. military, particularly as the Pentagon seeks to balance administrative efficiency with the diversity of beliefs among service members.
