America’s combat chaplains of ‘all faiths’ are the focus of new film

“It’s been a four-year journey for me,” Rich Hull said in a phone interview from Los Angeles. 

Prior to beginning work on the film, the director said he “didn’t know anything about military combat chaplains” — but he quickly found himself amazed by their stories of bravery and heroism.

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“These are people [who] go to war wearing a uniform but not carrying a weapon,” he said. “And I thought, ‘Who in the world does that?’ Obviously, it’s a profession you do for far more than just a paycheck.” 

The film is narrated by its co-director, former U.S. Army chaplain Justin Roberts, who found himself having a difficult time transitioning back into life in the civilian world after serving in Afghanistan. 

During the film, Roberts travels to Wichita, Kansas, for the funeral of Emil Kapaun, an Army chaplain who died in a prisoner of war camp in North Korea. 

Kapaun, a Catholic priest, received the Medal of Honor in 2013.

Initially, Kapaun’s story was not going to be a major part of the film, which highlights the history of the Chaplain Corps and tells the stories of some of the 419 chaplains who died while serving their country. But, in 2021, Kapaun’s remains were finally identified and sent to his hometown in Kansas for a proper burial – and the film took a turn. 

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“[Roberts and I] weren’t quite sure how they would fit into our work, but we just kind of thought they might,” Hull said. “So we sent Justin with a camera crew off to the funeral, and Justin thought no one would show up and he would be the only guy.”

As it turns out, that was not the case. 

The funeral “literally shut down the whole town of Wichita,” Hull said. 

“People came from far and wide, not only to celebrate Father Kapaun, but to celebrate all combat chaplains. And I think it became a pivotal part of Justin’s own life.” 

The story of Kapaun’s homecoming and burial “is really where the movie found its heartbeat, because I think that’s what audiences are responding to,” Hull said. 

“It allowed us to build a structure for the movie that was all about Justin’s own journey, but also the journey of the former combat chaplains who inspired him.” 

The Chaplain Corps traces its history back to the Revolutionary War, Hull noted.

“One of the things that’s so amazing about the Chaplain Corps is that all faiths are represented.” 

In the film, viewers hear from Christian, Buddhist, Muslim and Jewish chaplains.

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“I think that the thing that’s interesting about that, for me, is that, particularly for people of faith, this is truly a unique opportunity to live your faith on a daily basis,” Hull said. 

“And so while a chaplain may come from a particular faith, when you’re out there on the front lines, you’re dealing with soldiers of all faiths and no faith.” 

“And you have to figure out how to bridge that divide on some really hard, powerful and important questions of life and death – and bullets are whizzing by your head.” 

“Fighting Spirit: A Combat Chaplain’s Journey” is in theaters nationwide.