SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Pentagon officials revised the new religious classification list after several days of criticism from Utah lawmakers.
Sen. John Curtis announced the change Monday morning, thanking Pentagon officials for listening to concerns from Utah’s elected officials.
“The Pentagon’s job is not to adjudicate theological debates, but instead to ensure sincerely held faith is respected and encouraged in our ranks,” Curtis wrote on X. He thanked Pentagon officials for “listening to our concerns, engaging thoughtfully and respectfully with my office on this issue, and making a correction.”
Curtis shared a statement from the Department of War’s Rapid Response account, which said the issue stemmed from a proposed list of simplified faith codes released to the media last week.
“Last week, a proposed list of simplified faith codes was released to the media,” the department said. “The Pentagon list included redundant and unnecessary labeling, and the mistake has been fixed.”
According to the department, the revised list no longer places Christian denominations under a broad “Christian” category. Instead, denominations are listed individually, including Baptists, Catholics, Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians, Pentecostals and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Pentagon said the broader effort is intended to simplify what had become an extensive list of more than 200 religious affiliation codes used by the military.
The announcement came after Utah’s congressional delegation mounted a public campaign urging the Pentagon to reconsider the classification, as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was not included under the list of Christian denominations.
Sen. Mike Lee said Monday he had discussed the issue with President Donald Trump and was optimistic a resolution was forthcoming.
“I just got off the phone with President Trump,” Lee wrote on X. “We discussed the Pentagon’s ‘Christian list.’ I won’t speak for him, but I’m thrilled about where this is heading.”
Lee added, “We’re most fortunate that President Trump (1) loves Latter-day Saints, and (2) is our commander in chief. Stay tuned.”
Utah’s senators were among the first elected officials to publicly challenge the classifications.
“Can anyone tell me why The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was left out of the list of Christian churches?” Lee asked in an earlier post.
Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, called the classification “unacceptable.”
“Latter-day Saints are among the most patriotic, service-oriented individuals in our country. They are also unequivocally Christian, just look at who is in the name of the Church,” Curtis wrote. “It is unacceptable for a government entity to characterize a faith in a manner that contradicts the religion’s own foundational tenets. I am working now to ensure a correction is made.”
Former Utah Congressman Jason Chaffetz also weighed in, urging the Pentagon to revise the classification.
“DOD needs to correct the record,” Chaffetz wrote on X. “Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints truly are Christians. I happen to be a member, and first and foremost I believe in Jesus Christ. We are Christians.”
Utah’s Republican members of Congress echoed similar concerns over the weekend.
Rep. Celeste Maloy said she supports military leaders and believes they are acting in the best interests of service members of all faiths, but emphasized that Latter-day Saints are Christians.
“We worship Jesus Christ, strive to follow His teachings, and His name is even in the name of our Church,” Maloy wrote.
Maloy said having Latter-day Saints serving in military leadership gives her confidence that religious liberty concerns are being considered and that she looks forward to learning more about the reasoning behind the change while ensuring service members receive appropriate religious support and First Amendment protections.
Rep. Mike Kennedy was more direct.
“I’m a Latter-day Saint, and I am a Christian,” Kennedy wrote. “Christ’s name is on our Church for a reason. This must be corrected.”
“The Pentagon’s decision to list The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints apart from other Christian faiths is wrong and needs to be corrected. No one needs to wonder where members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stand. We stand with Christ. We are Christians. On that ground, and on the much larger ground of shared faith, values, and purpose, Latter-day Saints stand alongside many Christians of every tradition in following the teachings of Christ. We only ask to be accurately portrayed. I strongly urge the Department to correct the record.”
Rep. Burgess Owens characterized the classification Saturday as politically motivated and said it misrepresents Christian identity.
“Don’t worry, this is an easy-peasy fix,” Owens wrote on X. “As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we will be listed.”
Owens said he expects the designation to be corrected as lawmakers continue seeking clarification from military officials.
Owens on Monday shared a personal account of his conversion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and emphasizing his belief in Jesus Christ.
While most of the public reaction from Utah elected officials has criticized the change, at least one military veteran and Latter-day Saint argued the updated classification could ultimately benefit members of the faith.
State Senator Dan McCay shared a post by Dan Shaha who said he initially withheld comment because he wanted to avoid an emotional reaction to the issue. After considering the change, he said not being listed under the Christian denominations may have practical advantages within the military chaplain system.
Shaha argued that when The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is grouped under a broader Protestant Christian category, military planners may view Protestant chaplains as capable of meeting the religious needs of Latter-day Saint service members.
“When it comes to manning requirements, an LDS Chaplain and a Protestant Chaplain become interchangeable,” Shaha wrote.
Under that system, he argued, military installations may have fewer dedicated Latter-day Saint chaplain positions because the religious needs of LDS service members are considered covered by existing Protestant chaplains.
By listing the church separately, Shaha said the Department of Defense could be required to ensure a minimum number of Latter-day Saint chaplains are available to serve members of the faith, potentially creating more opportunities for LDS chaplains and increasing their presence across the military.
It is unclear how that process would work now that the “Christian” designation has been removed from the list.
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