ABSTRACT
In a time when the Church is seeking to understand contemporary spirituality and "fresh expressions" of religion, a Navy chaplain's pastoral and liturgical experiences on a warship can challenge the reader to rethink and reframe how Christmas can be an encouragement to and a provocation for the ensemble of faith. Using Gordon Lathrop's methodology of juxtaposition, this chapter explores how a Navy chaplain becomes an integral part of the theological conversations between seemingly secular and sacred aspects of Christmas experiences. It is common practice that permission is given by the Commanding Officer to hold a Christmas Carol Service when no vessels are in sight or expected in the area. The spirituality and the religiosity of ship's company and their chaplain are challenged as they are forced to consider meanings of Christmas in unfamiliar and highly charged contexts. The story of Christmases as experienced by ship's companies and their chaplain reveals that spirituality and faith are not necessarily discrete or unconnected.
