Reflections of an Army Chaplain
From Sonny to Reverend Davis to Chaplain Davis to Dr. Davis to Sonny-Just Tell the Truth
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Reflections on a Lifetime of Ministry
This book began at my six months of age. Sigmund Freud’s insight into the human psyche was pivotal in enabling other human beings to have a better understanding of human nature. The contributions of other psychoanalysts, psychologists, sociologists, historians, anthropologists, theologians and the host of specialist in all areas of life provide clearer understanding of our natural order. Yet so much has been overlooked in the lessons taught in life’s experiences such as Uncle Remus Tales, African Proverbs, and the wisdom of Eric Berne, psychiatrist, author and founder of Transactional Analysis. In his school of scholars, he explains a wisdom which comes from, not trained intellectuals, but human beings like “the woman at the clothesline;” or in the words of the late Bishop Joseph E. Johnson, New Testament theologian and seminary professor, on “the wisdom from “Aunt Jane.”
An appreciated definition of education from my, (name forgotten) high school assembly speaker is “The meaning of education. He said education is “to bring out that which is already within.” That which is already instilled within is instilled by God.
Consequently, everybody possesses what mankind cannot understand - God’s innate gifts, which can only be identified, polished and enjoyed, but never created. Such innate gifts are already embedded in every student before they enter the classroom. The ultimate challenge and responsibility of the teacher is to help identify and cultivate the educational nuggets that are instilled from birth.
Unfortunately, during the early and subsequent days of racial integration in public schools, reluctance to rise above culture has perhaps destroyed the educational genius and development of an entire generation of America’s students. The reluctance of some teachers to maximize on an equal basis their teaching skills with some students, and intuition of that unwillingness by all students, the actions of some students, showing off their refusal to study and learn, has severely hampered secondary education in America. Negative attitudes toward quality education to all who attend classes, has drained educational energy from both student and teacher. Although taxes have paid for salaries, buildings and educational resources, America loses. Incarceration centers are lacking in supply to maintain space for educational failures which pivot on broken families from broken dreams. Consequently, the streets or interstate highways, shopping centers nor gated communities, churches or other houses of worship, nor vacation paradises, are safe from former angry students.
At Southeast Institute, Chapel Hill, NC, Dr. Martin Grober, Psychiatrist, in one of his many lectures when I was a student there, explained it this way. His colloquially use of words explained his “Idiot Scale.” In a lecture, Martin held that the only difference between gangsters, gang leaders, Hitler sympathizers, leaders of corporation executives, Presidents of nations, college presidents, bishops, military generals, et al, is their orientation. “All have very high IQs.”
I thought that with such IQs, executives know the truth about racial equality, yet wasted critical resources to enrich their own pockets, self-esteem and simultaneously degrade our American flag and U.S. Constitution that symbolizes freedom, truth and equal pursuit of happiness. It is this social and corporate behavior, who symbolically spits on our American flag. This then for me, is more demeaning than taking the knee, and has given birth or encouragement to the criminal state of American cities and towns and lack of world peace.
So, where I came from, or to, was arranged by what some call providence. I call it God. Everybody has a life. Some are short lived; others traverse the years to have over a century of experiences. They are not forgotten. Neurosurgeons such as Wilder Penfield discovered years ago that nothing a person experiences is ever forgotten. A person may lose recall but given the proper stimulus, all past experiences can be recalled just as they happened. (follow my experience later on in this book). This author is in hopes that anyone who has experienced him in their past will find meaningful reasons to thank God for positive lessons learned and not be sidetracked by his imperfections, (which are many) that surfaced at a particular time of experience.
Many times, I plotted leaving the ministry because of personal imperfections. But in sermons, readings, or meditation, I listened to Paul the Apostle: 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 (KJV) “For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, my grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”
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About the Book
As an army chaplain for 30 years, I had opportunity to work with and serve as pastor of the world community of God’s greatest creation. I never felt called to be a neighborhood pastor though I loved it.
Reflections of an Army chaplain are just that. The book is a composite of written and resurfaced experiences and not always in chronological order. I apologize to the many friends who at varied stages of my development encouraged me to publish my thoughts. I further apologize for criticizing the many graduate and post-graduate level professors whose uniquely inspired presentations were not put in print. In spirit, for whatever justification, I was not ready until today. So, you get the whole load. Whoever you are, I love you in Christ. Thanks for sharing your time while permitting me to unload on you.
My goal is consistent: Respect our flag and Constitution for whom Americans have fought and died protecting; The Christian faith, at its core , not necessarily in its practice, is not the only world religion but the one, I believe has the best hope for establishing world peace; It is not intended as a scholarly masterpiece though it reveals respect for academia. Yet some scholarly works of academia may be the primary cause of contemporary tragic consequences. This book is inclusive of 79 years of living.
About the Author
Biography of Dr. Elvernice “Sonny” Davis, Chaplain (COL), USA Retired. Elvernice “Sonny” Davis, served 3 years as Executive Director for the United Methodist Neighborhood Centers of Memphis, Inc. He joined Methodist Healthcare in 1998 where he served as Senior Vice-President of Health and Welfare Ministries, retiring fully vested after serving seven and one-half years. He has served eight years as a United Methodist Pastor, 30 years as an Active Duty Chaplain in the United States Army, retiring with the rank of Colonel. “Sonny’s” military decorations include two Legions of Merits, The Bronze Star and The Air Medal. In Vietnam, he served as Staff and 2/1 Squadron Chaplain of the 4th Infantry Division. In Wurzburg, Germany, he was excited to serve as Division Chaplain of the 3rd Infantry Division, the division of his western movie hero, Audie Murphy. Chaplain Davis was assigned to the Staff and Faculty of the United States Army Chaplain Center and School where he taught both Chaplain Officer Basic and Advanced Courses. In his second tour of South Korea, he was Command Chaplain of the Army’s only Combined Field Army, headquartered in Uijongbu. He served as Command and Post Chaplain at Fort Monmouth, NJ and Fort Gordon, GA. He retired as Command Chaplain for the United States Army Southeast Regional Medical Command and Eisenhower Regional Medical Center with Headquarters at Fort Gordon, GA, where he established a CPE training Center. He received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Social Science from Rust College, Holly Springs, MS and a Master of Divinity Degree from Gammon Theological Seminary of the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, GA. Additionally, he received a Master of Arts Degree in Sociology from Long Island University, Brooklyn, NY and is a Postgraduate Fellow of Psychotherapy from Southeast Institute, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Chaplain Davis and his wife Cynthia received their Doctor of Ministry Degrees from United Theological Seminary, Dayton, OH in 2005 with a special focus in the Black Church and Public Health. His dissertation is entitled, “Participation of Pastors in Addressing Health Disparities of African Americans.” Chaplain Davis holds Clinical Certification in the National Association of Forensic Counselors. He is a member of the Military Chaplains Association of the USA. Chaplain Davis is a 2001 graduate of Leadership Memphis. In 2003, he was certified as a Clinical Member of the National Institute of Business and Industrial Chaplains, Inc. In 2004, Chaplain Davis was appointed to the Board of Health Benefits for the Mississippi Conference of the United Methodist Church. He has served as a member of the St. Jude Sickle Cell Advisory Committee and the Life-Blood Board of Directors. April 2004, he was appointed as a member of the Advisory Board for Sustaining Pastoral Excellence, Memphis Theological Seminary. In 2004, he was appointed to the Spiritual and Emotional Care Task Force for the Mississippi Conference to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina and Rita. In January 2008, he and his wife were selected to join forty clergy participants for the three year Sustaining Pastoral Excellence study group. Chaplain Davis is most pleased that while at Methodist Healthcare he was able to coordinate between Methodist Healthcare, St. Jude Research Hospital and Africa University, located in Zimbabwe, the establishment of clinical trials for an FDA approved anti-AIDS vaccine project. While an Army Chaplain, he conducted numerous workshops on “An Understanding of Racism,” and as a trainer for “Faith at Work, Inc.” which combined the insights of psychotherapy with biblical applications in small group settings. He believes his academic, pastoral and military experiences, during the heat of the Civil Rights Movement and beyond, provide powerful reflections as an overlay with recommended resolutions for contemporary social issues. His conviction about race is that beliefs in racial inferiority or superiority are deeply embedded pathological issues perpetuating social, political and spiritual instability and the predominance of economic chaos, preventing the realization of the kingdom of God. Born in Vaiden and raised in Winona, Mississippi, “Sonny” and Cynthia are proud parents of four adult children and two grandsons, Jalen and Christian Blake. He loves the pastoral ministry, gardening, traveling and golf. He is most pleased and thankful to God for the opportunity in retirement to support Cynthia as a twice appointed District Superintendent in the Memphis Conference of our United Methodist Church.