Robert D. Erickson died Monday in Elgin at age 90, according to a university news release. He taught at Judson for more than 50 years. Throughout his tenure, Erickson was known for never missing a class.
as we all know, the u.s. military is made up of people of all faiths but is one religion being promoted over another. critics say fundamentalist christian offers are pressuring troops to convert to their beliefs. cnn s barbara starr takes a closer look. reporter: for carl birch, war is a spiritual mission. he spent a year ministering to the troops. when a soldier doms me with a problem, i never ask them what faith they are. reporter: caplan birch is a member of the baptist general conference. he says he would never try to force his belief on soldiers that come to him. it is a sensitive issue. it is a terrible, terrible cancer eating away at very core of our military.
evangelist franklin graham didn t take well to being not so cordially disinvited from a service at the pentagon yesterday. the reason was his outspoken criticism of islam, which he has called evil and wicked. this week graham accused president obama of giving islam a pass. and yesterday the reverend came to the pentagon to pray outside. as it happens, the u.s. military has the only government-sanctioned religious program. it involves chaplains, and now they too are under serious scrutiny. here is our pentagon correspondent barbara starr. reporter: for carlton birch, war is a spiritual mission. he spent a year in afghanistan. not as a fighter, but as a chaplain, ministering to the troops. when a soldier comes to me with a problem, i never ask them what faith group they are. reporter: chaplain birch is a member of the baptist general conference. he says he would never try to