Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

David Brat’s Biblical Views Shape His Tea Party Politics (Christianity + Capitalism)
Time ^ | June 11, 2014 | Elizabeth Dias

Posted on 06/13/2014 10:59:57 AM PDT by Mrs. Don-o

The Republican primary race in Virginia’s 7th district was a David and Goliath story from the beginning. [snip]

Brat’s spiritual life has long been as central to his identity, even though it has also been difficult to pigeonhole. He currently attends a Catholic church, but he also identifies as a Calvinist, and he lists four churches as affiliations on his resume: St. Michael’s Catholic, Christ Church Episcopal, Third Presbyterian, and Shady Grove Methodist. He earned his bachelors from Hope College, a Christian liberal arts college in Holland, Mich., which is historically affiliated with the Reformed Church in America, a Protestant denomination that sprouted during the 17th century. He got a Masters of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary, a Presbyterian school, but while there wrote a thesis on logical positivism and its impact on economic science—not a typical choice for someone earning a ministerial degree. He then switched his focus and earned a Ph.D. in economics from American University.

Through all of that, one aspect of his faith has been constant: Brat takes the Protestant work ethic seriously. Like many of his Tea Party colleagues, Brat is an Ayn Rand enthusiast, and coauthored a paper assessing the moral foundations of her writings in 2010. [snip]

He argues: “Church folk and my liberal pals are always preaching about inclusiveness and diversity. . . . However, a real test for liberal Christian types is whether they will reach out to capitalists!”

The thing that comes last in his plan? “Finally, I think Jesus told us to help our neighbor when they get in a bind,” he writes. “But that comes last in my little story here, not first.”

(Excerpt) Read more at time.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Philosophy; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: aynrand; brat; calvinist; catholic; davidbrat
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-26 next last
Class, discuss.
1 posted on 06/13/2014 10:59:58 AM PDT by Mrs. Don-o
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Mrs. Don-o

Wow, he believes in biblical scripture. Burn him at the stake. /s


2 posted on 06/13/2014 11:04:07 AM PDT by stocksthatgoup (Take out the trash)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mrs. Don-o

Capitalism is a practical implementation of Christianity — to serve one’s neighbor as oneself. No producer can be successful unless he pleases his customer.


3 posted on 06/13/2014 11:05:26 AM PDT by mason-dixon (As Mason said to Dixon, you have to draw the line somewhere.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mrs. Don-o

Intellectual gravitas in the Congress. Whoda thunk it?

Fascinating.


4 posted on 06/13/2014 11:06:13 AM PDT by don-o (He will not share His glory and He will NOT be mocked! Blessed be the name of the Lord forever!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mrs. Don-o

OH NOES A CHRISTIAN!


5 posted on 06/13/2014 11:06:46 AM PDT by TheThirdRuffian (RINOS like Romney, McCain, Christie are sure losers. No more!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mrs. Don-o

DemocRATS ‘War On Christianity’ begins.


6 posted on 06/13/2014 11:07:07 AM PDT by Servant of the Cross (the Truth will set you free)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mrs. Don-o; Alex Murphy

This space reserved for the ever incisive comments of Alex Murphy.

Please also block off responses 20-40 for indignant retorts against said comments of Alex Murphy.


7 posted on 06/13/2014 11:07:53 AM PDT by Claud
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Claud; Mrs. Don-o; Alex Murphy
I meant to call attention to this:

He currently attends a Catholic church, but he also identifies as a Calvinist

8 posted on 06/13/2014 11:11:10 AM PDT by Claud
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Mrs. Don-o

So far...I likey.


9 posted on 06/13/2014 11:11:10 AM PDT by Sergio (An object at rest cannot be stopped! - The Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs at Midnight)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: All
He currently attends a Catholic church, but he also identifies as a Calvinist, and he lists four churches as affiliations on his resume: St. Michael’s Catholic, Christ Church Episcopal, Third Presbyterian, and Shady Grove Methodist. He earned his bachelors from Hope College, a Christian liberal arts college in Holland, Mich., which is historically affiliated with the Reformed Church in America, a Protestant denomination that sprouted during the 17th century. He got a Masters of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary, a Presbyterian school, but while there wrote a thesis on logical positivism and its impact on economic science—not a typical choice for someone earning a ministerial degree. He then switched his focus and earned a Ph.D. in economics from American University.

Through all of that, one aspect of his faith has been constant: Brat takes the Protestant work ethic seriously. Like many of his Tea Party colleagues, Brat is an Ayn Rand enthusiast, and coauthored a paper assessing the moral foundations of her writings in 2010.

That's a lot of name-dropping. I think he's trying entirely too hard to appeal to conservative religious voters.

10 posted on 06/13/2014 11:13:41 AM PDT by Alex Murphy ("the defacto Leader of the FR Calvinist Protestant Brigades")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mrs. Don-o

I’m a little bit nervous about the idea of being affiliated with four different churches. But I suppose he wants to reach out to conservative Christians of all stripes, as a politician.

When I was teaching, I belonged to the Conference on Christianity and Literature, which was started by Evangelicals but subsequently brought in Catholics and others. We got on fine, agreeing to disagree on some theological matters, but determined to work together against the atheists and death dealers who are corrupting our society.

That’s what “ecumenical” should mean—praying together, working together, but not compromising your beliefs down to a worthless “common denominator.”

I’m not quite sure how you can reconcile strict Calvinism with Catholicism, and I was surprised at how many of my Evangelical friends were unwilling to deal with the Calvinists as well. But I did have a couple of friends at Calvin College, and we did work together on issues where we could agree.


11 posted on 06/13/2014 11:17:15 AM PDT by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cicero
"I’m not quite sure how you can reconcile strict Calvinism with Catholicism"

Sounds like he's a Jansenist. Or an Augustinian.

12 posted on 06/13/2014 11:23:37 AM PDT by circlecity
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: stocksthatgoup

Hmmm. I’m thinkin’ tar and feathers. How dare he even think of blaspheming the libs?


13 posted on 06/13/2014 11:36:39 AM PDT by rktman (Ethnicity: Nascarian. Race: Daytonafivehundrian)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Cicero; don-o
There aren't a whole lot of Calvinists around here, at least that I am aware of, but I do prayer-vigil at the local abortion chop-shop with one set of Calvinists, and my husband and I sing from a shape-note hymnal ("Christian Harmony") with a sweet Calvinist couple with two cherubic tiny sons. Their kids are named "Justified-by-Faith" and "Strong-in-the-Hope-of-Deliverance".

I kid you not.

14 posted on 06/13/2014 11:41:06 AM PDT by Mrs. Don-o (When the heart is pure, it can't help loving, because it has found the source of love, which is God.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Claud
He currently attends a Catholic church, but he also identifies as a Calvinist

Well, he's half right.

15 posted on 06/13/2014 12:16:29 PM PDT by Graybeard58 (If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha. 1 Cor 16: 32)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Mrs. Don-o
There aren't a whole lot of Calvinists around here

You're right, we are few in number.

16 posted on 06/13/2014 12:20:25 PM PDT by Graybeard58 (If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha. 1 Cor 16: 32)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Graybeard58
You're right, we are few in number.

Admit it, you wouldn't want it any other way. ;)

17 posted on 06/13/2014 12:24:24 PM PDT by Claud
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Mrs. Don-o
I thought those names went out with the old English Puritans and the Pilgrim Fathers.

There was a fellow in London named "Had-Jesus-Christ-Not-Died-For-Thee-Thou-Hadst-Been-Damned Barebones". He changed his name to Nicholas Barbon and started the first fire insurance company.

You can look it up.

18 posted on 06/13/2014 12:29:50 PM PDT by AnAmericanMother (Ecce Crucem Domini, fugite partes adversae. Vicit Leo de Tribu Iuda, Radix David, Alleluia!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Mrs. Don-o

Why is the Christian religion suddenly such a horrible thing? Don’t any Americans still believe in God, have they all converted atheism or Muslim?

Someone should corner these clowns who write like this,
“What’s wrong with God?” Make them defend their position.


19 posted on 06/13/2014 12:32:20 PM PDT by Kenny
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mrs. Don-o

I grew up in and around Calvinist Central, which would include Hope College and Calvin College. Calvinists are not Catholics in theology or practices. BTW, Amway = Calvinist and has delivered millions and millions to Calvinist causes. Amway has also delivered millions and millions to other causes including truly significant medical $$$.


20 posted on 06/13/2014 12:36:30 PM PDT by Oystir
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-26 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson