Bob McDonnell's Thesis: Christian Reconstruction and the Virginia Governor's Race

[struggle4progress]

By: Diana Butler Bass
Tuesday October 20, 2009
Categories: Elections, off-year, Christians, Religion in the Public Square

Although many pundits think the religious right is waning, Republican Bob McDonnell, whose political views were shaped by radical right-wing beliefs--those of Christian Reconstruction--appears poised to win Virginia's upcoming gubernatorial election.

McDonnell's ties to the Christian Right were not an issue until the late summer when a Washington Post reporter obtained a copy of McDonnell's M.A. thesis in public policy written for the College of Law at Pat Robertson's Regent University. In a series of articles, the Post--and a good number of liberal bloggers--reported that McDonnell's thesis attacks working women, birth control, and public school education. Critics pointed out how "conservative" these views are and that McDonnell is associated with Robertson (McDonnell also served as a Regent trustee until recently)--implying that such views and associations should discredit his campaign.

Bob McDonnell responded that he wrote the thesis twenty years ago, that he doesn't really remember much about it, and that he can't really recall the lectures of his thesis supervisor, Regent's Law School dean Herb Titus (whose views were so controversial that he was eventually removed from the faculty). He also claims to have moderated--pointing to his own family as evidence of his broadmindedness (he has several successful grown daughters). Mostly, however, he sidesteps the issue, implying that the press is out to get him, and that he is a genial jobs-and-economy/law-and-order sort of guy--not a Christian Right culture warrior.

There is, however, a problem with these claims. McDonnell's thesis is not a benign Christian intellectual piece or slightly biblically goofy. Rather, it is a detailed argument for the Republican Party to embrace a specific philosophical worldview called Christian Reconstruction, an interpretation of the Bible, politics, society, and the family that has proved so controversial that even some who hold these ideas will not admit to them in public. It is difficult to imagine writing a M.A. thesis based on Reconstructionist thought and not knowing exactly what you are doing ...

http://blog.beliefnet.com/progressiverevival/2009/10/bob-mcdonnells-thesis-christia.html

[charlie]

1. Rushdoony freaks are falling out of trees

I swear, it's like playing whack a mole with those guys, there's no end to them.

[napi21]

2. What can we as Dems do to get the vote out in an off year?

THAT;s what has me very worried. We were all charged up last year and many more went to the polls than usual. NOW, in an off year, I'm really scared that too many Dems are not interested enough to bother!!!! If we slack off now, the McDonnell kind is what we're going to get!

[LuvNewcastle]

3. It is amazing to me that a proponent

of ancient and backward tribal family arrangements can ascend so far in the government of a modern country such as ours. We've always had our share of odd religious sects in this country, but they haven't always sought political power. We need a way to neutralize these Taliban-like groups and keep them out of politics.