Reverend Matt Shultz, pastor of Anchorage First Presbyterian Church, challenges Nick Begich III for Alaska’s seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Rev. Shultz, who is registered as a Democrat, emphasizes unity between Republicans and Democrats as the starting point of his campaign.
He stated: “My congregation includes Alaskans from across the political spectrum – Republicans, Democrats, and Independents – we’re Alaskans first and we share the same values. The problem is that Washington doesn’t.”
In an opinion piece by Shultz published in the Anchorage Daily News on Sept 17: “Studies show that Republicans and Democrats mostly share the same virtues, chief among them being care for others and fairness.” However, an investigation into Shultz’s hyperlinked source for his claim revealed a Wikipedia page for the “moral foundations theory.” The theory claims people broadly base morality on 6 specific foundations: care vs harm, fairness vs cheating, loyalty vs betrayal, authority vs subversion, sanctity vs degradation, and liberty vs oppression. The theory identifies certain key factors common to a broad range of people’s sense of morality. But it does nothing to prove Shultz’s claim that “Democrats and Republicans mostly share the same values.”
While Rev Shultz claims his values unite Alaskan voters across the political spectrum, his actions as a pastor and political activist paint a different story. He joined a pro-abortion panel, advocated for a city ordinance to ban Christian counselors from helping minors with unwanted same-sex attraction, wears an LGBTQ pin, and pastors a church which allows the ordination of transgender clergy.
Rev Shultz may mean well in seeking unity for our nation, especially in our current age of intense political polarization. However, at the end of the day, you cannot have it both ways. Politics will always reflect a particular worldview. Rev Shultz’s worldview clashes with the worldview of many voters, especially conservative Christian voters. If Rev Shultz wins the seat, he promises to ensure “Alaskan values set the agenda for our future”— a disingenuous attempt to attract voters outside of the left-wing voter base.
Wonder if he has ever read the Bible…
Whatever morsels of decadent ‘unity’ the good parson is selling, he has further contaminated the product on account of his identification with the D party. That political party is become the collective of leftism, atheism, Hollywood perversity, antisemitism, and lawlessness. Rev. Shultz, may the Lord rebuke you.
Sounds like an actual Christian, not a Faux Christian MAGAtard. You can love Jesus or Donald Trump, not both.
PCUSA and its affiliated churches, which include First Pres. here in Anchorage, the church of my youth, are no longer a sound source of Christian doctrine. They are “of the world” and no longer preach the truth of the Gospels, just washed over progressive dogma.
Unfortunately Rev. Shultz is soundly in their doctrinal swamp.