Mary Beth Brown - The Faith of Ronald Reagan

THE FAITH OF
RONALD REAGAN

THE FAITH OF
RONALD REAGAN

Mary Beth Brown

2004, 2011 by Mary Beth Brown

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Scripture quotations are from THE NEW KING JAMES VERSION. 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Quotations from MY TURN by Nancy Reagan, copyright 1990 by Nancy Reagan. Used by permission of Random House, Inc.

Quotations from AN AMERICAN LIFE by Ronald Reagan, copyright 1990 by Ronald W. Reagan. Reprinted with the permission of Simon & Schuster, Adult Publishing Group.

ISBN 978-1-59555-353-9 (trade paper)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2010940403

Printed in the United States of America

11 12 13 14 15 RRD 5 4 3 2 1

This book is dedicated to my husband Floyd;
our sons, Peter and Patrick; and our daughter, Olivia.
I am grateful for their love, prayers, and unwavering faith in me.

CONTENTS

The Faith of Ronald Reagan is a story of faith. It is an inspiring story of how a seed of faith is planted in the life of a young man by a diligent and caring mother, how that faith blossomed and changed his life, and how, through him, that faith changed America and the entire world. This book highlights my fathers deep reliance on the providence of God and the Christian principles by which he lived. Most writers that have written about him fail to recognize the role his faith played in his life. Mary Beth Brown understands how faith can determine our very own destiny.

Growing up as the son of first a governor then a president has not been easy. There are both advantages and disadvantages in being looked at as the son of anybody, and, during the time of my fathers presidency, my life was filled with many challenges and personal trials. However, the person I could most often turn to in those difficult times was my dad. He had a way of putting everything into perspective, and I believe his determination and perseverance came from his relationship with the Lord.

Dad often shared with me the discussions he had with Billy Graham relaying how much he treasured their time together and how much he admired Grahams work. Even while his health was failing there was a certain peace that came from my father, and knowing one day we will be reunited brings me an even greater peace.

Nelle Reagan played an important role in both my sister Maureens and my life. This book finally brings her out of the shadows of history how proud my father would be. She was pivotal in developing the Christian values our family has today, and for that we are so grateful. She was always dedicated to helping others and touched the lives of so many.

My father was a godly man. He loved God. When he decided to run for president, he didnt do it to raise himself up, to be admired, or to have others think he was great. He didnt do it out of selfish reasons or because it is the most powerful position in the country. He did it out of duty. He believed God had called him to run for president. He believed God had things for him to do.

I hope this book not only brings you a better understanding of who Ronald Reagan was, but deepens your commitment to the Lord. The greatest gift my father ever gave me was the simple knowledge that I would see him in heaven one day. I pray you are there with us.

Michael E. Reagan
January 2, 2004

For you see your calling, brethren, that not manywise according to the flesh, not many mighty, notmany noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolishthings of the world to put to shame the wise, andGod has chosen the weak things of the world toput to shame the things which are mighty.

1 CORINTHIANS 1:2627

President Ronald Wilson Reagans death on June 5, 2004, brought forth an overwhelming outpouring of emotions from our nation for Americas fortieth president. The week of national mourning included hundreds of thousands of Americans passing by his casket to pay their respects, both at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California and at the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. After his funeral service at the National Cathedral, the week ended with the burial internment at his chosen site. With a blazing sun setting in the sky of his beloved California, America said goodbye. But Reagan chose more than just the site of his burial. He also chose some of the speakers and music for his own funeral. Through his choices, America learned much about her beloved president and what was important to him. It was that week following his death that much of America had a glimpse of his strong and yet quiet religious faith. President Reagan had one more thing he wanted to communicate to Americans and he did it at his funeral, through music and word.

Many years ago, Reagan asked Sandra Day OConnor, whom he had appointed to the Supreme Court, to read at his funeral from the 1630 sermon by Pilgrim John Winthrop, which encapsulated his vision for America. Reagan often described America as being a shining city on a hill, which is used in this sermon as a reference to Jesus words in the Bible. The passage which Reagan requested Justice OConnor quote reads as follows:

Now the only way to provide for our posterity is to follow the counsel of Micah, to do justly, to love mercy, to walk humbly with our God.

We must delight in each other; make others conditions our own; rejoice together, mourn together, labor and suffer together, always having before our eyes our commission and community in the work, as members of the same body.

The Lord will be our God, and delight to dwell among us, as his own people.

For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us.

So that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken, and so cause him to withdraw his present help from us, we shall be made a story and a byword through the world.

While still serving in office with then Vice President George Bush, Reagan asked him to speak at his funeral. We all saw Bush carry out his wishes on that June morning at the National Cathedral. Good friend and former prime minister of Great Britain, Margaret Thatcher, who shared Reagans worldview and had worked with him to bring down the Berlin Wall, also spoke at the funeral (via a taped message), per Reagans request years earlier. To Ronnie, Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Thatcher wrote in a condolence book for her friend and political ally.