Andrew L. Pate, Jr., getting to know him

My purpose here, on this "Bio" page, is respectfully to request that my background be appropriately evaluated.

I fully acknowledge imperfections in my persona and background. But I have reasons—experience, education and demonstrated achievements in fulfilling the responsibilities of my work—that I believe are worthy of serious consideration by fair and just minded individuals.

When I first stated my positions in the 2016 campaign, some people from my home town rejected them quickly. I respect their right to do so. But I know they have misrepresented me and in so doing, come up very short of having gained insight into my thoughts, political and religious.

I, Andrew Lidden Pate, Jr, was born on April 8, 1935, the son of Andrew L Pate and Gale Marie Carpenter Pate, in my grandmother's home in Humble, Texas. My older sister, Mary Ann Pate Hormuth, was born on March 24, 1933. She currently resides in Louisville, KY.

Age six, I began my schooling in Goodrich , TX. After three years there, I had spent a year in southern Louisiana. From fifth through the 12^th grade, I was a student in the public school system of Refugio Texas, currently a 2A classified school, as it was when I graduated Refugio High in 1952, #3 in my class of 49 graduates (#2 for the 4 years), and qualified to enroll as a freshman in Rice Institute (now University) in Houston, TX.

I floundered at first, struggling to find myself in the highly competitive Rice environment; then eventually spent one semester in Southwest Texas before completing my college education in UT Austin, January 1957, with a BA degree in sociology, minors in history and English.

In my junior year in UT Austin I decided to become a United Methodist minister. In the summer of 1957, I enrolled in the theology school of Emory University, Atlanta, Ga, where I completed its 3-year program in two years with an M.Div. degree. In 1959 I began my ministry as an associate pastor in Augusta, GA. In 1961 I determined to further my education in the Graduate Theological Union, Pacific School of Religion, in Berkeley, CA. In 1963 I was awarded a second master’s degree in Christian Theology; in 1968, a doctoral Th.D./PhD degree in Christian Theology.

My master’s (S.T.M.) thesis was on “The Idea of History”. My doctorate was “A Study of the Doctrine of Man (what it means to be human) in the theology of Karl Barth." To earn my doctorate, I also passed oral and written examinations in the “history of Christian thought,” and foreign language reading requirements in German and French.

In 1966 I was hired as a professor of religion (teaching also western civilization and philosophy) for Oxford College of Emory University. I held the Oxford position of assistant professor of Religion, 1968-1978. From 1972-1978, I was also the Oxford College of Emory director of admissions and financial aid.

In May 1978 I started the first of my two years as Director of Admission and Financial aid for Centenary College of Louisiana. In June 1980 I returned to Texas and was assigned to be pastor of the FUMC of Schulenburg. In 1982 I started the first of two years as pastor of the FUMC of Blanco. From 1984-1986, I was Dean of Admissions for Iowa Wesleyan College. From 1986-1961, I was senior pastor of the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Burlington, Iowa. In 1991 I again returned to Texas and since have had pastorates in several churches (mostly interim) in Texas. Currently, age 84, I serve as part-time pastor of the First Christian Church (DOC) of Rockdale, Texas.

In 1997, I married Carol nee Walker Larson, whom I grew up with in Refugio, TX. Since 1998, we have made our permanent home in College Station, TX.

I am, I believe, more than qualified to express my beliefs and opinions regarding the Christian faith and make their application.

Also, I believe I am well qualified to make “historical” decisions and express my informed opinions about the past and the present. I have taught and preached for more than a half century about Christian ethics, and about political and historical thinking.

Through all these years, my thinking has been greatly influenced by my extensive studies of the greatest theologians and philosophers of the past two centuries, and more. I treasure profoundly what I have learned from these men and women. In addition, over 10 years plus, I have written weekly articles in the newspapers of Refugio and Orange Texas, and in my own online press, Texopress.com. In addition to my scholarly publications (above) I have authored one novel, The Speech, 2012.

So, it is out of this background and experience that I categorically, and without reservation, assert my beliefs and opinions regarding “Politics” 2019-2020:

Donald Trump is unfit to be President of the United States.
The ideology he represents and attempts to practice is unchristian and unamerican, both denying basic Christian values and the fundamental strengths of the U.S. constitution as well as the lessons taught and validated throughout our country’s storied and most valued history
Trump’s casual show of disrespect for women, immigrants, blacks, other minorities and persons of other nationalities should be an embarrassment to every thoughtful American; and
His total narcissism, usage of mobster like tactics, and his disgraceful ignorance of history are totally unacceptable in any person desiring to be the president of the United States.

And just as importantly

I categorically reject the support Trumps receives from pseudo-Christians who call themselves “Evangelical,” a modern Christian heresy as it defines itself in Trumpism.
Trump’s egotistic personal aura is the very opposite of any that I admire and respect; and
I abhor the sad treatment he has given to our historic Allies, namely those who have assisted in making our global world as safe and secure as it has been since WW II.

Andrew “Andy” Pate

College Station, TX 01 May 2019