My IRD Internship

[Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of brief reflections authored by current and past interns about their experience at the Institute on Religion & Democracy. For more information about IRD’s internship program, click here.]

Among my goals through participation in the Falls Church Fellows program and internship at the IRD has been to learn more about the Reformed Protestant denominations.

Raised in a Southern Baptist church, I had little knowledge of what distinguishes an Anglican from an Episcopalian or Methodist (Episcopalians are a kind of Anglican, and Methodists descend from Anglicanism). The IRD has been the perfect place to explore these variations without completely withdrawing from politics.

Writing for IRD’s blog Juicy Ecumenism combines my passions for politics and philosophy, which I studied in college, with a desire to grow my ecumenical knowledge. I have developed a greater appreciation for liturgical tradition and recognize the need for institutions like the IRD to maintain the reliable social witness of the Church.

On Juicy Ecumenism I have written on the Christian sexual ethic, reflected on worship in different Protestant traditions, and religious freedom in the U.S.

Today’s political and cultural debates hinge largely on identity, purpose, dignity, and freedom. The church’s robust, theological and philosophical tradition should not be absent from these conversations.

Additionally, reading all Providence articles while posting them to our website, I have received a sufficient course in Just War Theory, Christian Realism, and Christian influence upon U.S. foreign policy.

The Falls Church Fellows Program seeks to cultivate a worldview that is simultaneously practical in today’s world and rooted in biblical values. In my view, the Providence authors take a similar approach to U.S. foreign policy. Through my work with Providence, I have been able to practice applying biblical principles – such as neighbor love, the image of God, and the effects of sin in the world – to foreign policy.

The IRD has been a remarkable fit for my passions and goals. It has encouraged research into the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), United Methodist Church (UMC), and many of the other Christian acronyms while at the same time reflecting on politics and philosophy. I am grateful for this experience and am excited for another three months with the IRD and Providence.

Davison Drumm graduated Summa Cum Laude with a B.A. in Political Science from Fordham University and is a participant in The Falls Church Anglican Fellows program. With a passion for American political history and law, Drumm has an interest in domestic and international religious liberty. Read more pieces authored by Davison here.