When I first moved to our neighborhood in Washington State, my lovely neighbor, Julie Bowman, brought over a paper plate filled with homemade chocolate chip cookies, which my family quickly consumed. But I have never forgotten that kind act and have duplicated it several times with other new neighbors on our block. That is how I met Scott Braddock when he and his family moved in. As we chatted, I asked, "Do you have a church home?" The answers flowed, and his faith so moved me that I knew you, my readers would want to know.
Scott, how and where were you raised faith-wise? What worked? What didn't?
Where to begin? I feel I should start at the beginning…
I was born in Southern California, outside of Los Angeles, in a town called Burbank. Both of my parents were from dysfunctional homes, and neither were particularly religious. My mother’s father, a devout Catholic, was only slightly less present in my life than he was in hers, while my father was of mixed Native American and Jewish heritage but never practiced.
His lack of presence notwithstanding, I am Catholic today due, at least in part, to my grandfather. This is because when my father sought his blessing and asked for my mother’s hand in marriage, my grandfather agreed with the condition that his grandchildren be raised Catholic.
So, as a child, I was baptized and attended Catholic school through the second grade. I enrolled at San Carlos School in Monterey, CA, where I was exposed to the biblical account of creation and fundamental concepts such as the Ten Commandments during my early formative years. In most cases, my understanding of (and convictions about) these concepts continues to evolve today, but throughout my life, they’ve served as guardrails. This moral framework instilled through Catholic teachings has served me well.
On the other hand, I’ve always struggled with the human aspects of religion — the Church as an institution — and the absence of leadership therein. From financial, political, and sexual scandals at the highest echelons to an uninspiring lack of relevance at the local level, I became disenfranchised and disillusioned long ago. Church compliance with COVID restrictions provided a recent illustration of poor leadership. However, a lack of clarity and courage is equally evident as it relates to myriad social issues in recent decades.
So, what brought you back to your Christian beliefs? Also, how long did you live your life without faith in God? What was that period like? How is your life now?
As mentioned, I attended Catholic school through the second grade, when our family relocated, and my sister and I enrolled in public school. This marked a step away from faith and the beginning of what I will call a “dormant’ period, during which I questioned everything and struggled to find happiness and fulfillment. What characterized this period more than anything else was a focus on a career driven by fear — fear of the unknown, fear of responsibility, and fear of failure.
Ultimately, four milestone events in the past decade contributed to my faith reawakening. These included divorce from my first wife (we were not married in the Church), getting married to my current wife, Yvette, the birth of our son, Dominic, and the onset of COVID-19. Each of these events compelled me to take stock, reevaluate priorities, and refocus my path forward. Consequently, faith became a more explicit and intentional part of my life.
Of all these milestones, it was probably COVID that forced me to consciously and logically re-acknowledge and recommit my faith to God. More than anything else, the pandemic seemed to present a binary choice — place your faith in God or place your faith in people dressed in lab coats. I opted for God; in doing so, I’ve found freedom from fear and fulfillment in things that truly matter.
Scott, you and your wife and family now belong to a non-denominational Christian church. What have you gleaned from your time there?
Our family attends New Life Church. We found New Life shortly after moving to Bainbridge Island two years ago and value the community because — as the motto, “Be the Church" suggests — it promotes the embrace of core Christian values and active participation, which I believe to be the ultimate “get well” plan for society. New Life has proven to be a wonderful faith, social, and support network.
Before coming to Bainbridge, however, our family attended Hope Village Church in Bellevue, WA. This was the first non-Catholic church I’d experienced and the only church I’d ever really resonated with. What I found most notable about Hope Village was how willing they were to fearlessly address polarizing social and political issues — something I’ve concluded we all must do. The majority of Christian churches seem to avoid directly confronting such issues, and, to me, this reflects a potentially fatal flaw.
From seeing life without a strong Christian faith to life with that belief, what are your thoughts on how to best raise Christian children in today's society?
In the United States' early years, the Bible was the only textbook included in our school curriculum. This is because our Founding Fathers — all men of faith — understood that the Bible offers basic instructions for achieving happiness and success. Yet, almost everywhere — in our schools, TV programming, social media, etc. — this message has either been censored or is actively being demonized, confused, and distorted today. At the same time, these same channels of communication constantly bombard children with counter-prescriptions for lifelong unhappiness and distress. As parents, there’s no greater responsibility to perform or gift to give to our children than THE TRUTH contained within the Bible.
Scott, Dominic, and Yvette Braddock.
Hebrews 11:1--"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."
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Martha Wild King, M.Ed., Author
The Frugal Catholic: Learn to live on less to give and save more.
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