Mitt Romney’s newly released tax returns provide more than an accounting of the Republican presidential candidate’s remarkable personal wealth. The documents also give a rare glimpse into tithing to the Mormon church by one its most prominent members.
Romney reports he will give a total of $4.13 million to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints over two years as part of his overall charitable donations. The former Massachusetts governor reported income of about $43 million for the two years. Separately, over the past decade, Romney and his wife, Ann, have given more than $4.7 million to the denomination through the Tyler Charitable Foundation, a multimillion-dollar trust the couple leads.
The LDS church famously seeks a high level of commitment from its members – in prayer, study, service to others and charity. A lifelong Mormon, Romney served as a missionary in France as a young man and as a top Latter-day Saint leader in the Boston area.
Deut 14:22-29
22 Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year. 23 [b]Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the LORD your God[/b] at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, [b]so that you may learn to revere the LORD your God always.[/b] 24 But if that place is [b]too distant[/b] and you have been blessed by the LORD your God and [b]cannot carry your tithe[/b] (because the place where the LORD will choose to put his Name is so far away), 25 then [b]exchange your tithe for silver[/b], and take the silver with you and go to the place the LORD your God will choose. 26 [b]Use the silver to buy whatever you like:[/b] cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or [b]anything you wish.[/b] Then you and your household shall eat there [b]in the presence of the LORD your God[/b] and [b]rejoice[/b]. 27 And do not neglect the Levites living in your towns, for they have no allotment or inheritance of their own.
28 At the end of [b]every three years, bring all the tithes of that year’s produce and store it in your towns, 29 so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied,[/b] and so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.